When I made it back to my room, for the first time since the first night we spent together, I was relieved that Norman wasn't inside waiting for me. I slumped against the closed door and closed my eyes. Bad idea- flashes of Sean, hovering over my body rushed in. His face shining down. His blue eyes locked on mine. His need, hard and persistent against my own damp want. That mouth, those kisses. And fuck, the words.

"Always." Like honey, thick, slow and sweet.

I thumped my head against the door to wrench my mind and body away from the traitorous memory. Jesus. This movie was the dumbest fucking thing I'd ever agreed to. I should have said no. Should have turned it down flat. Even if- Norman's face flashed in my mind. The feelings I had for him. The love we shared for one another. Being here helped that along, but I was pretty damn sure we would have found it anywhere, eventually.

Growling at myself, feeling frustrated with myself. With Sean. With Duffy and his gooey fucking chocolate frosted donut. With Canada. With these heavy fucking extensions. I stomped off the shower, adding to the list as I went. That nightgown that Mary picked out, fuck that bullshit. The piece of scrap that was supposed to protect my modesty today, damn that to hell. I got in the shower after the water turned as hot as I could stand, then I scrubbed myself until my skin tingled. By the time I stepped out, between the heat of the water and the harsh scrape of my loofa, most of my irritation seemed to go down the drain. Most, but not all of it.

I threw on a pair of yoga pants and one of Norman's t-shirts that he'd left. Smelling the lingering scent of him on the fabric helped calm me a little more. Hearing the door open, I was nearly back to my normal self. Until I realized he'd brought company along.

Norman scooped me up into his arms and kissed me as my eyes closed to our guest's presence. He pulled his head back and smiled at me. "Sean asked if he could join us for dinner, that's ok, isn't it?" I nodded , but kept my focus on him. "Tried to call you, but you must have been in the shower."

"Yeah, I really felt like a nice hot cleansing shower." I knew my smile was probably tight, but I couldn't contend with trying so hard today. "So what are we doing for dinner?"

Sean coughed, clearly attempting to draw my attention to him. He only managed to get Norman's. "Since Jessa seems ready for an evening in, we could do takeout."

"Chinese," Norman answered immediately as I giggled. "Sorry, do you guys want something different?"

I grinned up at him. "Sounds good to me." I started to reach for my phone, but Sean's voice stopped me.

I forced myself to meet his gaze, and felt my body react without my fucking permission. That damn flutter in my stomach. "I got it. Reedus, what's your pleasure?" Norman rattled off his order, and I started to give mine, but he cut me off again. Shaking his head, he smirked. "Chicken and broccoli, steamed rice, and a small order of sweet and sour chicken without the sweet and sour sauce." Chuckling, he turned his away to place the order.

I tried to remember how often he and I had eaten Chinese together, alone or with Norman and the others. I counted twice. Two times total, and yet he recalled the exact order that I preferred. Damn it.

"While he's occupied," Norman said, gathering me into his arms and falling into the sofa with me on his lap, "tell me how it went."

The scene, I licked my lips and struggled to remember it objectively. All I could settle on was Mary and the costume. "She actually jiggled my tits," I was saying as Sean rejoined us.

"I missed that part, but I totally witnessed her slapping your ass." He offered, setting across from us with that fucking smile plastered on his face.

Norman chuckled and kissed my temple. "She didn't."

I nodded and turned to face him. "Oh, but she did. Twice." Laughter flowed around me as the two of them tried to picture the costume woman manhandling me. If anyone saw this scene, no one would think it was weird or wrong at all.

My cell rang and I was happy for the excuse to leave the room. An outsider might not see anything weird, but I could FEEL it. I could hear the two of them getting a beer as I closed the bedroom door and answered the phone. Tabbi in the nick of time.

"Long time to chat," she trilled in place of an actual greeting.

I leaned against the door and listened to my best friend's voice. "Yeah, well movie making isn't all magic." I offered weakly. "How's life stateside?"

"No, nope, not happening." Her voice had lost the humor. "I know that tone, J, what happened?"

I moved away from the door to my bathroom. Just in case they could hear my voice, I closed that door behind me too. I sighed. "Since the last time we talked, I had THE SCENE." I heard her groan. "With Sean." Another groan.

"Was it awkward?" She asked, I heard her close her laptop. Serious business required serious attention. "Did he act like an asshole?" Full on best friend locked and loaded for commiserating.

I felt like I might want to cry. "No," I said, voice heavy. "It-when we kissed-" I stopped and swallowed a tight knot in my throat. "It felt-"

"Shit," she breathed. "You aren't as finished with him as you thought."

"Yes, I am. We are." I sighed, feeling less tearful and more frustrated. "I told Norman that I'm in love with him last night." She gasped. "He told me he loved me too."

I heard the sharp intake of her breath through the phone. "Jesus." I could almost hear the gears in her head turning. "So, the scene, with Sean, just how intimate are we talking?"

I hadn't told her much about the script. Right now, advice was needed more than fear about spoilers. I told her everything. What I had to wear, what he said in my ear, how much Duffy LOVED the action we'd created. Then I told her about our impromptu dinner party. And finished with the fact that he'd ordered my meal perfectly for me after only sharing Chinese with me twice.

Her sigh was as heavy as I felt. "He's bringing the BIG guns, Jessa. Fuck, you were right, he's a fighter."

I bit my lip as I checked my reflection. No tears, no puffy face, no blush. Presentable. "That's what I'm afraid of." I groaned and realized the call had been all about me. "Screw my angst, distract me with tales of your travels." She laughed and we talked for another fifteen minutes. I heard Norman's voice in the bedroom. "Crap, I can't hide anymore, dinner's here." Her chuckle made me smile. "I'll call you soon. Stay safe, and love you!" She returned my goodbye and I opened the door to Norman.

His raised eyebrow of my choice of conversation spots had me giggle. "What? Like you've never taken a call on the toilet?" I shook my head and made a show of flushing the toilet and washing my hands. His laughter followed him out into the living room.

"Guess I don't have to tell you that dinner's here!" He yelled back to me, and I could hear him tell Sean that I talked to people while peeing.

If only that was the truth, I thought, forcing myself back to the room that held two men that I was intensely attracted to. One held my heart, and the other? Well, I'm not entirely sure what he held.