Free (For His Pleasure 14) With His Belief by Kelly Favor Page B

a producer. You’re a puppet. Be a good puppet, recite the lines that people write for you and move the way the director tells you, stand where you’re supposed to stand—and look pretty.”
    Scarlett was a little shocked by his outburst. She looked around to make sure nobody had really heard him, because if that kind of talk got around set, things could get ugly for Bryson. “I think maybe calling him a puppet’s not such a great way to communicate your frustration.”
    “I know that, Scarlett. This is just between me and you. If I can’t bitch to my assistant, than what are you here for—right?”
    Her mouth puckered. “I thought I was here for more than that.”
    “Please, don’t you get an attitude now, too. I don’t think I can deal with that right now.”
    She wanted to make a smart comment to him right then, but looking at the exhaustion written on his face, decided against it. He was clearly stressed to the breaking point. “So what exactly happened with Dale? Where is he?”
    “God only knows. When I told him that I wasn’t going to use his script changes, he stalked off in a huff. So now we need to reorganize filming because he’s left the set and I refuse to shut down filming over it.”
    “Okay. Does Eliza know what happened?”
    He looked up, and now he did look somewhat concerned. “I don’t think she knows. And her and Dale are fairly tight. Maybe you could go talk to her, Scarlett. See if she’s spoken to Dale, and if she hasn’t, then you can explain we’ll be needing to shuffle things around a little.”
    “Is she in her trailer?”
    “Yeah, I think so.”
    Scarlett started to leave, but Bryson reached out and caught her arm. His mere touch electrified her entire body.
    “Scarlett—” he said.
    “Yes?”
    “I owe you one for being so cool. I know I busted your chops just now, and you didn’t deserve that.”
    She smiled. “Don’t worry about me. I’m the last person you need to worry about.”
    He grinned back at her. “Thank God for that.”
    And then he let her go and she headed over to Eliza Johnston’s trailer, her stomach knotting up in anticipation of dealing with the unpredictable actress.
    When she knocked on the door, Eliza’s voice was bright and sunny from inside the trailer. “Come in,” she called out.
    Scarlett entered, finding Eliza trying on a lacy, sheer bra, standing in her panties.
    “Oh, crap—I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were changing!” Scarlett cried, averting her eyes.
    Eliza tinkled laughter. “Relax, babe. In a few days I’m going to be naked in front of the whole cast and crew. I think I can handle you seeing my tits in the trailer.”
    “I guess I still have a lot to learn about the movie business.” Scarlett tried to smile, although her cheeks were burning with embarrassment. She felt like she’d just admitted to being a forty-year-old virgin.
    “Don’t we all,” Eliza said. She took off the bra and started to try on another one.
    Her body was toned perfection, and she knew it. “So, what’s up?”
    Scarlett walked to one of the chairs and picked up a magazine, pretending to be interested in it. It was one of those trashy tabloids, and in the top right corner it said,
    “Eliza Johnston’s Reckless Weekend Revealed!!” Beneath the headline, there was a picture of Eliza looking shocked and angry all at once. She wasn’t the cover story, but Scarlett thought that Eliza had probably bought this magazine to read about herself just the same.
    “Earth to Charlotte!” Eliza said. “Hello?”
    “Oh.” Scarlett put the magazine down again. “My name’s Scarlett.”
    “Sorry.” Eliza shrugged. “I meet so many people, you can imagine I get things mixed up once in a while.”
    “Yeah, of course. I’m not offended.”
    “We were talking about why you came to my trailer,” Eliza reminded her, as she fixed her bra straps and looked at herself in the full-length mirror leaning against the wall across from