Prequel to As Lovers Go 4
*This is a complete work of fiction*
February 2011
Nothing travels around a Hollywood set faster than gossip. When you spend 18 hours a day with the same people, you end up being in every one's business, whether you want to be or not.
Emily hated gossip. But, due to her nosey nature, she found herself a part of it from time to time. Everyone on set was talking about David. It was impossible for Emily not to notice. Her friends tried to be cautious about it and make sure she was at least out of ear shot before they started talking, but the others, weren’t nearly as considerate. “I’m pretty sure David is screwing the new girl, she’s been in his trailer all week.” “Craig said he saw them leave set together two nights ago.” “I think she’s single.”
Booth had a new love interest on the show that was not Brennan. Emily had been weary about the storyline since she was first told about it. She was even wearier of the young, gorgeous, model like actress they had cast to play his lover. Her name was Katheryn. She had instantly clicked with David.
Emily would never tell a soul, but, the chemistry Katheryn and David shared drove her crazy. She had never been an overly jealous person before. It wasn’t in her nature to feel spiteful towards anyone. But, she couldn’t help but feel unhinged whenever the three of them had to shoot scenes together.
Lately, the scenes she had with David had been few and far between. It infuriated her. They were partners, on screen and off...and a part of her resented the fact that she was slowly being replaced.
Leaving the sound stage, Emily waived off the driver who had offered to take her back to her trailer. The walk would do her good, and she needed the time to think.
David’s behavior didn’t make any sense to her. She knew he was pre-occupied with his impending sexual harassment hearing and divorce. She didn’t take it personally when his moods took a turn for the worst.
They normally talked every single day. Even when they weren’t filming together, he would seek her out. But, ever since Katheryn appeared on set...Emily felt like he had been less and less interested in spending any time with her at all.
Had he given up on his plan already? Had the bitter thoughts in her head been right? Was David really incapable of change? In her confusion, it was easier to assume the worst of David. Believing he would give up on her was so much easier than hoping that he would change. Even with those thoughts, the idea that he was sleeping with Katheryn hurt her in ways she had never remembered hurting before.
David’s past had been no secret. Emily had known about his reckless behavior all along. She would never forget the executive meeting she had been called in to right after she accepted the part. The network wanted to prepare her. They wanted to protect her. Most of all, they wanted to ensure David’s behavior wouldn’t interfere with the start up of the show. While his actions hadn’t been a secret, and she had accepted them for what they were, she couldn’t deny that it hurt.
Falling for her co-star was unplanned and unexpected. She had never meant to fall for him. Even if he wasn’t married, he was a free spirit, a wild boy, she knew better than anyone that you couldn’t tame a wild soul. So....why was she even going along with David’s sudden reformation? Why was she encouraging him to become a better man if....he couldn’t? And....why was she letting herself hope....when she knew it would only lead to disappointment?
Emily was so lost in her thoughts that she arrived in front of her trailer without even realizing it. Stopping in her tracks, she shook her head and glanced at David’s trailer that sat right beside hers.
Due to the rumor mill, she knew Katheryn was in there. Her mind wandered without her consent, to all of the things that could be going on. Was he kissing her? Was he hugging her? Were they.....having sex? Her stomach plummeted at the thought. Maybe he realized that going out on one date with Emily wasn’t worth giving up his sex life.
For a second, she thought about going into her trailer. But then, she could hear deep chuckles coming from David’s, and anger coursed through her. Clinching her jaw, she made up her mind and practically stomped to his trailer.
She had to knock three times before she heard the laughter cease. Emily tapped an impatient foot as mumbled words were exchanged on the other side of the door. After what seemed like an eternity, David opened the door. He had been expecting a production assistant or crew member, and finding out it was Emily surprised him. “Emily!” He exclaimed.
There was an emotion hidden in his cloudy brown eyes that she could not place. Fear? Guilt? Her mind threw a number of possibilities at her and she had to literally shake her head to get the thoughts away. “Do you need something?” He asked in concern, and she realized she had stood there in complete silence for far too long. The unknown emotion had vanished from his eyes and was replaced by confusion.
“No...I don’t need anything.” Emily finally managed to say. Before she could say anything else, a well manicured hand squeezed David’s shoulder and then Katheryn appeared behind him.
Emily got along fine with the woman. There weren’t many people on set Emily didn’t get along with. But, in that moment, she felt anything but friendly. “I’ve been called to set.” The woman let out in a silky tone. She spoke with a refined draw that often left people mesmerized.
“Okay, we’ll talk later.” David responded. His eyes left Emily to regard Katheryn warmly. For a second, Emily thought he was going to lean in and kiss Katheryn and her heart clinched tightly in her chest. He didn’t kiss her though, instead, he patted her on the shoulder. Emily moved so that the woman could get by and without even waiting to be invited in, she pushed her way into the trailer.
Emily could feel David’s eyes on her as she looked around the room, taking everything in. There were empty dishes on the table and scripts scattered all over the sofa, but, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Emily had no idea what she was expecting to find.
Glancing at David, she took in his appearance and he arched his brow. His shirt, which he had no doubt been in all day was a bit wrinkly and his shoes had been kicked off. He certainly didn’t look like he had just been caught in the act.
David finally broke the silence. “Are you okay?” His words were slow and drawn out, like he would speak to a child. He intention was to tease her, and his face broke out into a grin before he realized she wasn’t in a teasing mood. Letting his smile fall, he sent her a confused look. “Did something happen on set?”
Emily shook her head no, but he wasn’t sure she had actually heard his words. She was well aware of David eyeing up her manicured feet as she kicked off her dark heels, but didn’t call him out on it. She would never admit to anyone that he was the soul reason she had been keeping her toes so perfectly polished.
Doubt was still swirling around her mind like a tornado of emotion. Without even realizing it, she had started pacing the room. She didn’t stop until he called her name in a concerned tone.
Emily’s back was turned towards him, she heard his socked feet padding towards her. Before he could get close, she turned around rather haphazardly and blurted out the one question that had been on her mind all day long. “Are you sleeping with her?” Though she worded it as a question, there was no mistaking the accusation in her tone.
At her words, David stopped abruptly and appeared to be too stunned to form words. Even without words, the room suddenly became tense, like there was a dark storm over head. His brown eyes had turned dark...like a night sky and she watched as a series of emotions played within them.
Swallowing hard, she continued, “everyone is whispering about it. They’re not at all discreet. They’ve seen you leaving together.” David’s eyes weren’t focused on hers. They were roaming up and down her body with a look of utter distaste. Clinching his jaw, he seemed to grind his teeth before relaxing only the slightest bit.
Emily stood her ground, refusing to take her eyes off of his. She had come for an answer, and she wasn’t going to leave until she got one. “Well, it seems you already have your answer, so why even bother asking me at all?” His voice was a harsh, snide tone she wasn’t used to hearing directed at her.
“Because I think I deserve to hear an answer from you, not from the crew members.” Emily crossed her arms and pretended as if she wasn’t hanging on his every word. She was desperately afraid of what his answer would be.
Letting out a noise of disgust, David threw his hands up in the air and turned away from her. “I can’t believe this.” Running his hands roughly through his hair, he uttered a string of curses before turning back to her and glaring in her direction. “I can’t believe you of all people would pay any attention to what anybody says.”
“So it’s not true then?” His eyes widened at her words, and the last of his patience had worn thin. Something inside of him snapped and before he knew it, hateful words were spewing out of his mouth.
“No. You know what? It is true. Yeah, I fucked her. I’ve been fucking her since the day she started. I just fucked her right now, before you got here.”
Emily took his verbal assault without interrupting. “I’m an asshole. I’m messed up in the head so I figured, I might as well get some while she is ready and willing because I sure as hell am not getting any from you!”
His words lacked conviction. In fact, by the end, his words sounded almost robotic...as if it was a tired script he was reciting from. Even though Emily didn’t believe a word he said, she couldn’t help the wetness that started pooling in her eyes.
Most of the time, David used his ego and his sense of humor to build a strong and confident shell around him. But, on rare instances like this one, she could see very clearly to the man underneath, and the man she saw was anything but confident.
“David....” She wasn’t sure what she was going to say. A part of her wanted to apologize, but the other part, didn’t. With his history and his track record, why was it so wrong to assume the rumors were true?
“No.” He spat, and his eyes were on fire with rage. “I don’t want to hear it. It’s been seven months, Emily! I’m past the half way point and yet, that still isn’t enough for you to give me even an inch of trust?” He was practically screaming at her, and she winced, but didn’t back away. “Why am I even bothering? It’s obvious you have no faith in me anyway. You’ve been doubting me all along.”
His accusation felt like a slap in the face. It was far from the truth, and she refused to let him get away with that. “I’ve done nothing but support you! You can’t blame me for being weary, David. I know this is hard for you....I know it’s easy to slip up.”
“Slip up?” He barked in a disgusted tone. “You make me sound like a drug addict!”
“Your destructive behavior is like being an addict, your therapist told you that in the very beginning!”
Shaking his head wildly, David clinched and unclinched his fists and then without warning, he bridged the gap between them. In a movement of pure reaction, she backed up until she backed right into the wall of the trailer. Her back hit it with a dull thud. Even though he wasn’t that much taller than her, he hovered over her and it seemed as though he was towering over her.
“You know what I think?” His voice was still angry, but had lost most of it’s harshness. David stared at her now so intensely that she felt like he could see through her. “I think you’re scared.” He let those words sink in before continuing. “I think you want me to fail because you’re afraid of what will happen if I succeed.”
“That’s ridiculous.” She responded, but, couldn’t muster a tone louder than a whisper.
David smirked sadistically. “Is it? You know that once I succeed, you’ll have no excuse not to go out with me. That scares you.” He was still staring at her, but, Emily watched as his eyes moved to her rosy mouth and her heart started to speed out of control.
David moved his hand so that it was resting up on the wall above her shoulder and she was trapped, like a caged animal. “What are you so scared of?” As he spoke, his head was inching closer and closer to hers until she could feel his hot breath on her face. If he kept going, their mouths would collide. A panicked thought went through Emily’s mind and she knew she should stop him, but, she didn’t....and seconds later, his lips were on hers.
What started off slow and gentle, soon became hot and intense as his tongue parted her moist lips and slipped into her mouth. Without even meaning to, her own tongue met his and all at once his hands were roaming over her body.
Aside from their acting, there had only been one other time that they had indulged in such a thing, but, they did not fumble. Their bodies instinctively knew what to do.
David’s hands moved to her ass and was about to lift her up when a beeping noise sounded through the trailer and a crackling voice came out of the intercom. “David, you’re needed on set.”
The noise was like a burst of cold water. His hands flew away from her like she had burned him and he stared at her with wide eyes. He feared for his life in that moment. Emily was no shrinking violet and she could easily kick him in the balls and leave him whimpering like a baby. For a tense moment, he watched her. Her chest was heaving as she sucked in huge gulps of air. He had been turned on already, but, the sight of her swollen, red lips and disheveled hair made him even more so.
Without saying a word, Emily pushed him back, but not forcefully. Once she had a few feet of space, she seemed to breath better and she wasted no time smoothing her hands over her hair.
David was confused. He had expected her to be mad. Then again, she had been a willing participant in their impromptu kiss. Finally getting herself together, Emily said, “I’m sorry.”
“For that?” He asked in a breathy voice that made Emily tilt her head.
“For accusing you.” Taking a deep breath, David smoothed down his own shirt and attempted to get his libido under control. There was no way he was going to be able to walk onto set like that. Knowing he couldn’t do it with her standing there, he took a few more steps away from her and attempted to look for his shoes. Once he found them, he sat down on the sofa will a loud sigh.
“I’d have accused me too, if I were you.” Like a magic wand, the kiss had wiped away all his anger and resentment. She didn’t say anything to that, but, she didn’t have to. Like the characters they portrayed, the majority of the interactions consisted of meaningful glances and unspoken apologies.
“I should go.” She said in a whispered tone, but before she could make it to the door, David spoke.
“So...I just kissed someone. Do I still get a date with you?” When Emily turned to face him, she saw the wicked smirk spread across his lips and rolled her eyes.
“Don’t let it happen again.” She teased right back, but, there was a bit of a warning in her tone...that he didn’t dare miss.
February 2011
Nothing travels around a Hollywood set faster than gossip. When you spend 18 hours a day with the same people, you end up being in every one's business, whether you want to be or not.
Emily hated gossip. But, due to her nosey nature, she found herself a part of it from time to time. Everyone on set was talking about David. It was impossible for Emily not to notice. Her friends tried to be cautious about it and make sure she was at least out of ear shot before they started talking, but the others, weren’t nearly as considerate. “I’m pretty sure David is screwing the new girl, she’s been in his trailer all week.” “Craig said he saw them leave set together two nights ago.” “I think she’s single.”
Booth had a new love interest on the show that was not Brennan. Emily had been weary about the storyline since she was first told about it. She was even wearier of the young, gorgeous, model like actress they had cast to play his lover. Her name was Katheryn. She had instantly clicked with David.
Emily would never tell a soul, but, the chemistry Katheryn and David shared drove her crazy. She had never been an overly jealous person before. It wasn’t in her nature to feel spiteful towards anyone. But, she couldn’t help but feel unhinged whenever the three of them had to shoot scenes together.
Lately, the scenes she had with David had been few and far between. It infuriated her. They were partners, on screen and off...and a part of her resented the fact that she was slowly being replaced.
Leaving the sound stage, Emily waived off the driver who had offered to take her back to her trailer. The walk would do her good, and she needed the time to think.
David’s behavior didn’t make any sense to her. She knew he was pre-occupied with his impending sexual harassment hearing and divorce. She didn’t take it personally when his moods took a turn for the worst.
They normally talked every single day. Even when they weren’t filming together, he would seek her out. But, ever since Katheryn appeared on set...Emily felt like he had been less and less interested in spending any time with her at all.
Had he given up on his plan already? Had the bitter thoughts in her head been right? Was David really incapable of change? In her confusion, it was easier to assume the worst of David. Believing he would give up on her was so much easier than hoping that he would change. Even with those thoughts, the idea that he was sleeping with Katheryn hurt her in ways she had never remembered hurting before.
David’s past had been no secret. Emily had known about his reckless behavior all along. She would never forget the executive meeting she had been called in to right after she accepted the part. The network wanted to prepare her. They wanted to protect her. Most of all, they wanted to ensure David’s behavior wouldn’t interfere with the start up of the show. While his actions hadn’t been a secret, and she had accepted them for what they were, she couldn’t deny that it hurt.
Falling for her co-star was unplanned and unexpected. She had never meant to fall for him. Even if he wasn’t married, he was a free spirit, a wild boy, she knew better than anyone that you couldn’t tame a wild soul. So....why was she even going along with David’s sudden reformation? Why was she encouraging him to become a better man if....he couldn’t? And....why was she letting herself hope....when she knew it would only lead to disappointment?
Emily was so lost in her thoughts that she arrived in front of her trailer without even realizing it. Stopping in her tracks, she shook her head and glanced at David’s trailer that sat right beside hers.
Due to the rumor mill, she knew Katheryn was in there. Her mind wandered without her consent, to all of the things that could be going on. Was he kissing her? Was he hugging her? Were they.....having sex? Her stomach plummeted at the thought. Maybe he realized that going out on one date with Emily wasn’t worth giving up his sex life.
For a second, she thought about going into her trailer. But then, she could hear deep chuckles coming from David’s, and anger coursed through her. Clinching her jaw, she made up her mind and practically stomped to his trailer.
She had to knock three times before she heard the laughter cease. Emily tapped an impatient foot as mumbled words were exchanged on the other side of the door. After what seemed like an eternity, David opened the door. He had been expecting a production assistant or crew member, and finding out it was Emily surprised him. “Emily!” He exclaimed.
There was an emotion hidden in his cloudy brown eyes that she could not place. Fear? Guilt? Her mind threw a number of possibilities at her and she had to literally shake her head to get the thoughts away. “Do you need something?” He asked in concern, and she realized she had stood there in complete silence for far too long. The unknown emotion had vanished from his eyes and was replaced by confusion.
“No...I don’t need anything.” Emily finally managed to say. Before she could say anything else, a well manicured hand squeezed David’s shoulder and then Katheryn appeared behind him.
Emily got along fine with the woman. There weren’t many people on set Emily didn’t get along with. But, in that moment, she felt anything but friendly. “I’ve been called to set.” The woman let out in a silky tone. She spoke with a refined draw that often left people mesmerized.
“Okay, we’ll talk later.” David responded. His eyes left Emily to regard Katheryn warmly. For a second, Emily thought he was going to lean in and kiss Katheryn and her heart clinched tightly in her chest. He didn’t kiss her though, instead, he patted her on the shoulder. Emily moved so that the woman could get by and without even waiting to be invited in, she pushed her way into the trailer.
Emily could feel David’s eyes on her as she looked around the room, taking everything in. There were empty dishes on the table and scripts scattered all over the sofa, but, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Emily had no idea what she was expecting to find.
Glancing at David, she took in his appearance and he arched his brow. His shirt, which he had no doubt been in all day was a bit wrinkly and his shoes had been kicked off. He certainly didn’t look like he had just been caught in the act.
David finally broke the silence. “Are you okay?” His words were slow and drawn out, like he would speak to a child. He intention was to tease her, and his face broke out into a grin before he realized she wasn’t in a teasing mood. Letting his smile fall, he sent her a confused look. “Did something happen on set?”
Emily shook her head no, but he wasn’t sure she had actually heard his words. She was well aware of David eyeing up her manicured feet as she kicked off her dark heels, but didn’t call him out on it. She would never admit to anyone that he was the soul reason she had been keeping her toes so perfectly polished.
Doubt was still swirling around her mind like a tornado of emotion. Without even realizing it, she had started pacing the room. She didn’t stop until he called her name in a concerned tone.
Emily’s back was turned towards him, she heard his socked feet padding towards her. Before he could get close, she turned around rather haphazardly and blurted out the one question that had been on her mind all day long. “Are you sleeping with her?” Though she worded it as a question, there was no mistaking the accusation in her tone.
At her words, David stopped abruptly and appeared to be too stunned to form words. Even without words, the room suddenly became tense, like there was a dark storm over head. His brown eyes had turned dark...like a night sky and she watched as a series of emotions played within them.
Swallowing hard, she continued, “everyone is whispering about it. They’re not at all discreet. They’ve seen you leaving together.” David’s eyes weren’t focused on hers. They were roaming up and down her body with a look of utter distaste. Clinching his jaw, he seemed to grind his teeth before relaxing only the slightest bit.
Emily stood her ground, refusing to take her eyes off of his. She had come for an answer, and she wasn’t going to leave until she got one. “Well, it seems you already have your answer, so why even bother asking me at all?” His voice was a harsh, snide tone she wasn’t used to hearing directed at her.
“Because I think I deserve to hear an answer from you, not from the crew members.” Emily crossed her arms and pretended as if she wasn’t hanging on his every word. She was desperately afraid of what his answer would be.
Letting out a noise of disgust, David threw his hands up in the air and turned away from her. “I can’t believe this.” Running his hands roughly through his hair, he uttered a string of curses before turning back to her and glaring in her direction. “I can’t believe you of all people would pay any attention to what anybody says.”
“So it’s not true then?” His eyes widened at her words, and the last of his patience had worn thin. Something inside of him snapped and before he knew it, hateful words were spewing out of his mouth.
“No. You know what? It is true. Yeah, I fucked her. I’ve been fucking her since the day she started. I just fucked her right now, before you got here.”
Emily took his verbal assault without interrupting. “I’m an asshole. I’m messed up in the head so I figured, I might as well get some while she is ready and willing because I sure as hell am not getting any from you!”
His words lacked conviction. In fact, by the end, his words sounded almost robotic...as if it was a tired script he was reciting from. Even though Emily didn’t believe a word he said, she couldn’t help the wetness that started pooling in her eyes.
Most of the time, David used his ego and his sense of humor to build a strong and confident shell around him. But, on rare instances like this one, she could see very clearly to the man underneath, and the man she saw was anything but confident.
“David....” She wasn’t sure what she was going to say. A part of her wanted to apologize, but the other part, didn’t. With his history and his track record, why was it so wrong to assume the rumors were true?
“No.” He spat, and his eyes were on fire with rage. “I don’t want to hear it. It’s been seven months, Emily! I’m past the half way point and yet, that still isn’t enough for you to give me even an inch of trust?” He was practically screaming at her, and she winced, but didn’t back away. “Why am I even bothering? It’s obvious you have no faith in me anyway. You’ve been doubting me all along.”
His accusation felt like a slap in the face. It was far from the truth, and she refused to let him get away with that. “I’ve done nothing but support you! You can’t blame me for being weary, David. I know this is hard for you....I know it’s easy to slip up.”
“Slip up?” He barked in a disgusted tone. “You make me sound like a drug addict!”
“Your destructive behavior is like being an addict, your therapist told you that in the very beginning!”
Shaking his head wildly, David clinched and unclinched his fists and then without warning, he bridged the gap between them. In a movement of pure reaction, she backed up until she backed right into the wall of the trailer. Her back hit it with a dull thud. Even though he wasn’t that much taller than her, he hovered over her and it seemed as though he was towering over her.
“You know what I think?” His voice was still angry, but had lost most of it’s harshness. David stared at her now so intensely that she felt like he could see through her. “I think you’re scared.” He let those words sink in before continuing. “I think you want me to fail because you’re afraid of what will happen if I succeed.”
“That’s ridiculous.” She responded, but, couldn’t muster a tone louder than a whisper.
David smirked sadistically. “Is it? You know that once I succeed, you’ll have no excuse not to go out with me. That scares you.” He was still staring at her, but, Emily watched as his eyes moved to her rosy mouth and her heart started to speed out of control.
David moved his hand so that it was resting up on the wall above her shoulder and she was trapped, like a caged animal. “What are you so scared of?” As he spoke, his head was inching closer and closer to hers until she could feel his hot breath on her face. If he kept going, their mouths would collide. A panicked thought went through Emily’s mind and she knew she should stop him, but, she didn’t....and seconds later, his lips were on hers.
What started off slow and gentle, soon became hot and intense as his tongue parted her moist lips and slipped into her mouth. Without even meaning to, her own tongue met his and all at once his hands were roaming over her body.
Aside from their acting, there had only been one other time that they had indulged in such a thing, but, they did not fumble. Their bodies instinctively knew what to do.
David’s hands moved to her ass and was about to lift her up when a beeping noise sounded through the trailer and a crackling voice came out of the intercom. “David, you’re needed on set.”
The noise was like a burst of cold water. His hands flew away from her like she had burned him and he stared at her with wide eyes. He feared for his life in that moment. Emily was no shrinking violet and she could easily kick him in the balls and leave him whimpering like a baby. For a tense moment, he watched her. Her chest was heaving as she sucked in huge gulps of air. He had been turned on already, but, the sight of her swollen, red lips and disheveled hair made him even more so.
Without saying a word, Emily pushed him back, but not forcefully. Once she had a few feet of space, she seemed to breath better and she wasted no time smoothing her hands over her hair.
David was confused. He had expected her to be mad. Then again, she had been a willing participant in their impromptu kiss. Finally getting herself together, Emily said, “I’m sorry.”
“For that?” He asked in a breathy voice that made Emily tilt her head.
“For accusing you.” Taking a deep breath, David smoothed down his own shirt and attempted to get his libido under control. There was no way he was going to be able to walk onto set like that. Knowing he couldn’t do it with her standing there, he took a few more steps away from her and attempted to look for his shoes. Once he found them, he sat down on the sofa will a loud sigh.
“I’d have accused me too, if I were you.” Like a magic wand, the kiss had wiped away all his anger and resentment. She didn’t say anything to that, but, she didn’t have to. Like the characters they portrayed, the majority of the interactions consisted of meaningful glances and unspoken apologies.
“I should go.” She said in a whispered tone, but before she could make it to the door, David spoke.
“So...I just kissed someone. Do I still get a date with you?” When Emily turned to face him, she saw the wicked smirk spread across his lips and rolled her eyes.
“Don’t let it happen again.” She teased right back, but, there was a bit of a warning in her tone...that he didn’t dare miss.