Raging Hard(89)

“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.”

She blushed. “That is not true at all.”

“What does he mean?” Jess prompted, a consummate professional.

Aubrie shook her head. “I have no clue. I mean, we hung out a lot at the reception and danced a bunch, but I definitely wasn’t following him around.”

“That’s not how I remember it.”

She snapped me a look. “Okay, and how do you remember it, then?”

I looked thoughtful. “Well, I recall a spoiled young girl looking for a rebellious, bad influence, and finding it in her new stepbrother.”

She gaped. “That’s crazy.”

“If I recall,” I continued, ignoring her and looking over at Jess, “she was quick to mooch off my stolen booze. I think it was the first time she ever got drunk.”

I noticed a few smiles on the crew’s face. Aubrie was blushing like mad and looked furious.