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Cole immediately lifted his hand, and Rhiannon rolled back onto her heels. Production assistants were there with their robes instantly.
“You okay?” he asked Rhiannon once she was covered.
“Perfect.” She patted his forearm. “You’re the sweetest.”
But having concern for your scene partner wasn’t sweet. It was the absolute bare minimum.
“Let’s go again.” Kevin’s eyes were glued to the monitor, rewatching the footage they’d just shot. Tall and slim with a buzz cut and a penchant for wearing black turtlenecks, Kevin always looked as if he were cosplaying Steve Jobs. “This time keep your expression more neutral, Cole. Almost disassociating.”
Since that had been what Cole thought he’d been doing, he could only nod and say “Sure.”
What he’d learned from Tasha was to make every take a little different. Give more or less emotion. Phrase his lines differently—at least until they saidExactly like that.
“The director makes your performance in the editing,” she’d said.
Cole had never really thought about it until she’d said that to him, but she’d been right. She was almost always right, except for the part where she was stonewalling Maggie. That was just bizarre.
Kevin signaled they were ready to go, and they filmed the shot again and then a third time.
Cole felt queasy. His insides were roiling. But he gritted his way through it.
“Got it,” Kevin called. “Let’s reset for the next bit.”
The next part of the sequence had Geordie tugging Madge’s dress and underthings off. This bit was tricky because Rhiannon had decided she wasn’t comfortable having her nipples on screen. Kevin had fully supported the change, despite her signed nudity waiver, but it took four takes to get it right.
“Your arm has to be higher to hide her pasties,” Maggie instructed.
Damn, this was a weird business.
Then Maggie was there with the exercise ball that would sit between Cole and Rhiannon for the next shot—the onset of the actual thrusting. They had to film that from the side and from the back, before getting close-ups of Rhiannon’s face and then Cole’s. There was the inherentawkwardness stemming from the fact that Cole was still clothed from the waist down, and Rhiannon was naked except for a few bits of Lycra and toupee tape.
The entire thing was worse than a game of Twister. Where should his hand be to shield this bit or that one from the camera? Where should Rhiannon put her left knee? How could they get the angle right but keep the ball invisible?
At least all the technical concerns were enough to make Cole’s nausea fade. This was so clearly a group exercise, he didn’t have to feel bad, as if he specifically were using someone.
After what felt like a dozen takes, Geordie put Madge on her knees. In the flow of the work, Cole was able to shove down another wave of discomfort. The shot came with another set of lights and camera moves, all while the design team had to keep the fire stoked at the same height for continuity. Penelope kept touching up Cole’s fake sweat, and the makeup and hair people kept fussing over Rhiannon.
When the last shot of thrusting was done, the awkwardness faded, and people started to crack jokes. Cole felt himself smile for what might’ve been the first time all night. His body was almost loose, almosthisagain. He could almost take himself back from Geordie.
They were on the last part of the sequence—the cuddling. The camera reset to be overhead, looking down at the couple in their shared bedroll. Wordlessly, he and Rhiannon had to convey that Madge was triumphant, in love, satisfied. She was fully convinced that giving herself to this man meant they were together forever. But Geordie needed to feel like a sleeping lion, as if he was only content for the night.
“That seemed fast,” Rhiannon said while they waited for Kevin to shoutCamera set.
“About two hours, I think.” Cole wasn’t sure if he’d ever shot an involved love scene so quickly. Even the moments he’d been most hesitant about had been basically fine. Maggie had prepped them well.
“At least we get a blanket now.”
“It scratches like hell, though.” The crew had staked a ground cover underneath the bedroll and sprayed for midges—disgusting tick-like insects that were all over the Highlands. If Cole got midge bites on his nether regions, he was going to be extremely pissed off.
“I cannot wait to get into that warming station.” Rhiannon chafed her arms. “Thank God for Maggie.”
Next to them, a grip finished tending the fire.
“I owe you ten bucks on the Lakers, right?” Cole asked him.
“Yeah, but I’d guess you don’t have your wallet on you.”
“I left it in my other crotch sock.”
