Stunt Doubled: A Movie Star Standalone

“They’re Aiden’s adoring fans,” Tanner muttered.

“That’s right, we’re seeing yours next week.”

“Stop,” he said, sounding as mortified as a powerfully built grown man could.

We made it out to ground transportation, where I was expecting we’d rent a car. Instead, Tanner walked right over to a man standing next to a gleaming motorcycle.

The two men talked for a moment. The man handed us each a helmet and left.

Tanner examined the motorcycle, obviously pleased. “It’s a Triumph,” he said, and I assumed that was a brand name. Tanner straightened up after examining something—the motor?—and grinned at me. “Ever ridden bitch before?”

I nodded. I hadn’t done it a lot, but I’d done it enough to know the expression. Tonio’s friend Austin had a motorcycle, though it hadn’t worked in years.

“Is this the kind of motorcycle you do stunts with?” I asked as I put on my jacket, slung my bag across my torso, and put the helmet on.

“No, but it’s the best way to check out the spots we need to. Plus, it’s fast as fuck.” He was as excited as a little kid and I couldn’t help smiling at his enthusiasm.

Tanner seemed to know exactly where he was going as he drove away from the airport and headed south. Soon, we were out on the open road, speeding through a landscape that didn’t seem all that different from the one we’d left this morning.

I enjoyed the view, the fresh air, and the wind whipping at me, but most of all, I enjoyed clinging to Tanner’s broad back. His leather jacket was slippery, but I soon found a way to snake my hands underneath it and wrap my arms around his waist. He definitely didn’t seem to mind.

We drove for at least an hour, but the ride was exhilarating. When we finally stopped, Tanner showed me the first spot on his list and explained the stunt. In his position as stunt double, Tanner would use the motorcycle to escape the clutches of a group of bad men. He’d weave in between them as they tried to ram him on the dirt road. He’d get ahead of them, but then at the last minute they’d catch up—at which point Tanner would drive the motorcycle up an incline and jump over the cars below. Or at least that’s what it would look like in the finished version. “For now, we just need to find the right kind of incline. I read about some places down here, and they had potential.”

I grinned. “Are there special message boards for stuntmen?”

“Of course,” Tanner said. “Why wouldn’t there be?”

By the time we checked out two more places, I was a little tired and a lot hungry.

Tanner seemed to be on the same wavelength. “Are you ready for lunch?”

I made a show of looking around the sandy desert with rocky hills in the distance. “Shall we chow down on that cactus over there?”

“I was thinking Mexican.”

That sounded perfect. “Do you know anyplace around here?”

“I do,” he said, and then he grinned. “Got your passport with you?”

“This is so good,” I moaned for at least the third or fourth time.

“So you’ve said,” Tanner replied. “To me, and to the waiter, and to people passing by on the street…”

I chuckled. “Okay, I may have gone a little overboard, but it’s fun to get the chance to speak Spanish.”

“You sound good speaking it,” Tanner said. “I like the way you roll your R’s, but then I start thinking about your cute pink tongue and suddenly, my mind’s not on language anymore.”

I stuck my tongue out at him, and he laughed. “Yep, my mind’s definitely in the gutter.”

My mind would probably join his there at some point, but for right now, I was just enjoying the meal, the sun on my face, and the fact that we were in Mexico. We ate in silence for a few minutes—the food really was amazing—and then I opened up to Tanner about what I was feeling. I was pretty sure he’d understand. He was the one who’d brought me here. He’d known it was important to me.

“You know, technically, I’ve spent more time in Utah these last few weeks than I have in Mexico my whole life. I was only here for one week when I was a kid. But this feels right to me, in a way that Utah doesn’t. I feel sort of… grounded here, if that makes any sense.”

Tanner nodded. “It does. I like being on the road and shooting at different locations, but I’m always ready by the time I head back to LA. It’s my home base.”

I looked around at the pedestrians who had dark hair and dark eyes like mine. “Somehow, this feels like home. I wish my brother could be here.” I took a sip of my drink and then backtracked. “I mean, I’m very glad I’m here with you. It’s just that a stepbrother isn’t quite the same as a brother. I mean, I’ve known Tonio my whole life…”