Limes with Lipstick


'Please stop, you're scaring me.
I can't help this awful energy.
God damn right, you should be scared of me.'

Chapter Fourteen: An Affair in Daylight

Lipstick.

Elaine had never bothered with applying it to her lips. It wasn't as though her mother had ever purchased such things for her while she was growing up. It was a scarce possibility that the assistant would find much use for it anyway. But being around Jared on set, where he was required to have it on, she found herself wearing most of it.

It got everywhere, she realized during their first night together. Her body was a chart, mapping out where his lips had traveled; thighs, stomach, and neck were covered in red, oily smudges. Gee had gone through a gothic stage in her life, having once told her that, 'the hottest part about kissing a man in lipstick was the mess it left afterwards'. Well, at least now she could contest to it and agree. Even her clothing had stains on them from where he could not keep his mouth to himself.

Somewhere between the mattress and his lips, she had lost her own game. Shedding yourself of your moral compass and throwing away every last inhibition you had left would do that to you. She'd never held a cigarette to her lips, never kissed without holding hands first, and she certainly never partook in helping a man cheat or betray another person, even if that individual was Stella.

Elaine needed the safety fence up, whenever it pertained to dating. She needed to feel secure about it, which would explain most of her impatient boyfriends cheating on her.

She decided to call Gee and be honest. It was time anyway. Her friend picked up on the third ring, voice filled with sarcasm, "Laney, what a pleasant surprise."

"I didn't call you immediately, because Jared came back with some other woman. My mind was blank during that time. I was childish and immature about the whole thing." She sat down on her bed and dragged her foot across the carpet. "And I knew you'd try and make me feel better, but I didn't want to."

Her friend sobered up, "Oh, fuck. That's…I'm sorry."

"And she's still here, but I feel like she's nothing to him. I don't know if that's just the denial talking or what, but she's never around and when she is, it's utterly ridiculous. It's like watching a bad novella."

"Diva, diva," Gee tsked, shaking her head. "I mean, that's a bad boy, even if he's not into her. That means he deliberately tried to hurt you."

"I spent the night with him, it was only one time, but still…" Elaine closed her eyes and let out a long breath. It was finally out in the open, but it didn't feel any better. "And we kiss everywhere we walk and disappear behind. I can't keep my hands off of him and I want him to never-not be touching me? I've avoided sleeping with him again though. Just barely."

"Jesus! You kids got it bad. So, even though he is supposedly seeing this woman, you're sneaking around canoodling with him? I didn't think you had it in you."

"It's want and take...I'm not even taking care of myself. I don't even think of the consequences this will have on me later. We haven't even discussed Stella –"

"Her name is Stella? She sounds bitchy already."

"She's responsible for every walking boner thus far. Even Clark fell down the rabbit hole and I'm pretty sure he's taken up permanent residence. To be honest, I thought he was gay and fabulous."

"Clark?"

She hadn't even told Gee about Clark. Jai Courtney's assistant had all the makings of becoming Gee's spirit animal. Elaine lied back on her bed and started talking, actually talking like they used to with one another. It didn't take very long for her to remember why she loved Gee so damn much.

An hour later, she was pulling down the bottom of her dress. It wasn't anything special. There was no telling that she'd actually put in any effort into looking decent for tonight's dinner party. It wasn't as though she was a special guest or a date even. She was just an assistant, nothing more.

She stepped out of her trailer, laughing to herself over the whole ordeal. How should she feel about it having an affair in daylight? Shameful? There was very little she felt bad about, too blind to see all that she should be ashamed of. There were plenty of women, Gee for example, who had done a lot worse.

Because she might be in love with Jared, does that truly change anything?

This was simply about following one's heart and all of that nonsense.

Her phone beeped and she looked down to see a text from Jared:

I told you to wear the pan collared dress.
What is this cuteness happening?
You monster D: (Read at 6:06pm)

"Stalker…" She said aloud to herself, as she searched for a goddamn lime on the loose. Elaine did a full turn, expecting to see him.

Beep.

Mind doing that again, but slower?
I am enjoying the view. (Read at 6:07pm)

She tucked her phone away into her bag and attempted to find him. And when she did, it stopped her dead in her tracks. The sudden burst of happiness she'd felt a moment ago instantly disappeared. He was talking with one of the known staffers and beside him was Stella. Even though Jared was wearing his sunglasses, she could tell that his eyes were on her, following her every move.

He could watch her walk away then.

The dinner itself was on location, so it wasn't like she would have to prepare a car, or drive him anywhere herself.

"Ah, there you are!" Jai Courtney approached her casually. "My sweet girl, look at you…" He grabbed both her hands and stood away, eyes roaming over her dress. "Will I have to hide you away the whole night? It seems like a fulltime position to me. Are there any benefits aside from getting to see you all day?"

Seeing Jai Courtney in a white fitted suit was not for the faint of heart. He smelled wonderful, too, like vanilla and mint. Two big arms wrapped around her and she allowed it, a piece of her having genuinely missed him. Maybe she also missed their innocent relationship, the line she must never cross.

"Where's Clark?"

"Clarkie is reserving a spot for us, in case you wanted to sit with me tonight. As you can see, I am utterly dateless and it's not a very fashionable look for me."

'This fucking guy…' Elaine thought, unable to help the kind smile from gracing her lips. "It's not appropriate for an agent to be seated next to an actor."

He looked at her seriously, "It's a good thing you're not my agent."

"Still, I'm on the clock."

He turned towards her, clicking his tongue, "And if the clown prince needs you, you'll be in the same vicinity. If he doesn't need you, well, you've at least had a good time."

She nodded, not finding much room to argue with him, "You do have a point…"

The actor extended his arm and was pleased when she took it without any hint of hesitation. It felt like a genuine act, not a hesitant one, as he'd become so used to experiencing around her as of late. He wasn't blind. He knew the game she was playing with Jared, even if she couldn't see how dangerous it was. He couldn't even tell what the endgame would be, but he'd shield her tonight, from whatever demon she was tiptoeing around.

"You should listen to me speak more often," he chided softly, as he walked with her to the dining hall. It wasn't a fabulous location, but you could tell that they tried their best to make it appear upscale to some degree, however slight.

Clark was there with both hands on his phone, playing a game. Last time she was able to sneak a peek, it was Injustice. The boy loved his super heroes.

The assistant grinned broadly at them both, dimples in place, as he put his game away, "Lovely to see you conscious. I thought for a moment Jai would have to knock you out to get you here with him."

Elaine took her seat when Jai held it out for her, "Contrary to what you both think or feel is true, I love you both. So much so, in fact, that begging is not required."

She sat between Jai and Clark, leaned forward in laughter. Her stomach muscles were sore from how badly she suffered the case of the giggles. The two men had experienced so much together. There were plenty of stories that went along with each project Jai and his assistant had worked on. Her favorite story so far was the time Clark very nearly got laid on the set of Spartacus by a hulking extra.

Clark looked at them seriously, "He was gorgeous, don't get me wrong, but I was not ready for the wang."

Jai shrugged, "No one said you'd be receiving."

"That's true," Clark nodded, considering it for a moment. "You had to see Jai back then. He looked like a walking ray of sunshine. Thick, bright blond curly hair…I have a photo on my phone somewhere…." The actor scrambled to reach over to grab his assistant's phone. "W-Wait, Jai! The woman deserves to see it!"

The young assistant slunk in his seat suddenly, catching a glimpse of his somewhat guilty desire, allowing Jai to disarm him effectively. It seemed like he was under a spell of some sort, when Elaine followed his eyes towards the tall blond stealing looks from the center of the room. Stella was of course, an image of perfection, as she had witnessed earlier. Her body was elegant and poised in a long fitted gown with slits on each side, showing off her smooth legs.

How long had Jared been there for? She hadn't even noticed his presence, until now. He was leaned back in his chair, eyes clouded over darkly as they were now boring into hers. It made her shift uncomfortably, legs crossing tightly beneath the table. She afforded him a nervous smile, one of which was not so readily returned.

Jai leaned forward, catching her cheek with the tips of his fingers. He drew her face close to his, as he spoke lowly to her, "I don't think you're safe with a guy who gets jealous by the simplest of gestures."

"Are you trying to cause problems for me, Mr. Courtney?" She swallowed thickly upon the realization, that maybe the good guy wasn't always good. The one soaring with jealous was probably Jai, if anyone. He knew her heart and who it leaned towards and yet he was still touching her. He practically dared Jared to come over and make a scene.

He whispered, voice cracking deceptively, "Of course not."

"Good." Elaine grabbed her purse from the table and scooted her chair out. "Excuse me for a moment, gentleman. I'm going to go powder my nose or whatever ridiculous declaration women usually say to escape an awkward situation."

Both men stood up from their seats, until she was gone.

"Real smooth," Clark muttered with a shake of his head. "Jared was watching the whole damn thing."

"I hope he was watching, the bloody prick. He's parading around with one woman, while having his assistant on the side? Where does he get off…"

"All celebrities get off."

"Yeah, well, not me."

"You're rare, which is why I stick with you. I don't have to carry your overdosed ridden ass to the bathroom and force my fingers down your throat to save you a scandalous trip to the hospital. I don't have to watch you rolling in women, being irresponsible, and hurting others. You don't have me handling drug dealers or paying off the women you knock up to abort your 'mess' or forget your name."

Jai raised a brow, concerned over what could have possibly been Clark's last employer, "What the fuck, Clark."

"That's Hollywood and the day you become it is the day you'll lose me."


Elaine stood in front of the mirror, running her shaking hands beneath the faucet. She drew her palms together and splashed the cool water on her face, trying to calm herself down from the shock of the temperature. Her heart was racing, but it wasn't because of Jai Courtney. No, why would it because of him? He was only everything she needed in her life. He was stable, smart, and funny. He wasn't romantically linked to anyone and wasn't involved in any scandals.

Jai was safe.

Bright blue eyes burned at the back of her mind, causing her to shiver involuntarily at the hollow memory. Jared. He seemed furious with her. If he would handle whatever he had going on with Stella, then it could have been her standing next to him tonight. What if he was unwilling to take care of Stella? What if he enjoyed having her on his arm? Maybe being with an assistant would be a shameful, lowly thing…

The door to the bathroom opened abruptly, but she didn't bother to look up – somehow knowing. The sound of the lock had her turning to meet the pale figure stepping under the dismal orange lights. The décor was oppressive with its mute colors and broken tiles. Jared approached her slowly, almost with caution. He looked both starved and anguished, despite how eerily calm he was being.

"When," he said, breaking the silence. "When will you come to me?" He had one hand tucked into the pocket of his white slacks, his golden Bell & Ross collectable ticking where the quiet hum devoured the space between words. "Because I don't think I can handle Jai placing his hands on you again. There's no telling what kind of stir that sort of thing could cause. I'm not even willing to promise that I can keep myself in check if there is a next time."

The actor felt out of his realm, sleep deprived, and stressed the fuck out. He was far too fucking deep into his role. He even had thoughts of bruising the girl before him, vile, tortured desires of restraining her and doing to her whatever he pleased. There was something oddly innocent about her, a light that was too painful to stare directly at anymore. He considered her dignity, before reaching out for her, but it never did stop him from pushing her against the nearest surface and tasting her lips again and again.

He closed the space between them at the thought, until he was standing in front of her. A hand under her chin forced her to meet his stare, blue eyes ablaze, "An audience doesn't frighten me. I'll declare it to everyone. Hell, I want to, just tell me that you're mine. I need to know that you're ready and that you won't run away from me."

She set her jaw stubbornly, holding back tears, "I'm not the one needing to clarify anything for you, Jared. You need to come to me, not the other way around."

His expression narrowed, as if confused for a moment, "Stella?"

"I can't handle it anymore."

"No one asked you to handle it." He leaned in towards her, feeling her hesitation. A malicious smile touched the corners of his lips. "I haven't even touched Stella."

"But she touches you constantly. She's even had you in the past and I assume you're both comfortable with sharing a bed together each night?" Her mouth parted in amusement when he didn't answer, as though she had discovered something tangible to hold against him. "Uh-huh. You don't touch her though?"

"I don't sleep, Elaine," He said, exasperated and on edge. "You should know my schedule better than anyone. You should know my habits. This role is a dangerous one for me. I can't afford to fuck it up. Stella does sleep in my bed at the hotel, after a long, long day of shopping, the poor thing. I have treated her as a friend and nothing more, although she's unaware of my intentions. It's safe to say that she is hoping for more. It's easy for me to send her home."

"But don't you see how messed up that is, Jared? You flew her out here. You made her think she was something more to you. Why would you play a game like that? Your answers only raise more questions for me –" He pressed his lips to hers, cutting her off in the middle of her sentence. He didn't want to argue and he sure as hell didn't want to answer to anyone.

He moved his fingers to the bun at the top of her head, undoing it carefully so that her hair fell down around her shoulders. He drew the strands away from her face, kissing her deeper still, caressing her tongue in slow, deliberate strokes. Her body's natural response was to give in, as she had done on so many occasions since their coupling. It was an automatic response at this point, parting her lips for him, and accepting him as a force.

Calloused fingers skimmed along the line pearl clasps at the back of her dress, when she heard the fabric tear beneath his hands.

"J-Jared?" She shouted in a low whisper, trying to pull away. He tugged the front of her dress down past her arms to her waist. His body was firm, as it pinned her to the counter behind her. A lift of his hands and she found herself seated atop its surface. The height difference was now evened, something she would have found pleasing if not for her ruined dress.

She glared at him steadily, not pleased, "Is this the part where you tell me that you'll buy me a new one?"

He shook his head in decline, refusing to buy her another article of clothing. In fact, clothes were only a nuisance, and he wouldn't partake in adding more to that collection.

Everything felt too quick and sudden, her body adjusting to the shock of being exposed beneath him, and aroused all at once. She didn't want it to stop, no matter how the setting might disagree with her. She wanted to be closer to him. She slid her hands beneath his jacket, pulling it free and placing it beside her. He broke free from her to undo the cuffs of his sleeves and pushed them up over his inked forearms.

He held the back of her neck, easing her into another long, bruising kiss. It was almost painful how hard and suffocating it was, as he stole the oxygen from her lungs with every sharp intake of air. She had to remember to breathe through her nose. A hand on her thigh kept squeezing possessively, as it inched its way up beneath the skirt of her dress. He pressed a thumb hard against her, applying firm pressure there, before moving in fast circles.

She moaned into him, her hips squirming against his ministrations. He cupped her roughly into his hand, moving his fingers about the damp material, going beneath her panties. His torture was meticulous at best, as she was already soaked through. The clear stickiness of her arousal better guided his long digits to move up and down her clit and inside her glistening heat.

Her legs trembled, already feeling a wave of pleasure rippling throughout her body. She slumped against the mirror behind her, watching as he bent down to run his tongue around a peaked breast, flicking and pulling. He released her flesh with a lewd 'pop' of his mouth and withdrew himself from her to admire the mess he'd created. He felt pieces of himself crumble at the sight of her.

He took a few steps away from her and pointed to the spot in front of him, dark eyes scrutinizing every move she made. She was slow to give him what he wanted, still shaking, as the pleasure in the pit of her stomach tightened into an ache. The heels of her shoes clacked loudly, as she stood in front of him.

"Remove these…" Jared demanded, as he tugged at the side of her panties. She stared at him hotly, as she slid them down past her legs. She could feel how wet she was when the cool air hit her slick skin. It clung to the fabric in clear, sticky webs. It would have been damned embarrassing, if not for how far they'd already taken things.

He extended his hand out expectantly.

Oh, hell.

She handed the nearly destroyed article on over to him, reluctant at first. He brought the material to his nose and watched her squirm beneath his accusatory stare.

Now she felt embarrassed.

He turned her around by his grip on her bunched dress. The sharp pull had her to bracing herself against the counter with both hands. Their eyes met in the mirror, dark and hazy, as the tension grew thick and intense. She felt terrified by what she saw in the reflection. Maybe they'd both become addicted – what, to be doing such an act as crude as this, here and now?

The sound of his belt and zipper being undone had her biting her lip anxiously. This was really happening.

He ran the tip of his cock up and down over her slick skin, watching her body tense up with anticipation. The small moan that escaped from her lips echoed off the walls around them. If they listened even closely, the cast and staff could be heard chatting, but he only remained focused on her. It wasn't long before he decided that he couldn't wait anymore, as he grabbed her by her hips, and slammed forward.

"You're so tight," He groaned out between harsh breaths, short nails pressing into her flesh, as he drove in as far as he could go. He spread her wider in his hands, pinning her into the counter. The incessant wet slap of their bodies meeting, skin to skin, the moisture, and collected heat – it made her crave it more.

The prude, the girl who was above this type of thing, wanted more of it.

She reached behind to grab onto his hip and felt him drive into her with every thrust. He soon claimed both her wrists, holding them firmly against her back. He was rougher than the first time. It was only an added quality to being fucked by the actor. Her arms felt sore, but she enjoyed being under his control.

Maybe she even enjoyed being helpless.

The knob to the bathroom door turned a few times and Jared slowed his hips, pulling out to the tip of his cock, before slamming back in again. The hard impact sent her into the surface of the counter, her sensitive breasts meeting the cold top. She bit her lip to remain quiet, something that was not such an easy task given in her position.

"You're mine…" He practically growled out, as he released her wrists to lean his chest against her back. Both his hands were splayed over her chest, kneading them roughly with long, pale fingers. She careened in pleasure, unable to concentrate on anything other than the heat in her stomach. "Say it."

She shivered, as he placed his mouth against her back. He grazed his teeth across her soft skin when she didn't reply, a warning if she continued to play games with him. He brought her up by her throat, still buried deep within her. Her face was angled towards him, so he could devour her mouth thoroughly. It was a sensual kiss that was chaste at first, but grew spiteful, and bruising.

He pulled at the side of her bottom lip, moving over her cheek, nipping carefully. Her eyes closed, muscles tightening around his thick, hard length. It felt so good, even if he was trying to punish her.

He applied slight pressure to the hand that was around the front of her neck, "Tell. Me. You're. Mine."

She remained defiant, "Well, I'm not his."

It was as close to a 'yes' as he was going to get and his body argued with how long he could bear not moving, while he was inside of her. Perhaps if he'd started this without being so intimate – his fault, of course. He shoved her down to the counter, watching her hands cling to whatever she could find, as he started thrusting into her, gaining further depth when he nudged her legs wider with his own.

The door rattled, as someone outside pounded on it. "Come on, man!"

As much as Jared wanted to be a selfish prick, not quite satisfied by her answer, he couldn't deny how delight it felt to feel her coming around him. He moved his hand between her legs, rubbing over her at an expert pace that matched the quickened thrust of his hips. Her eyes looked up into the mirror, taking in the flush of his skin, and dark lips parted in bliss. His glare was dark and lustful, a look that would be cataloged into one of the sexier compartments of her brain.

She clasped a hand around her mouth, shuddering as she reached her peak, and climaxed in tight spasms around him. The actor followed quickly after, unable to hold back when her body shook and pulsed. His release was hot, as he came inside her. The next few thrusts were sticky and wet. He pulled out and replaced his cock with his fingers, watching as his thick, milky arousal poured from her glistening cunt every time he drew them back.

They ignored the noise outside the door to clean one another. He even gently pulled her dress back up over her shoulders and placed his jacket over her so that the ruined back wouldn't be revealed to public eye. She fixed her makeup and hair as best as she could. She was avoiding looking at him.

Now that their fun was over, an awkward silence fell between them. He didn't want to answer her questions and in response, he would get nothing from her either.

Stalemate.

The door unlocked by itself, a concierge (term is used loosely) having the key. He saw the actor and bowed respectively as he excused himself. Anytime earlier and that would have been bad. The thought sobered the assistant up and she felt overwhelmed with disgust.

"I have to go." She shook her head at him. "I can't believe we just did that, we could have…" Assistant 101 had rushed forth, as though it were being processed all at once. She was supposed to keep him safe and away from scandals. She had failed on every possible level to do her job. "I don't know what we're doing anymore."

He grabbed her shoulders, "Listen to me."

She shrugged him off of her and took a step away from him. "I'm not done listening and waiting. This is a bad idea. The things we're willing to do are dangerous. For me, but most of all for you."

His jaw clenched tightly, muscles dancing visible, "I said I'd tell everyone, if it means being with you."

"Please go back out there to Stella."

"No." He took her by the hand and tugged her to his side. She tried planting her feet to stop him from going any further, when they were out in the hall. Her other hand was up on the jacket he'd given to her, trying to hold it closer to her body.

Clark was sitting there with an eyebrow raised, before holding up his glass, and mouthing the word, 'congratulations' to her. The man sitting beside him stewed, proving that even Jai Courtney had a bad side.

Jared stopped in front of Stella, the woman having crossed in their path towards the exit. She was red in the face and yet still managed to look absolutely stunning.

"What are you doing?" Her blue eyes dropped to where Jared held onto Elaine's hand firmly. It was obvious what was happening, her dreams crumbling one by one. Stella was not oblivious, by any means. She wouldn't expect Jared to remain loyal to only her, but she still wouldn't have expected him to have an affair in daylight.

"I'm sorry for giving you the wrong impression of me, Stella. I would like to thank you for coming out here for –" Jared was cut off midsentence, when the woman swung her hand forward, and landed a loud slap across his face. The room hushed into low whispering, buzzing with the delicious speculation. The actor continued, cheek turning hot where her hand had made impact. "I don't have feelings for you." He raised Elaine's arm up forcefully, "This woman is with me."