Filmed_ An Alpha Bad Boy Romance(60)

“Hey guys,” I said.

“What’s up, dots?”

“Hi, Linda.”

I looked at Noah. “Here for a movie?”

He shrugged. “Just seeing how you people are doing without me.”

“Nothing fell apart, if that’s what you were wondering,” I said.

“Well, there is your replacement,” Chelsea started.

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, she means well, but she’s not great.”

“Sounds like you really miss having me around,” Noah said.

I gave him a look. “Don’t push it,” I said.

Chelsea laughed. “Yikes, well this is awkward.”

Noah’s smile turned into a devilish grin. “Dots is always like this around me.”

“Like what?” I snapped.

“Flustered and a little confused,” he said.

“You’re a prince,” I replied sarcastically.

“Be nice, Noah,” Chelsea said.

He held up his hands defensively. “Whoa there, don’t gang up on me. Just speaking the truth.”

“You couldn’t speak the truth if it tortured you first,” Chelsea said, laughing.

I grinned thankfully at Chelsea, and my anger dissipated. I didn’t know why it bothered me so much, but for some reason it didn’t feel right that Noah could show up at the theater and pretend like nothing had happened. Then again, the place did feel better with him around, even if he was back to being his usual asshole self.

“Dots, can I talk to you?” he said once Chelsea and I stopped laughing.

“Sure, what’s up?”

He nodded at Chelsea then walked back toward the steps. He stopped, leaning his back against the wall. I stood in front of him nervously, curious about the serious look on his face.

“About this movie,” he started.

“Actually,” I said, interrupting him. “I wanted to talk to you about that, too.”

“Okay, you first then.”

I took a deep breath, inwardly steeling myself. I didn’t know how it was going to go over with him, but I had to have the courage to lay down rules, and to speak up for myself. If I was going to get involved with him again, I couldn’t let him have the upper hand in everything, not when my feelings were involved.

“I know I brought this project to you, but I have two rules that you need to agree on before we get started.”

His eyes widened slightly, and his lips curled into a small smirk. I wanted to slap him and kiss him at the same time, because I knew exactly what he was thinking.

“Okay dots, what are these rules?”

I looked away, blushing slightly. “It’s not like that.”

He laughed softly. “I didn’t say it was.”

I looked back. “Fine, the first rule. You can’t disappear again. I can’t get involved with you, even if we’re just making a movie together, if you’re going to flake and disappear on me.”

He nodded. “Fine, that’s reasonable. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Okay, and this one is more important. You have to be sober the whole time, and you have to keep going to meetings. No more drugs.”

He nodded again. “Okay, I agree to your terms.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Good. Then I guess we can do this.”

“My turn now,” he said, getting serious. He moved off from the wall and stood closer to me. I breathed in sharply, aware of his body so close to mine. Memories came flooding back of his fingers against my skin. “When you’re working the program, you’re supposed to follow a bunch of steps, and part of those steps is admitting you were wrong and trying to make amends.”

My breath caught in my chest. “Okay, so what’s up?”

“I was wrong to cut you out of my life. You have no idea how hard that was for me. If I could go back, I would do things differently. I was wrong.”

I nodded, blinking. I had never seen him so serious before.

“And I will make amends. Maybe slowly, if you’ll let me, but I will.”

“Just don’t disappear on me again,” I said softly.

He stopped closer, and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me. Instead, he wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me tightly against him. I could smell his scent and feel his hard, ripped muscles under his clothes. He hugged me tightly and I returned the embrace after a second, surprised at the contact, but melting into it.

“I’m not going to,” he said in my ear. “I promise.”

I hugged him harder, not wanting to let go, and I felt the exact thing I had thought I was going to be able to avoid begin to lodge itself in my chest. After another few seconds, he pulled away.

“All cool, dots?” he asked, back to his cocky self.