Friends With Way Too Many Benefits (19 page)

"Take ten."

"Okay."

"I'd better get back. I'll send for you when we're ready."

"Great."

Moving to her, Paul gave her a quick kiss then headed out the door. When he was gone, she grinned then checked her face in the mirror.

When Natalie returned to the set, she was rock solid, gorgeous and performed flawlessly. It was as if the earlier events never even happened. After shooting the sequence where she moved into the ballet pose fully clothed in front of the party crowd, they setup the fantasy dream sequence removing all the other supporting actors and leaving only a minimal crew.

Chance sat on the sofa as Natalie resumed the pose, but this time completely naked. Paul stepped from behind the monitor and said, "Action."

The camera pulled back from a close-up of Chance as he gazed at Natalie, mesmerized. Next the shot captured Natalie from behind as she gracefully lowered the leg then slowly walked to Chance. She stopped a few feet in front of him and he admired her from head to toe. Placing a hand on each of his shoulders, she climbed up on the sofa with her knees on either side of him before slinking down carefully onto his lap. He looked up wide-eyed until she leaned down to kiss him.

"Cut." Paul walked to the monitor to have a look. Natalie rose up from the sofa just as a member of the crew came up behind her holding a robe open. She slipped it on.

Chance gave her a smile. "That was really great."

"You think so?"

"Oh, yeah, you were amazing."

Paul joined them on the set. "Natalie, that was fantastic, but we're going to do it once more. We want to try another angle."

"Okay, sure," Chance said.

Paul moved in close to her and whispered. "You’re doing great."

"Thanks."

"Okay everyone, places. We're going again." Paul moved back behind the camera as they ran through it one more time.

After a third take, Paul was satisfied and they setup a scene with Chance and Natalie in bed. He was shirtless and sported only a pair of gym shorts and Natalie wore a pair of flesh colored panties.

Chance lay down in bed, Natalie climbed in on top of him and a crew member covered them with the sheet and blanket. As her full breast pressed down sensually on his firm chest muscles, she gave him an embarrassed smile.

Paul called out, "Sorry just one more minute."

Chance and Natalie shared an awkward smile with their bodies pressed together and their faces only a few inches apart.

"Is this okay? Sorry." Natalie whispered, lifting off of him a little.

"No, you're fine... That's really amazing that thing you can do with your leg. Where'd you, uh, learn that?"

"Ballet class."

"Wow. That's really something."

"Yeah, I, uh, just wanted to tell you I really love your movies. I mean, it's just an honor to be working with you like this. It's..."

He shook his head. "No, I'm just a guy. It's not like I've won any awards or anything."

"Is this okay where I have my leg?"

"Sure."

"Ouch... sorry." She shifted her position, lost her balance and her hand ended up on his crotch.

"Ohhh." He made a face.

"Oh my God." She cringed in horror. "Sorry."

"Don’t worry about it. It's just an occupational hazard of scenes like this. As long as you don't kick me, I'll be fine."

She giggled. Shivers ran down her spine from being so close to such a hunky celebrity wearing nothing but a pair of silky gym shorts and sporting, if her brief run in with it was at all accurate, quite a package. "You smell really good by the way."

"Thanks."

Suddenly, Paul appeared to the left of them. "Ready?"

The scantily clad pair looked his way. "Uh-huh."

"Okay..." Paul stepped back. "Action."

They kissed then the camera panned down to Natalie's breasts as Chance lifted her up and moved his mouth to one of her nipples. After letting him have a few seconds nursing, Paul called out. "Cut... Good. Let's reset for one more."

Paul moved to the monitor as a crew member grabbed the sheets and waited while Natalie slipped back down into position. Once covered, she adjusted herself and semi-inadvertently brushed her hand over his groin. "Sorry, I keep doing that."

Chance smiled. "I'm starting to not mind it so much."

They shared a chuckle. Natalie closed her eyes melting away to the fantasy that her costar was now sporting a sizeable chub in his shorts. It took everything she had not to pull it out and give him the relief he seemed to desperately need.

After the crew member left them, she whispered. "I promise I'll stop touching it."

"You probably should, it's getting hard, I mean, difficult to concentrate."

"I don’t know how you actors stay focused during these scenes. My head is spinning."

"You're doing great." He frowned. "I wish I could say the same for the body you're doubling for."

"What?" Natalie asked, confused.

Paul reappeared. "Ready."

She turned her attention to her secret director boyfriend. "Oh, Yes."

After looking back to the camera man and sharing a nod, Paul said. "Action."

It took three more takes before Paul was satisfied. Unfortunately Natalie found herself anything but. Feeling Chance's level of commitment to the scene increase with every try, she felt like she wasn't the only one who was about to explode.

When the lunch break was announced, Chance held his robe out in front of his shorts as he walked a little funny toward his dressing room. Natalie told Paul to meet her in her dressing room and when he did, she jumped on top of him in order to expel a tremendous amount of pent up energy.

Nine minutes later Paul and Natalie went to the craft service table for something to eat. Paul was called away and Natalie ended up eating with Chance. In the middle of their lunch, he asked if she would help him out by running lines with him in his dressing room. They took their plates with them and in between bites they worked on a scene. Afterward Chance told her she had a future in the business. Convinced that he was going to make a pass at her, she was a little disappointed when he did not. Although she was oddly relieved and not at all sure how she would have reacted. She was actually starting to fall for Paul and not only because he was a high powered Hollywood director, but because she found herself actually liking him. Something she didn’t plan, but was a pleasant bonus.

As the production resumed with Chance and Lindsey shooting a scene together, Natalie was no longer needed for the day. Paul had a driver return her to the hotel, where she spent the afternoon pouring over the script.

That night, Natalie thanked Paul for giving her the opportunity to get over this horrible event in her life. Actually, she thanked him twice, once in the limo when they returned from the restaurant and once more after they climbed into bed. At midnight, she curled up in his arms and sighed. "Paul, are you sure you'll be able to get Jillian to be okay with this? I mean, she's an executive producer and she could really—"

"Don't worry. I'll handle it. I have a meeting scheduled with her for first thing in the morning."

At 7:05 a.m. Paul and Jillian sat down with their coffee at a table in Starbucks.

"Thanks for meeting me here," Paul said. "I just didn't want to do this on the set."

"What's going on? Is everything okay?" She asked with her concern growing.

"You weren't on the set yesterday."

"No, but I heard you had some excitement."

"We did. Um, we have a new body double for Lindsey."

"How is she? You think she can handle it?"

"Oh, she can handle it. She was great. Amazing, really."

"Good." After blowing on her cup, she took a tiny sip. "So what do we need to discuss?"

"Well, you know her, actually."

"Who?"

"The body double. Her name is Natalie Fox."

She narrowed her eyes, confused. "Doesn't sound familiar." She brought the cup to her lips once more.

"You might know her as, um... Natalie Brookhart."

Caught mid sip, Jillian coughed, dribbled liquid out of her nose then choked, and blew coffee shrapnel all over Paul. Immediately they were the center of attention as those around them looked on in surprise.

He moved back from the table and looked down at his shirt, frowning.

Gasping, Jillian struggled to compose herself. "Did you say Brookhart?"

"Yeah." He wiped his face and dabbed his shirt.

Noticing eyes still on them, she leaned over the table and whispered, "How is that possible?"

"She changed her name and I hired her for the job without realizing."

"Okay, well, replace her."

"Really?" Lifting his palms up, he sighed.

"Yes, you have to replace her. Just get someone else."

"We already have the scenes shot and they were perfect."

"I don't care." She folded her arms.

"Come on. It couldn't be that bad could it?"

"You don't know any of my history with her do you?"

"Not exactly, but is this really a big deal?"

"Huh… is this a big deal?" Putting her finger to her chin, she put on a calm controlled expression. "Um, well, let's see... she tried to ruin my wedding, she... um, took me to court." She widened her eyes. "Oh, yeah, she tried to have sex with my husband in the courthouse in the middle of the trial. So, um, I'd say that yeah, this is a big deal."

Slumping back in his chair, he took a deep breath. "That was more than a year ago."

"It was, but I don't care if it was ten years ago."

"Well, I think she really works well for this movie."

"Hold on." She shook her head. "We're not talking about replacing Amanda or Chance or even a supporting role in the film. We're talking about a body double. Just get another pair of tits with legs that can spread apart like this." She held her arms out wide for effect and made a goofy face.

He sighed. "Just let me show you the dailies. I think you'll—"

"Wait a second..." Her jaw dropped open and she scoffed. "You're sleeping with her aren't you?"

"Well, I, uh..."

She glared at him with disgust. "You're having sex with her. I can't believe this."

"We are seeing each other, yes." Closing his eyes, he exhaled.

"And when..." Speaking slowly, she gave him a condescending look. "...you gave her the job she didn't happen to mention her, let's call it, intimate knowledge of the project?"

"She had no idea that this was the movie I was working on."

"Uh-huh." She chuckled. "Wait... So, she took a job without knowing what it was called or what it was about. She just went in blindly?"

"Exactly. She was doing me a favor and we—"

"I'll bet she was." She rolled her eyes.

"You should have seen how devastated she was when she found out."

"I'm sure," she mumbled in a sarcastic tone.

"She was literally shaking. She didn't think she could continue. She actually wanted to walk off the project."

"Good, let her."

He sighed, exhausted. "Look, Jillian, I convinced her to stay on. She wants to put this behind her and I think this is a good way for her to finally do that. This whole situation... the trial, the book and all the publicity has been causing her emotional distress for a long, long time."

"Terrific! I'm glad."

He closed his eyes, curled his lips together frowning. Then he took a deep breath before making two tight fists with his hands and placing them under his chin. "Look... Here she can finally stand up to it and come to terms with it and it seems like you are still harboring some feelings that may be—"

"Harboring feelings?" She chuckled, angrily. "I'm harboring feelings? Yeah, maybe just a little bit."

"What I mean is maybe this is a great way for you to put this behind you as well."

"I don't need to put this behind me."

"It sounds like you do." He nodded confidently, frowning.

"When exactly did you and miss flexibility start dating? Was it after the announcement that you were directing this movie?"

"It was after, but—"

"And you think it's just a coincidence."

"I do."

She looked at him pointedly. "Where did you meet?"

"Um, it was a yoga class."

"Yoga class." She scoffed. "I'll bet she came up to you and—"

"No, our mats were next to each other."

"Uh-huh."

He took a sip of coffee then looked at her offended. "So are you saying that a woman as attractive as she is, could not be interested in me unless she was after something?"