if my wife had just been imagining that Aaron Simpson was standing behind her, fucking her like there was no tomorrow.
Chapter Three
Was I surprised she got a call back from the Aaron Simpson movie? Not a bit. I’d have said her talent would have been enough, but her accidental strip show would have made her stand out.
We tried to be realistic in our approach to her second audition, however. Liona dropped by for a casual dinner the night before and seemed to spend the evening lowering Hayley’s expectations.
“They’ll call a number of actors back,” she said. “I have every confidence in you, Hay. It’s just—”
Hayley was grounded enough already in the art of dealing with rejection to know what Liona was trying to do. “I know, I know. You don’t want me to feel bad if they don’t give me the part,” she said.
Liona sniffed at her wine. “I mean, it’s not unknown for producers to make casting choices entirely independently of their auditions, with auditions held just in case something falls through with their number one choices. Or number two choices, for that matter.”
“We know it’s anything but certain,” I said. “But it’s good she got a call-back, right? I mean, that’s promising.”
“I’d say so,” the agent nodded. “And seeing as how small this town is, people will know you already as one of the call-backs for the Aaron Simpson prison movie.”
Hayley looked delighted at that possibility, though I could see she was trying to rein in any signs of excitement.
The day of the second audition, I kissed her goodbye and went to work as normal, but it felt almost as though I myself were about to face some critical test—more so than even the New York and then California bar exams I’d had to take. I found myself closing my eyes during quiet moments in the day, silently praying that Hayley did okay at her audition—that she would get something out of it, even if it was merely a lead that might open the door to some other project.
When I got home, I was ambushed by a squealing half-naked whirl of noise that instantly sent a wave of relief through my frame—it had gone well.
Once I’d managed to extract myself from a deep kiss, she said, all out-of-breath, “Liona called, like 20 minutes after I finished my audition to say that Aaron called her personally as soon as I was out the door.”
I smiled at her use of his first name, like they were already best buddies. But I was thrilled—and I knew from the moment she jumped me she’d gotten the part.
“So they confirmed which part they want to give you?”
“The lead!” she squealed again. “Can you believe it? The lead female role!”
She kissed me again, and this time my hands found their way around the smooth, soft skin of her body. She was wearing a little peach-colored bikini. I could smell the hint of salt on her skin and the ocean in her hair. She’d spent the day working on her tan, relaxing. The image made me shiver.
“And Aaron Simpson will be the lead male?” I asked her.
“Uh-huh,” she said, and suddenly looked apprehensive. “It is okay, right?”
“Of course.” I beamed, and my hand found its way between her thighs, where the temperature was already raised. “You’ve always liked him, haven’t you?”
She shrugged. “He seems like a nice guy.”
“A good-looking guy, a Hollywood legend. And you’ll be shooting a few love scenes with him, I’m guessing?”
“Sure. But it’s just acting.”
“Acting on a bed with him, probably without any clothes….”
“Seriously? Now you’re jealous?” I heard the edge of worry in her voice.
“Not at all.”
Then her hand fell to my crotch, and brushed over the hardness lurking there, making her catch her breath. “You’re so hard!” She said in barely more than a whisper.
“What can I say?” I said, her fingers curling around my shaft through my pants. “I kind of like it that my beautiful wife’s going to strip