The Curse - 1st night MA

The day hadn’t been very long, but it had been hard. Once again, a problem had arisen (causé par Jordan, à explorer) and it had to be fixed. [One generator down meant less things could be done, everybody was on edge and it had to be repaired] . Day by day, the crew was losing time and the director and producers were not happy about it. 

I was back in my tent, going over the next day’s schedule, the next part of the script, where they would film, what they would need when Jerry slipped his head through the opening.

“Ellie, I need your help with something.”

I was deep in my thoughts and this interruption annoyed me. Once more he had been unable to make a move without me. I had hired him to be my partner, not another assistant. He knew the job and I didn’t understand why he couldn’t make a move on his own.

“Jerry, I’m working. Can’t this wait ?”

“It’ll only take a moment.”

Knowing he wouldn’t let go, I put the papers back on my desk and followed him to his tent on the other side of the camp. He opened the flap and I stepped inside after him. And stood speechless. 

He had set up a romantic dinner for two and it took me a second to realize it was meant for me. I also realized why he had been constantly seeking my attention, asking for my advice or my approval. He was obviously enamored with me and I hadn’t seen it. Mostly because I had never considered him a potential partner.

“Jerry…” I tried to find my words, and decided to go with the plain truth. “I’m sorry, Jerry, but I can’t.”

“You can’t what ? Have dinner ?”

“I can’t have dinner with you like that. I’m sorry I didn’t realize you had feelings for me, but I don’t share them.”

Jerry looked mortified. “Is it because I’m bisexual ?”

“No. I have no opinion about your sexuality. It’s just… you’re a colleague, I really enjoy working with you, but I never thought of you that way.”

I repeated “I'm really sorry” and fled back to my tent. I did feel sorry for Jerry because I knew what it was like to have your love thrown back in your face.

I thought it was one more item on my daily list of problems and I had no idea if we would be able to work together without tension or unease. I heard movement outside my tent and saw Ned slip his head through my door.

“Oh, you’re a sight for sore eyes !”

Ned smiled and like every time he did, the butterflies in my stomach woke up and danced. “Hard day?”

“Yeah.”

He stepped closer and put his arms around me. I rested my head on his chest and we stayed in this peaceful embrace for a little while. His heart was beating slowly and its sound was making all my troubles fade away. I felt his lips in my hair and thought I could remain like that forever.

“Do you want to have dinner with me?”

Jerry’s attempt at seducing me flashed into my mind and once again I felt sorry for him. “I’d love to.”

After giving a call to Sally, we left the camp and took a jeep from the motorpool. He drove past his trailer and took the track that led through the desert. The sun was setting and the landscape was turning purple. I decided to leave my worries behind and enjoy the evening he had planned for us. It took us an hour and a half to reach the nearest city. He navigated through the streets like someone who knew where he was going. He finally slowed down in front of a fenced garden and the gate opened. The house looked very modern, all white amongst the deep green, and I could hear the sea not far. I was impatient to see what he had prepared. 

Ned led me through the foyer into the living room at the back of the house. The bay windows were open on the terrace and the pool, and the sea was just a few feet away beyond the backyard. I was mesmerized by the view. Ned handed me a glass of white wine with a smile and I took a sip. Perfect. He led me outside and we sat on a bench to watch the stars light up the dark sky.

We started to talk about work and let the conversation roll easily. He told me anecdotes about other movies he’d done and made me laugh.

In the dining room, a tajine and other local delicacies were waiting for us. Ned had organized everything so we could be alone and untroubled. The conversation went from work to history and to architecture, but I kept forgetting what we were talking about because his smile got in the way of my thoughts. He was so handsome, his golden tan highlighted by a white linen shirt, his dark hair curling, and I felt like a fifteen years old facing her first crush. I would have enjoyed just as much a dust-covered sandwich sitting on pebbles because the only thing that mattered tonight was being here with him.

For dessert we had some honey-covered pastries I loved, and wine helping, I got bolder and started to flirt openly with him. After all, even if he was famous, he had brought me here, and not someone else, and I wanted to explore the sexual tension sizzling between us.

After dinner, I excused myself for a minute. When I came back, music was playing on low. He extended his hand and I took it. He made me turn and we started dancing slowly to Barry White’s sensual voice. It was a lovely thought and I really enjoyed how he was making every moment of the evening count instead of rushing us to the bedroom.

The first kiss of the night was soft and sweet. I sighed and slipped my hands around his neck. There was a real height difference between us, but he made it look insignificant. The heat grew and each kiss became more intense and passionate. He grabbed me by the waist, pulled me up and I wrapped my legs around him. He was really strong, making this move seem effortless. He carried me to a bedroom without breaking the kiss and sat us down on the bed. I was sitting on his lap and the unmistakable hardness under my buttocks made me smile. I moved my hips to rub myself against him, eyes locked on his.

[sex scene] [pool scene]

Dawn was breaking when I felt Ned get out of the bed. I turned on my stomach and tried to grab five more minutes of sleep. I had spent the night drifting in and out of sleep as his presence at my side was unfamiliar. He turned on the TV in the living room and I knew the night was over. I left the bed to go to the bathroom, grabbing his shirt on my way, but when I got near the door, I had to stop to appreciate the sight. Ned was doing his morning workout routine, pushups then situps, wearing only his boxer shorts and sweat had started to glisten on his chest. I think I sighed and I was loud enough to be heard. He turned to me and we smiled at each other.

I entered the bathroom, wishing I’d thought of bringing clean clothes along, and I had started to enjoy the hot water when I heard the door open and Ned stepped under the spray with me. He stole pretty much all the water, bent over and kissed me hard.

“I thought we could save water.”

“It’s not called saving water if you steal it all,” I said with a smile.

He laughed and kissed me again. “I wish we had time for another round.”

I took my silkiest voice and put my hand on his crotch. “I like slow and steady, but I also enjoy hard and fast when the situation calls for it.”

I saw him swallow and felt him grow hard instantly. He lifted me up like the night before, I wrapped myself around him as I had, and he pressed my back on the wall. He pushed into me in one swift move and started moving hard and fast inside me, as I had suggested. It was so good. I became frantic with pleasure and bit his lower lip. He groaned and bit my neck in return. I came with a sharp cry. When he was about to come as well, he pulled out. I took him in my hand and he groaned as he emptied himself. He kissed me deeply and we let the water wash away his pleasure.

“I forgot the condom.”

I smiled. “I figured as much. Thanks for thinking about it.”

I stepped out of the shower, dried off and put on yesterday’s clothes. He went back to the bedroom and picked up a bag lying in a corner that I hadn’t noticed before. He retrieved a t-shirt and handed it to me.

“You can borrow this.”

I unfolded it. It was sporting the emblem of his last superhero movie. I put it on and teased him. “I’m probably not giving it back to you.”

I lifted the fabric to my nose and sighed. It smelled of him, and the scent woke up the butterflies in my stomach. “I definitely won’t give it back to you.”

His smile widened but he didn’t say a thing. I took that for an agreement.

We watched the sun rise as we drove back to the camp. I couldn’t stop smiling. I hadn’t had such a beautiful night in quite a while, not to mention such a lover. I was still trying to wrap my head around what had happened, spending the night with a famous actor, who was also kind and fun, generous, and most of all sexy as Hell. And he made my heart skip a beat every time he looked at me.

Ned left the car at the motorpool and we parted with one last kiss. I was exhausted and exhilarated and I was in dire need of a change of clothes and a hot cup of tea. I crossed through the camp, said hello to Amalie and Bruno, who were running off somewhere, and entered my tent. 

My heart stopped at the sight. The mess was unbelievable. I’m not the cleanest person, but clearly someone had come inside. My clothes and personal items had been thrown on the floor, my vintage cabin wardrobe looked trampled and I could smell so much of my perfume I assumed the bottle had been broken. Cursing, I took a step inside to ascertain the damage and stifled a scream. I got horror-struck a second time. Half hidden behind my belongings, Jerry was lying down on his back, a knife protruding from his chest. I was about to jump inside to check his pulse when I saw his eyes, already white. He’d been dead for a while.