Page 39 of Character Flaws
I can’t hate the guy. He’s a decent guy andhehad the balls to ask her out.
“Okay, we’ll do it your way. I can live with that. But please don’t make the rookie mistake of falling for your lead lady. She’s not the only one who can satisfy your needs.”
My head jerks up from the pages laid out in front of me to find that Birdie has moved about six inches closer, her arms squishing her cleavage together as she leans into me. I can smell her popular brand of perfume and I cough.
Oh shit. This can’t be good.
“Uh, Birdie…”
Her long fingers reach out to caress my knuckles. “Theo, you know how I feel about you. I want you to fuck me. Right here. Right now.”
I sit statue straight, trying not to make any sudden moves as she draws the straps of her blouse down over her shoulder so that the tops of her breasts peak out. Then she puckers her lips and closes her eyes, waiting for me to kiss her.
We’ve been through this before. While Birdie is a beautiful woman, and an impeccable actress with plenty to her portfolio, she isn’t the one for me. Plus, she stands two inches taller. She’s like an Amazon woman. Nothing wrong with tall women, but I’d be afraid she’d accidentally kill me in bed when she wraps her crazy long legs around me.
I gently push her shoulders back as her eyes pop open. The flash of blue goes from a lusty-hue to a deep oceanic wave. Confusion. Anger. Bitterness.
“What the fuck, Theo? Maybe the rumors are true. Maybe you do bat for the other team.”
Wait, what?
“People think I’m gay? What the hell?”
She just shrugs. Maybe she’s saying that as a defense mechanism. Lashing out to hurt me because I unintentionally hurt her.
I try to repair the damage the sting of my rejection may have caused.
“Birdie, come on. I like you. You know I do. We have a great history and working relationship. I think we’ve made a good team. But that doesn’t mean I want to fuck around. You’re great, but we need those boundaries in place. At least until the play is done. Then we can see…”
Okay, that may be a little misleading and dishonest, but I need to save face. That’s the last thing I need over the next four weeks is a scorned co-director. I don’t want any animosity between us during this production. Everything has to go smoothly. I need this production as a foray into bigger and better things.
Hopefully Broadway someday.
Her expression begins to soften as the tightness between her eyes and around her mouth smooths out. That’s when I see the beginnings of a small, calculated smile forming in the corners of her lips.
I may have just made a deal with the devil.
Her voice is laced with sex and candy. “Okay, Theo. I can live with that. For now. But just know that at any point, if you need to let off steam, I’m open and available.”
She runs a tapered fingernail across my collarbone and then stands and walks off, taking her notes, her large endowments and script with her.
I fear I may have dodged a bullet tonight, but it may come back to bite me in the butt later.
