Blood Games

    ‘No,’ she said, and gendy pushed him away. ‘I mean it. Not here.’

    Harris frowned. ‘What’s the matter with you?’

    ‘I don’t know. It’s just… I guess I’m worried about The Reaper.’

    ‘The Reaper? Oh, for Godsake. Everybody’s got Reaperitis. It’s broad daylight. Besides, he’s in Portland.'

    ‘That’s only a half-hour drive.’

    Harris sighed. ‘Shit. Okay. Forget it.’ With that, he whirled around and began to walk off in a huff. Finley sidestepped, keeping the camera on him.

    ‘No, wait!’ Finley swung the camera toward Abilene. ‘Don’t be this way. Please. I…’ Shaking her head, she hurried after him. She caught him by the shoulder. As he turned to face her, she flung her arms around him. She hugged him hard, kissed him.

    He seemed rigid at first, his mouth tight, as if holding onto his anger.

    You’re pretty good at this acting stuff, she thought.

    Then his lips parted. He wrapped his arms around her, caressed her back. Writhing slightly against her, he eased his tongue into her mouth. Abilene sucked it in deep. He rubbed her buttocks, and then his hands moved slowly upward beneath her blouse. They roamed her back with gentle caresses.

    For just a while, Abilene forgot about everyone else, forgot the camera and audience. There was only Harris. The familiar feel of him, the closeness and desire. But when his hands passed over the back strap of her bra rather than pausing to unfasten its catches, the illusion fell apart. Embarrassed, she felt her face go hot.

    Here we are, doing this in front of everyone. On tape, for Godsake. Total strangers will be seeing all this.

    Beneath the blouse, a fingertip prodded her shoulder.

    Harris, at least, still had his mind on business.

    Abilene concentrated, trying to remember what came next. Then she eased her mouth away from his and smiled up at him. ‘It’s pretty nice here, after all,’ she said.

    ‘I love you so much, Abilene.’

    ‘Cut cut cut,’ Finley said.

    Laughter and applause from the sidelines.

    ‘Woops,’ said Harris.

    Abilene gently slapped his chest. ‘Dope.’ She looked over her shoulder and mugged at her friends. Then she glanced at Baxter. No smile there. He was staring at her.

    ‘Okay, okay,’ Finley said. ‘Nothing a little editing won’t cure. We’ll take it up with a close on Harris. “I love you so much, Jean.” Got it?’

    ‘Hope so.’

    ‘You’re doing fine, both of you,’ Vivian told them.

    ‘Really into the scene,’ Cora said.

    ‘They’ve had so much practice,’ said Helen.

    ‘Hey, let’s have silence on the set. Ready? Action.’

    ‘I love you so much, Jean.’

    Abilene, gazing into his eyes, reached up and touched his cheeks. ‘And I love you,’ she said. Her fingertips wandered down his face, his jaw and neck. Slowly, she unbuttoned his shirt. She spread it open. While she caressed his bare chest, Harris undid the buttons of her blouse.

    It’s no big deal, she told herself as her face again burned with embarrassment.

    Harris spread her blouse wide, and she immediately pressed herself against him. It felt strange to have the stiff cups of the bra in the way, keeping her breasts from the warmth and smoothness of his chest. But this was show business, not the real thing.

    Show business, with Baxter probably leering at me.

    Abilene decided to get on with it. She kissed Harris’s neck, his chest, his belly. Kneeling on the carpet of leaves and twigs, she tugged open his belt buckle. She unbuttoned the waist of his jeans. As she slid the zipper down, Harris sank to his knees in front of her.

    He drew her close against him and their mouths joined as his hands moved feverishly up and down her back. Abilene felt a solid thickness against her belly.

    You are into this, she thought. Hope you don’t pop out of your skivvies.

    Breaking away from him, she lowered herself to the ground. She felt terribly exposed, lying there with her blouse open. As she raised her knees, her skirt slid down, baring her thighs.

    Damn!

    Then Harris was on top of her, shielding her body from the camera and the watching eyes.

    She wrapped her arms around him. She kissed him. She moaned as he squirmed, and sucked in a quick breath when he thrust as if entering her. He went motionless then, the same way he did when it was real and he wanted to do nothing for a few moments but savor the joining.

    She could feel him pressed against her, only their underwear in the way.

    He began to move up and down, going away and coming back, prodding her, rubbing her. She pushed up to meet his tlmists. She writhed and gasped.

    Let’s not get carried away!

    My God!

    Isn’t supposed to be…

    ‘Looks to me like fornication in the park.’ Baxter’s voice. Words from the script.

    Harris seemed to freeze on top of her. Then he twisted his head around. They both looked up at Baxter, who was standing near their feet, grinning down at them. One hand was out of sight behind his back.

    ‘Don’t you know it’s against the law?’ he asked. ‘Not to mention poor taste.’

    ‘We didn’t mean any harm,’ Harris said, sounding sheepish and scared.