Dylan Walker

I picked up the script and opened to a random page. The first line was the reason I stayed to read.

***

1

INT. CULLEN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Ashley: (laying fully clothed in bed, nervous) I can't believe I agreed to meeting up with you again in this room, on this bed. (Unsure emotions flashing across her face).

Cullen: (leaves the window and faces her) but do you believe I can drive you crazy if you let me?

Ashley: (Clueless. Nearly speechless) Cullen.

Cullen: Say the words, Ash. (Now standing so close to her, running a hand over her curves) Let me worship you.

***

Laughing at the last line, I beat the table with the script and folded my arms. "This is the cheesiest thing I've ever had to read." And I was muttering that as a man who'd starred in multiple movies and read quite a number of scripts; of lover boys, stone-cold men, indifferent guys, so much more.

Some, I'd shook my head and put away. Others, I'd jumped right into.

I liked the theme of Wild Reverence. It was my favorite genre if I could be honest, but whoever was going to be playing Ashley had a huge effect on my own delivery.

She was the protagonist of the book and I was going to be playing demon; one that would steal her innocence and run with it, and then come back to destroy what would be left of her. I absolutely loved it. But I'd love it even more if Ben could just tell me he already found Cullen's victim. There was Cullen, his entire empire and a couple of his whores, there was even Ashley's long list of friends, yet, there was no Ashley.

Ben, the producer and Casting Director were so fixated on the screen in front of them. They were going over reels, and résumés and the short clips of their interview—the four girls that were being scrutinized to play Ashley's role. Only a strong woman could ace it. I hoped they found the right one as I rounded him and started staring too.

Grumbling, Ben shook his head. "This is so hard. They're all so great and similar in many ways."

I hummed, gawking at the top of his bald head. He always said that shortly before sighing and making a random choice by doing the Eenie Meenie Miney Mo song.

"Brown hairs, brown eyes, five-feet six inches, svelte frame..." I kept making a list of Ashley's features as I mentally placed the girls beside her.

I'd been binge reading the book for days, though the script—with its new tweak—had started taking up my time now, I could literally tell you everything there was to know about Ashley. So I understood what Ben was going through.

"I like her voice," The producer said, pointing at the screen that was showing the demo reel of one of the girls.

The volume was immediately raised, and I guessed they really wanted to agree with him for the sake of the time we barely had.

The lady had a confusing way of speaking, agreed; it was like two opposite emotions always relaxed on her tone. Try grief and pleasure. There was no way in hell that woman would cry and you'd not check to make sure it wasn't a moan.

It was fascinating what she did there, swinging off the desk after her love interest told her he wanted to fuck someone else. She didn't give up, no. I watched her walk around his chair, and she started to touch him with her well manicured nails.

"What movie is this?" I just had to ask Ben and the others, who were equally interested in the scene.

"Guest Of Lust. It's very recent, it was a box office success," Ben replied. "Up until now, I didn't think her role was significant, she wasn't even that much of a character. But this is power." He drew the cursor left, taking us back a few seconds.

The Casting Director shook his head. "I think we've seen better. That Shana lady, her charisma piqued my interest," he said.

"We aren't going to vote today, are we?" Ben asked with slight irritation.

It wasn't my place to choose co-actors, or I'd have thought of something to say. I simply watched them go back and forth until they came to an agreement of contacting both women for a short scene in Wild Reverence, with or without them knowing it was an audition to pick one person.

Ben tapped my shoulder, finally having time for a conversation. "How's it coming up?"

"Good, good."

"We'll be in production tomorrow so they are already putting out the call sheets."

"Excellent," I said. "Can't wait to meet her."

We already had casts for every other character and would have started shooting, had it not been our protagonist was nowhere in sight. Well, she was most important, it had to be that big of a deal.

There was a reason I admired Ben, asides that he never thought twice to call me back on set for a new movie, he also didn't mind exploring new actors, especially the ones we 'in demand' didn't know. It was original to bring your classics together with the ones you were scouting and training. It helped them grow.

"You haven't told me what your thoughts are on the tweak."

"I'm not done with the script," I said, walking with him to a nearby chair in his office as the others left. "But with what I've read, it's getting cheesier."

Ben chuckled, taking a seat. He threw his left leg over the right. "Don't tell me I'm the only one documenting your scenes."

He didn't need to remind me of them, I worked so hard to the point I never forgot any scene. "If you will be honest, you'll know this is the most erotica."

He first shook his head and then nodded after his lips thinned out. "Actually. But not most romantic."

"Of course. Nothing can beat Prudence in that aspect."

I had enjoyed working on that movie. It showed me sides of me I'd never explored with its contemporary nature.

Straying from the room, Ben chewed his lips. "I don't know why I'm positive about Brielle Smith."

"Who?" I frowned.

"The one in Guest of Lust."

"Oh, yeah. She's not bad." I waved it off like I hadn't thought the same. "They both aren't bad for the role."

"Fair enough."

Ben was fifty-three with a youthful brain. He cared for everyone that worked for him, matter of fact, he and a handful of them were the only directors I knew that asked for actors opinions on everything.

Working with him was always the best screen time of my life. His thought process, his script, he was very talented a person.

"Do you want me around when Ashley comes?"

He eyed me well. "Of course, aren't you going to be working with her? You need to know if she's easy to work with and you need to tell us."

That had happened with Prudence, I wasn't the lead character but had been asked to chose my partner after a couple of them auditioned.

Peering my watch, I nodded in agreement. I had a date at four. I could spare three more hours here. "I'll be here," I told Ben and brought out my phone whelks while he motioned away.

Series of notifications greeted me. I ignored them and quickly went to Netflix, typing Guest of Lust in the search grid. I didn't hesitate to hit the watch button, turning my neck to be sure I was alone.

Nothing was wrong with seeing a movie in Ben's office, except that I wasn't interested in the whole thing. I simply wanted to see...wasn't it 'Brielle' Ben called her? I wanted to see her scenes and grade how good she was.

Or?

I wanted to admit she was the most beautiful woman that auditioned for the movie. And be honest with myself that I couldn't wait for the Producer, Ben and the Casting Director to come to an understanding.

Brielle was so unsure and certain. The proof was displayed on my screen. The way she moved, how easy stubbornness came to her, how much of quiet flirter she seemed to her love interest. Gracious goodness, her face was a road map of emotions and that body reminded me of the curves Cullen touched on the script I read earlier.

Everything I had seen was speaking a lot to me already; this was definitely Ashley, and she could bring out the Cullen in me just fine.