Page 42 of Sensing Selma
ELEVEN
The next morning, Iwalked into the room as Damen read lines with an actress. I’d watched him the previous day, mesmerized by his ability to transform himself into the given role. His stance was different, his facial features had changed, and he’d even changed the timbre of his voice, as well as his accent.
He was more than just a pretty face, as some critics had claimed. No. He had true talent, and I was completely drawn in. I was only vaguely aware of the actress playing against him, hardly heard her. All I wanted to see and hear was Damen.
As the brief scene came to an end, he turned to me.
“Holly,” he said with a pleased and surprised smile. “What a lovely sight this morning.”
“I was told to look in on a few scenes to inspire my music. I have to say, that was a wonderful scene. So emotional.”
The actress smiled at me but seemed slightly annoyed by the intrusion. She set her hand on Damen’s forearm and said, “I’ll go grab some breakfast and come back in an hour or so.”
“Perfect.”
As she walked away, I looked at Damen. “I hope I didn’t scare her away. She didn’t seem too happy to see me.”
“No. Don’t worry about her. We’ve been rehearsing for well over an hour and I think we both needed a break. She’s unhappy with my delivery, but I’ve tried to assure her that Keely gave me directions on what she wanted for this particular scene.” He shrugged. Some actresses just need to have control, I guess.”
“I heard someone say you should be shooting a good number of scenes later this afternoon. Is Keely overworking you?”
“Not at all. I love to keep busy.” He raked his fingers through his hair, a motion that was at once innocent and yet so sexy. “Keely has already begun getting a few key outdoor shots, and this afternoon, it will be my turn to introduce everyone to Willoughby.”
“I can’t wait.”
He came closer, his eyes tender. “I must say I’m feeling rather inspired. I can’t help but think you’re responsible for that. Somehow, you bring out the best in me.” He reached for my hands and held them, his thumbs rubbing over my skin.
Thrilling shivers rippled over me as we stood there, so close to one another, so alone in the world as we looked into each other’s eyes. He had a cast full of lovely ladies no doubt eager to get close to him. But I was the one his eyes were drawn to. I had never felt so lucky in all my life.
He leaned in, his lips soft yet commanding as he laid them on mine.
I’d been kissed before; Charlie and Timothy and Brandon and many others...all their kisses so childish...so forgettable. None of those kisses had ever felt like this. This, this wondrous kiss, so warm, so wanted, so wanting. This kiss was perfection.
Except that it ended too soon.
“I really must go,” he said, breaking the spell so abruptly.
With my lips burning, I nodded and silently watched him leave the room.
“Oh, my,” I finally muttered into the empty room as I fingered my swollen lips. “Oh, my, my, my.”
*****
EVERYONE WAS READY. The cast to appear in the scene, all in period attire, stood waiting for Keely’s call. They were in the drawing room that had previously been blue with striped wallpaper and ornate molding. Two of the windows had been blocked out, the room painted a dull taupe color with no ornamentation at all save for a large painting between the two remaining windows.
“What scene are they going to do?”I asked Abbie.
“This is the introduction of Willoughby to the Dashwoods.”
“The Dashwoods?”
She smiled. “Are you not familiar withSense and Sensibility? I thought you were a Jane Austen fan. You were at the book club, weren’t you?”
