Filthy Beast(6)

Tara is on a whole other level. Thick dark hair, deep blue eyes, smooth pale skin, gorgeous figure. She looks a little uptight, but I think that’s because she’s uncomfortable with me nearby.

I don’t blame her. She doesn’t know why I left, or at least I never told her. I never answered her letters, never made any attempt to contact her. Back then, I thought it would be better for both of us if I just disappeared.

It wasn’t, not at all. Not even fucking close. I thought about her every day those first few years. And slowly she faded, but she never went away.

When I got home, I tracked her down. I found out that she moved out to LA and so I moved out here too. That’s how I found myself in this crazy situation. I thought I’d become a stunt guy, earn some cash, get myself in good shape, and then look her up. Instead, I became a movie star.

My plan hasn’t changed, though. I’m still here to hunt her down and make her mine.

The read-through goes well for the rest of the day and when it’s over, everyone stands around the table and talks about the movie. Normally the cast and crew would go out and celebrate a little bit, do some of that team bonding bullshit. I’ll go if everyone else does, but I have something more important to do first.

Tara is busy picking up the scripts and cleaning up, and I leave her alone for now. I chat with one of the lighting guys, a decent dude named Paul. After about ten minutes, I spot Tara alone toward the back of the stage, putting the scripts away in a locked safe.

“Excuse me,” I say to Paul. “Catch you later.”

“Yeah, man. Come out with us tonight. Crew’s getting together.”

“Will do. Send me the details.” I nod and stalk away before I can give him my number.

I feel bad, but I’m in a hurry. Tara’s back is to me and she’s alone. I can’t let this opportunity pass.

My heart is hammering as I approach her from behind. I love her ass and her hips. She’s grown into a fucking woman. I can’t help but think about the big promise I made to her all those years ago.

I told her I’d take her virginity. I promised her, over and over again, that I’d do it. She was beautiful, even back then, but I was a stupid kid. I thought we should wait, at least until she was eighteen. I didn’t want her to regret anything since I was older than her.

That was fucking dumb. I should have taken what I wanted back then, but I was a kid. I won’t make that same mistake again.

I stop a few feet from her. “Tara,” I say.

She doesn’t jump. She just puts the scripts down and turns to face me. She looks up at me, her deep blue eyes piercing into mine. I’m almost a foot taller than her, but in my mind, she’s a giant.

“I guess I should say ‘welcome home,’ but you’ve been back for a while. And we’re not home.”

I smile a little bit at that. “You can say it anyway.”

“Welcome home, asshole.”

That makes me grin. She’s always been a little spitfire. “It’s good to see you.”

“Yeah, I bet. I was wondering if you even recognized me.”

“I recognized you the second I saw you.”

“Funny. Since you haven’t tried to talk to me in what, over ten years?”

“Twelve years,” I say softly. “It’s been twelve years since we last saw each other.”

“We were kids back then,” she says, staring up at me.

“Yeah, we were. You haven’t changed.”

She smiles a little bit, just a little bit. “You have.”

“Really?” I grin and look down. “I got a little bigger.”

“You always were huge,” she says, shaking her head. “No, it’s the way you carry yourself.”

“Oh yeah? How do I carry myself?”

“Like you own the world.” She smirks at me and I laugh.

“Believe me, I don’t feel that way.”

“I bet you do. You’re a big movie star now.”

I grin at her. I expected her to act this way, honestly. Frankly, I would have been disappointed if she didn’t give me shit.

“I’m a minor movie star,” I correct her. “You haven’t done so bad for yourself, I hear.”

“I’m a career script girl.”

“You’ve done good work on some big movies.”

She hesitates. “How do you know that?”

I grin at her again. “Might have done a little research.”

She sighs and shakes her head. “Of course you did. You knew I’d be working this movie, didn’t you?”

“I knew,” I admit. “Why do you think I took it? It’s not exactly the next enormous blockbuster.”