Stunt Doubled: A Movie Star Standalone

“I have no fucking clue,” I whispered back.

I thought about it while we sat down and watched Ford and Tanner argue about the temperature of the grill. I’d talked to Aiden earlier and asked him to be a professional and to help a fellow actor out. But I’d never dreamed he’d actually do it, or at least not to this extent. He was an actor, so he knew how to act. But damn, he must be one hell of an amazing actor to convince people he was a nice, friendly guy. This was an Oscar-level performance.

“There’s a nice view back here,” Sierra said to me. Since I’d been checking out how cute Ford and Tanner looked—and since they were facing the grill with their broad backs to me—I initially misunderstood. Then I caught up, scanning my eyes over the backyard. It was a fairly normal yard, though there wasn’t much grass, but the raised hills could be seen in the distance. It was a gorgeous place.

“Yeah, there is.”

And it was currently filled with gorgeous guys. Tanner had on faded blue jeans that were clean but ripped at the knee. They cupped his sweet ass in a way that was very hard to look away from. As Aiden had promised, Tanner was wearing a blue shirt, but it wasn’t a bright blue. More like the blue gray of the sky after a storm. His broad chest and biceps stretched the fabric thin.

I glanced over and saw Sierra watching me look at Tanner. Damn. Busted. But even though I caught her eye, she didn’t say anything. Didn’t smile. Now that the initial shock of Aiden’s transformation was over, she seemed glum, like she was when she told me how poorly the sex scene rehearsal had gone this morning.

Aiden came out onto the deck. He was wearing a black button-down shirt that was open at the neck. The dark color suited him and really played up to the tall, dark, and handsome thing he had going for him. He was somehow juggling five drinks—two glasses of wine and three bottles of beer. I wondered if he’d been one of those actors who’d waited tables before they got their big break. Someday, I really should look him up online, but I hadn’t ever really wanted to until now. Well, not that I wanted to, but I was less opposed to it than before.

Sierra and I thanked him for the wine glasses he set down in front of us, and then he took the beers over to Ford and Tanner. The guys stayed over there as Ford put the steaks on. The way they talked, laughed, and joked with each other reminded me of Tonio and the way he was with his friends. Suddenly, I missed him so much it was a physical ache.

“How do you two like your steak?” Ford turned to us. He was wearing a sage-colored button-down shirt that brought out the green in his eyes. His jeans were dark but his feet were bare, which somehow seemed sexy, and also a little brave given that he was manning the grill and might drop something.

“Medium, please,” Sierra said.

“Me too.”

Ford shot us a disgusted look. “All right, that leaves the rare steak for the real men.”

I exchanged a glance with Sierra. “Is his saying that we’re not real men supposed to be an insult?”

She gave a small smile but didn’t respond. Clearly, she was still upset at either the way the sex scene rehearsal had gone this morning or the thought of the actual filming on Monday. I hoped that as dinner went on, she might relax and feel more comfortable with these guys.

Of course, that all depended on Aiden staying on his best behavior. That seemed like a lot to hope for, but he’d sure surprised me already tonight.

The heavenly scent coming from the grill was almost overwhelming when Ford told us that the steaks would be ready soon. Tanner went into the kitchen to get the rest of the food out, and after a wary look at Sierra, I joined him. Surely Ford could keep Aiden in check if he reverted to his former self? After all, Ford knew how to fight and was holding an eighteen-inch barbecue fork.

When I was in the kitchen, I tossed the dressing into my salad and then set it on the dining room table. Tanner was carrying some rolls, but he stopped as he was passing by me. “He’s not acting, you know.”

“What?”

“Aiden. It’s not an act. This is who he is as much as the grumpy guy is—you’ve just never seen this before.”

I nodded, not entirely sure that I could wrap my head around his words. But I believed he spoke the truth—or at least the truth as he saw it.

We finished getting everything out on the table when Aiden and Ford came in, carrying five plates between them. They plunked them down on the table in no specific order, so we all sat where our steaks were. I ended up sitting next to Tanner. Sierra was across from me, and Aiden and Ford were at either end of the table.