Chapter 8: An Unexpected Offer

Luca has very skillfully brushed off my question, but I can't pretend his tardiness is the only reason I'm having issues today.

"I think... I honestly think it's just the pressure," I say. "Everyone believes that what you and I are doing out there is real. And if we're awkward or if something about it is off, then they're going to know the truth."

One of his golden eyebrows rises. "If you're worried about it looking awkward, then I'm afraid that ship has already sailed."

"I know. I just..." God, what is wrong with me? "I got a weird call from Javy this morning and I'm a little distracted."

"Javy?"

"My brother." We've been "together" for two years and apparently he still doesn't know my little brother's name. But I can't blame him, I guess - Luca and I never talk about personal stuff.

He's watching me a little too closely. I don't think he realizes how intense his gaze is - how it has a way of getting under your skin, even when you try to guard yourself against it. I look down at the cup of water in my hands. The ice has melted, and the condensation on the outside of the plastic cup has started dripping onto the floor.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Luca says. He doesn't ask for any more details. We never ask each other for those sorts of details. "But you need to relax - you're too tense out there. One way or another, we need to make it look like we're comfortable tearing each other's clothes off. What can I do to make that happen?"

"Don't worry about me. I can handle it. I'll pull myself together." I watch another bead of condensation roll down my cup and splat onto the floor before forcing myself to look back up at him.

His gaze is still boring into me, making it hard to think straight. I'm pretty sure I know exactly what's going on in his head - he's wondering if, after all this time, I'm finally having trouble keeping up with him. Maybe I'm finally cracking under all this pressure.

"If you say so, love," he says finally, his mouth curling up into one of his classic grins. "Before we return, though, might I suggest we find a crew member with some breath mints?

I gape at Luca in shock. What did he just say? Did he actually just tell me a needed a breath mint??

"Cooper usually has some," he says as he walks by me. "But please, I beg of you - have mercy on your poor kissing partner."

All of the tension leaks out of me, replaced by a sudden surge of anger. I storm after him, ready to tear him a new one, but he's already halfway across the room. Yelling at him in front of the whole crew is not going to make this situation any easier.

Damn him. He knows exactly what he's doing. Still, embarrassment floods my cheeks as I march over to Cooper. I was too nervous this morning to think about what my breath might smell like after all that coffee. But that's no reason for Luca to be so rude about it. I don't know what it is about him, but he has a way of getting to me, of bringing out a temper I didn't know I had. Sometimes I'd swear he does it on purpose.

It doesn't help when I see him talking to Isaac. What is he telling him?

Quickly, I bum a breath mint off of Cooper and pop it in my mouth. Then I march across the set toward my "fiancé."

But Luca and Isaac are already done speaking. Isaac gives a short nod, and Luca turns and heads back toward me. We meet next to a shelf covered with torn packages of beef jerky.

"Did you get that mint?" he says, his eyes shining with amusement.

"What did you say to him?" I ask.

He steps closer, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure no one is close enough to overhear.

"I simply suggested that you were nervous because of our situation," he says, waving his hand between the two of us. "You're having trouble separating the intimacy of our relationship from the intimacy of the relationship between Jax and Izzy, meaning you feel like the camera is looking right into our bedroom." His grin widens, and he gives a little shrug. "I reminded him that many real-life couples lack chemistry when they act together on-screen - they're simply overcompensating in their efforts to draw a mental and emotional line between their real and fictional lives."

I have to admit - that was a stroke of genius on Luca's part. It gives me a reasonable, believable excuse for my panic attacks while also protecting the truth about our "relationship."

"I also suggested that we work on the rest of the scene today and come back to this part tomorrow before the hostage scene. We're already way behind schedule - we weren't going to finish everything today anyway, even if he tries to keep us here all night. One more day doesn't give us a lot of time to practice, but it's better than nothing."

"Practice?"

"Yes. It's clear we need to practice." He bends over and grabs my bra off the floor, then holds it out to me. He drops his voice even lower. "Tonight. Until we can convincingly play a couple having sex. You have had sex before, haven't you?"

"Of course I have!"

"Well, then it's clearly an issue of circumstances, not experience. Assuming we get out of here at a reasonable hour, what do you say to eight o'clock, my place?"

"I..." I don't have any excuse to get out of this. As much as I hate to admit it, he's right - the only way I'm going to get through this is if we practice together. Clearly rehearsing by myself wasn't enough. "Fine. Eight o'clock."

"Good." He throws one more look over his shoulder before leaning even closer. His lips brush against my ear as he speaks. "I also have a proposal to discuss regarding our relationship."

I stiffen. "What?"

"We'll talk about it tonight." He straightens.

I'm immediately nervous again. Everything about our relationship was laid out quite clearly in the contract I signed. What sort of proposal could he have now?

"What are you talking about?" I ask him. He can't leave me in suspense like this.

"Tonight." He smiles that panty-melting smile at me. "In the meantime, thank you for the breath mint."

Curse him. He's teasing me on purpose.

"You two ready to go?" Isaac calls to us.

"Yes," Luca says, still smiling.

I'm far from ready, but I'm not about to let anyone in this room know that. I am a professional, after all.

Still, I have a feeling that my professional obligations are about to get a lot more complicated.