I Stopped Loving Him When He Let Me Bleed Out novel Chapter 57

Lying on the floor, Sienna knew that Finn only had to move a single inch to touch her.

But he didn't.

His entire body was tightly coiled, tense as a bowstring right before it snaps.

Was he holding back?

Sienna forced herself not to overthink it, repeating in her head over and over that this was just a job.

Actors on television did this all the time. If they could stomach it, so could she.

She closed her eyes and braced herself for his lips to crush against hers.

"Hurry up! What are you waiting for? Kiss her!" the director bellowed.

Finn leaned down.

He was so agonizingly close to her, close enough to see the flawless, delicate texture of her skin.

Close enough that her warm breath brushed softly against his cheek.

He moved one hand from her shoulder to the side of her face, effectively shielding her profile from the lens.

This wasn't in the script; it was his own improvisation.

"I won't touch you," he whispered, his voice so low only she could hear it.

"The camera is on my back. It can't see your face. Just keep your eyes closed and bear with it for a second."

Sienna's heart hammered frantically against her ribs, but her body obeyed instinctively. She squeezed her eyes shut.

She felt his hand gently press against her jaw, guiding her face to turn away slightly.

His armor pressed against her, the heavy weight digging painfully into her ribs.

She didn't push him away, nor did she lean into him.

She simply lay there with her eyes closed, waiting for the torture to end.

"Cut!" Director Cross yelled. "No! It looks incredibly fake! The audience wants unbridled passion, not a couple of wooden logs! Do it again!"

Finn didn't move an inch.

He maintained his position, his hand still acting as a barrier beside Sienna's cheek.

"I said, do it again!"

Finn finally raised his head.

"Director, we are not shooting this scene."

"What did you say?"

"I said, we're done shooting this."

Sienna's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes flew open.

She watched as Finn pushed himself off of her, extending a hand to grasp her arm and pull her gently to her feet.

The moment she was standing, she instinctively took a step back.

A crew member handed her a bronze replica sword.

Sienna gripped the hilt, the cold metal pressing sharply against her palms.

She stepped up to Finn, leaving less than three feet of space between them.

She raised the blade and thrust forward.

The tip stopped dead against his chest, the dull bronze clinking softly against his armor.

Finn glanced down at the blade, then lifted his eyes to look at her.

He didn't dodge. He didn't step back. He simply stood there, willingly letting her strike.

Sienna's heart jolted. She looked up, and before she could brace herself, she crashed straight into his gaze.

The sheer, scorching intensity in his eyes burned her.

Her fingers instinctively went slack.

The sword slipped from her grasp, hitting the floor with a sharp, echoing clatter.

The director didn't yell cut.

He stared at the monitor, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as a heavy silence fell over the set.

Finally, he turned and muttered something to his assistant.

"Save this clip. Do not delete it."