On the fifth day, we had to stay a few hours more due to actor conflict. So, by the time I got back to the hotel, I was beyond tired. Jamie had dinner reservations at one of Vancouver's fancy restaurant, but I couldn't be around anyone. As much as I enjoyed my peers' company, I needed a break from the chaos and from being all smiley and polite all the time.
The past few days hadn't been smooth sailing. It was a tiresome ordeal, and I badly needed to recoup, to recharge my batteries for tomorrow's scenes.
I ordered room service before I got into the shower to feel somehow refreshed. Conflict between actors was draining, most especially when they liked to screech and demean each other without taking account that everyone could see and hear their spiteful exchange. Jamie shouldn't have had an affair with one of the actors. Dinah was one of our supporting cast, and a married one at that. And for it to escalate the way it had, with directors, producers, and the show runners scampering to smoothen out the situation was bad. They tried to dampen it down, making sure it didn't get leaked to the media. Major damage control.
I didn't care much about their personal lives. What I did care about was the energy in the room. That bad juju was beyond draining.
After the long, hot shower, I was just dressing into my bathrobe when I heard a loud rap at the door.
"One sec!" I called out as I rushed, tying a knot to secure the sheath before I hastily went to open the door. "Sorry, it took a bit-"
The words got stuck in my mouth as I stared at the person wheeling the cart of room service.
"Good evening, love of my life." River lazily beamed at me before rushing towards me and giving me one heck of a kiss.
"You have no idea how good it is to see you," I groaned before kissing him again, my dripping wet hair all but forgotten as I clung to him.
He broke the kiss before he let his eyes lovingly roam over my face. "I had to convince the waiter that I was who I said I am. And I also had to promise to fly him out for TVM's movie premiere."
"Why the heck would you go through all that when you could've just easily knocked on the door?"
"Where's the fun in that? Besides, seeing your face made it worth my while." He chuckled, cupping my bottom with both hands, gripping each cheek with appreciation as he let out an animalistic sound. "I've missed all this … "
I was overjoyed to see him, but I was famished, so I begrudgingly tapped his hands away and planted a swift kiss on his lips before diverting my attention towards the food.
"I know you're hungry for sex, but can I satiate a different kind of primal hunger?" Arching my brow, I saw his eyes flash before me. The one that foretold what kind of night he had in mind.
"I'll feed you, if you like," he offered, eyes sparking mischievously.
But I knew very well that his innocent question would turn into something sexual. Anything that included him never failed to transpire into a feast of desires. It was how he was wired. Most especially when he was with me.
"Hah, I see what you're doing there, babe. Take it easy. No need to be hasty," I murmured as I plucked one dish after the other, placing them on the table before looking over to where he stood, still simmering, eyeing me like he was about to devour me on the spot. "Why don't you take the seat across me and let's have a decent conversation without sex, you know, like normal human beings do." Joking with him seemed to lighten his mood as he cracked out of those beautiful smiles I adored so much.
There was no denying how he intended to spend the night, but for the time being, I wanted to enjoy having him here. I wanted to have a conversation, though I was too exhausted to properly converse.
"So, how's it going on your end?" I asked the moment he seated his sexy ass across me while I watched him intently watch me. "Will you pour the wine, please? It's closer to you."
"Of course." He hid back a smile as he took the wine before pouring us a glass of Malbec. "So far so good. I have about twelve songs ready, but Ari and the label insist on having about eighteen altogether for the deluxe version, twelve for the regular one. They also want to start promoting right around the premier of TVM's movie trailer, which is in two months."
"They're going to milk every publicity exposure they can get. Tacky but smart."
"Have you been eating the food delivery I've scheduled for you?" Before I left, I made sure to have a food delivery send him meals on a daily basis, not wanting him living off of pizza and whatever junk he liked to feed himself with these days. I was a diehard junk food fan, but consuming it daily wouldn't do any good for anyone's heart. He needed to be on top of his game.