Hard Bastard(73)

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

“We’re doing the interview together. And we’re getting started soon.”





Chapter 4





Lincoln





Interview #1





I leaned back in my chair as the crew fired up the lights. The backdrop was simple, the same backdrop Jess always set up for interview shots. I glanced over at Aubrie. She looked like she was about to pass out or throw up, or maybe both.

“You okay?” I asked her.

She looked at me. “Fine. Nervous.”

Fuck, she was so goddamn cute sometimes. Even on the verge of falling out of her seat, she was so fuckable it was insane. Her thick hair and her full lips were practically screaming at me.

I put my hand on her arm, and for a second I thought she was going to scream or throw my hand off. Instead, the surprised look on her face passed, and I smiled.

“It’ll be fine. Honestly. They’ll edit out any stupid shit you say.”

“Great, thanks. That’s really helpful.”

I squeezed her arm, and for a second I was tempted to say something worse. I loved riling her up, even though it was incredibly easy. She was impossibly hot when she got all flustered, but I shouldn’t push her too much. Not yet, at least.

I’d save that for when the cameras were running.

I moved my hand away and she frowned for a second. “They’ll really edit it?” she asked.

“Promise. I’ll make sure you end up sounding like a rocket scientist.”

She laughed nervously, and I grinned at her as one of the crew guys, I think his name was Brent, walked over with our clip-on mics. He handed me mine and then helped Aubrie work hers. For a second, I had this insane and stupid moment of jealousy as they shared a laugh at the awkward moment they were having trying to get the mic attached to her thin, sheer white blouse. But it passed pretty fast as Jess walked over.

“Okay, guys. We almost ready?”

The crew guy gave Brie a smile, and she smiled back as he left the shot and went over to his camera.

“All set,” Josh, one of the lead cameramen, said.

“How about you two?”

“I’m fine. I think Brie might pass out, though,” I said.

She shook her head. “I’m fine. Thanks, though, ass.”

The crew laughed and I grinned at her. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Jess sat down on her stool. Josh walked into the shot with a clapperboard, that white and black thing with the snap top. It was meant to mark where the audio should sync up with the video.

“Lincoln and Aubrie, interview one, take one.” He snapped the clapper and got out of the shot. I looked over at Jess expectantly.

“Okay, guys, let’s start with an easy one. When did you two first meet?”

I looked at Brie.

“At the wedding,” she said.

“One week before the wedding,” I said.

There was an awkward pause.

“What?” She stared at me, surprised.

I laughed. “We met a week before the wedding. You were wearing these tight jeans that made your ass look fantastic. We weren’t related then, so I’m not ashamed to admit that I stared.”

Brie blushed, right on cue. “Uh, okay. But where was this?”

“My mom had a freak-out about something for the ceremony, I forget what. I drove her over to your place. You were in the kitchen while I waited for Mom over there.” I pointed toward the couch a few feet away.

Brie stared at me for a second, and then comprehension dawned. “Holy shit, I remember that now. But we didn’t really meet, did we?”

“I guess not. But it was the first time I saw you.”

“I can’t believe you remember.”

I shrugged. “You never forget an ass like that.”

The crew laughed and Jess smiled as I looked back over at her. I knew Aubrie was probably blushing like mad and pretending she didn’t care, but I didn’t glance at her even though I really wanted to.

“So much for your easy question,” I said.

“That’s okay. Next question. This one’s for you, Brie.” She paused and glanced down at her notes. “What did you think of Lincoln when you first met? First impressions, please.”

Aubrie screwed up her face, and I leaned back in my seat, throwing my arm over the back, and raised an eyebrow at her. She glanced at me and looked quickly away.

“Well, I didn’t really know him. I guess I thought he was a little bit arrogant and loud.”

The crew laughed and I grinned at her.

“Anything else?” Jess asked.

“Yeah, Brie, tell her about the actual wedding.”

She looked at me. “What about it?”

“Oh, you know. How you couldn’t stop following me around all night.”