"We really like the dynamic between the two of you. Both Sabrina and I feel like it is going to be what grounds the show. So make sure that you play that up. Make sure that you two find each other so that you can discuss everyone."
"You want us to talk about people behind their backs?" Becca asked with worry in her tone.
Gavin stopped in front of the Jeep and turned back to Becca, giving her a gimme-a-break look before shaking his head down at her. "Please. Like you don't already."
He then opened the passenger side door and practically shoved Becca inside before lifting her shirt and turning on the battery pack that was clipped to her waistband for her mic.
Brian saw the look of surprise and discomfort at the situation on Becca's face, and his hands fisted at his sides. She looked up and saw what she was sure was a look like he wanted to knock Gavin out, and she smiled at him-the smile that always cleared his head, cleared the skies, cleared … everything. When she smiled at him like that, the rest of the world didn't exist.
Just him and Becca.
Gavin started talking and Becca turned her attention back to him. Taking a deep breath, Brian stalked around to get in and drive them out only to turn around and drive right back in like they'd been instructed to do earlier by Sabrina. He tried to remind himself that Gavin was only doing his job, but seeing someone, anyone, tug up Becca's shirt and touch her was almost more than Brian could handle.
Yeah. He was pretty sure his blood pressure was through the roof.
Before he opened his door, he clicked his battery pack on. Then he climbed in just as Gavin was giving the thumbs-up that they were both live; which meant that everything they said from this point on was being recorded. As Gavin closed the door, Brian turned the ignition on and screeched out of the large turnaround. Dust flew up as he did, and Becca grabbed the door.
Everything inside of him was screaming for him to keep going-to get her out of here. Why had he thought this would be a good thing? Why had he been relieved to have her here? He needed to talk to her without it being broadcast to production.
"What are you doing?" she asked, looking up at him, wide-eyed.
Brian shrugged as he shifted and sped down the road that led up to Stone Castle. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell Becca what he was doing, what he was thinking. It was just that he didn't want everyone in the sound room to hear it. Halfway down the long road, he took a sharp left, pulling onto a side road. There was a secret spot he'd been shown by some locals in Whisper Lake when he was a kid. It wasn't immediately visible from the main road. If you didn't know it was there, it just looked like you'd drive into the trees. But there was small area that was covered with dense trees, mainly used by teenagers to come park in.
"Bri-"
He lifted his finger to his lips, indicating for Becca to be quiet, and put the Jeep in park. Then, quickly he shut off his own mic before leaning across Becca, slipping his hand up her shirt, and shutting hers off as well.
He was looking down at his hand beside the sexy line of smooth skin on the side of her belly. His heart pounded loudly as he felt Becca's fingers wrap around his arms, clinging to him. He felt her fingernails digging into his skin.
Without a thought in his mind, acting on pure instinct, Brian watched as he lightly brushed the backs of his long fingers against the softness of the pale skin just above the waistband of her white shorts. Her body trembled beneath his touch, and he saw her chest rise as she let out a small sigh.
His eyes were trained on her bare, exposed skin, but he could feel the heat of her stare and the sweet fan of her breath on his face. He knew that they were barely an inch apart, but he couldn't bring himself to look up. Seeing her skin beneath his touch was equal parts erotic and precious. Leaning over her, his body surrounding her like this, he didn't want this moment to end.
"Brian?" she rasped.
Lifting his eyes, he saw the look of arousal and confusion in her eyes. As badly as he wanted nothing more than to thread his fingers through her silky hair and press his lips to hers, claim her with a kiss she would remember, he didn't. Even knowing she felt at least some of the desire he was feeling was not enough to risk what they had.
But he could do this.
"We don't have to stay," he gritted out, trying to push down his need. "I can get you out of here. We can leave."
* * *
"What?" Becca asked as she tried to process the words that had just come out of Brian's perfect, full lips.
Granted, she knew that her mind was so clouded with lust that having a coherent thought might be totally impossible, but she was hoping to at least try and keep up with the conversation. His fingers moved against her skin again, and the motion sent a tidal wave of tingles flowing through her body.
Nope. There was no way she could possibly talk to him when he was touching her so softly and looking at her so intensely. She'd thought that she'd seen every look Brian Scott had, but this one was new. It looked primal, raw-and she liked it. So much more than she should. Biting down on her lip, she held on to him tighter, terrified that he was going to move away from her and almost just as scared at what would happen if he didn't.
"Becca." Brian's pupils dilated as he said her name, and she could see the tiny specks of gold that were sprinkled around the light brown of his irises.
A loud noise sounded behind them and they turned to see one of the PAs holding up a bullhorn, pressing the button to sound the obnoxious horn before announcing loudly through the electronic device, "Found them!"
"Do you want to go?" Brian asked, his voice sounding borderline panicked.
No way did Becca trust herself to speak, scared that her pesky voice would betray her and scream, "Yes, please!" So she went the safer route for everyone and shook her head no. As badly as she wanted Brian to drive her away from this place, she knew she needed to be strong. If she kept having near panic attacks, Brian would keep second-guessing being here, and he needed to have his head in the game. The reason they were here-he needed to win this thing.
Brian sat back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair, looking as frustrated as he used to look when his team would lose a baseball game in high school. She knew that he always took responsibility for the losses even though she pointed out, on more than one occasion, that it was a team sport. Still, he'd feel like he'd let his team down.
She was just about to assure him that she was fine, that she was happy about being here, when her door opened and the PA, who had blown the horn and announced her great discovery, stood looking more than a little pissed off.
"You need to get up to set," she said as if they were children she needed to reprimand, which Becca guessed their behavior had warranted. Then, she roughly switched the battery pack to Becca's mic back on and said, "Keep. These. On," before slamming the door.
Becca turned to see that Brian was switching his on before turning the ignition. Just as the engine roared to life, Becca's door flung open again.
"And act natural," she stated firmly before once again shutting the door.
Becca knew that she needed to get Brian to laugh, to lighten up. She had to push down all of the feelings, emotions, and confusion she was feeling and just be here for him, so as they passed the PA, Becca saluted.
The PA didn't see it, but Brian laughed. It was a small laugh, but it was enough to break the tension in the car. She knew that, normally, Brian would be making small talk. They had been instructed to do that very thing by Sabrina when she'd come into the makeup trailer to prep them on what to expect on their ‘arrival shot.'
"This place looks so much bigger close up," Becca said, trying her best to sound natural. She was pretty sure she'd just sounded weird or creepy, but hey, she was kind of dealing-with-slash-processing a lot right now. "It's beautiful."
She looked over and saw that, as Brian turned the wheel, putting the car where they'd told him to park, he definitely had his ‘serious' face on. Apparently, her little salute joke had not lightened the mood as much as she'd thought.
Knowing that she had to try a new tactic-and quick-she rapidly ran through the topics they'd been prompted to discuss during their small talk.
Castle, she'd tried. People? No, they hadn't "met" anyone yet. Love? Ooh, that would get him talking.
"So, Bri, what do you think the chances are that one or both of us will actually find our fairytale love?"