Page 59 of #Moonstruck

His black pupils seemed to dilate, and I realized that our blinking and heavy breathing had become synchronized.

“Show us how you would touch him if you could, Maisy!”

I had left my arms dead at my sides, too afraid to reciprocate what he was doing. But now I had to. I started at his neck and ran my palms over his chest, wanting to brush my fingertips over his exposed stomach, curling them in so I wouldn’t. A feverish chill started in my spine and spread out as I let my fingers drift over his hair, and I wondered again what it would feel like. I saw the muscle in his jaw flex as he stopped singing and just stared.

The music suddenly cut out.

“Give us a second. Stay put. We’re having a couple of sound issues.”

We probably could have taken some steps back, created some distance, but neither of us did.

I wondered if Ryan knew I wasn’t pretending. That I was completely incapable of acting. That everything he saw on my face was real, every reaction, truth. Another desperate pleech who had fallen under his spell. Would he think I was pathetic? Would he feel sorry for me?

I couldn’t bear his pity.

“Your eyes,” he murmured, his words warm against my skin. “They have pops of yellow in them and a darker band on the outer rings. Is that blue? Green?”

“You have a starburst pattern of light brown with golden streaks around your pupils,” I said. It was a relief to tell him.

I felt my body sway toward him, and I pulled back, not letting us touch. “I feel like I’m not in control of myself. Like I don’t know what I’ll do.”

If the confession surprised him, he didn’t show it. “Like you might be planning on taking advantage of me?” Somehow his tone was both teasing and serious. “Please say you are.”

“We’re ready! Let’s go again!” Bay called out, interrupting us.

Which was a good thing, because I was about to tell Ryan he could take as much advantage of me as he wanted.

We filmed that scene several more times as the sun lifted the fog. When the forest was clear of the clouds, Bay brought us over to a blanket that looked like it was made of grass and flowers. It was plastic, but the director assured me it would look real on screen. He had us lie down and then arranged us. I had to point my toes, and someone pulled my hair out behind me, I assumed artfully, and positioned my wings. They made sure Ryan’s armor stayed in place, and one of the stylists fixed his hair so it wouldn’t look flat.

They put our hands on the blanket between us. Totally close, but no contact.

“For this scene I again want the two of you to stare at each other. We’re going to be dropping some glitter and flower petals on you. Let me know if it gets in your eyes or mouth.”

There was a camera positioned above us high in the air, pointing directly down. Two ladders were set up so that crew members could shower us with petals and glitter. We did this for several minutes. Then we did another take. And another. And another until Bay called for a short break.

I sat up, rubbing glitter off my hands. “It looks like a stripper sneezed on me.”

Ryan laughed and sat up next to me, stretching his arms. His big, delicious, strong arms.

I might have sighed.

His lips were close to my ear, sending hot shivers from my ears down to my toes. “Over there.”

I looked to where he pointed. About forty yards away, apparently not bothered by the people, equipment, or intermittent music, I saw a mother deer and her little fawn. She paused, as if watching us, then sauntered off, her baby frolicking alongside her.

“So beautiful!” I said with a smile.

I couldn’t be sure, but if I’d been asked to testify under oath, I would have sworn that he murmured, “You’re beautiful.”

I heard his breath hitch. My own breathing had entirely stopped.

The cameras weren’t on, so the no-touching rule didn’t apply. Even if we were surrounded by people, I didn’t care. Apparently neither did Ryan. His palm slid across my left cheek, and I relaxed into it, craving his warmth and the feel of him. “I’ve wanted to do nothing else for the last two days,” he told me.

I reached up to grab his hand and wrapped my fingers around his wrist. All the built-up wanting, teasing, getting so close had driven me insane. I’d never felt so physically frustrated in my entire life. “Me, too.”

I heard a buzz, and before I could react, I felt something prick my face.

Oh no.

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