I am so not ready for this.

I knew it was only a two hour, meet and greet rehearsal and then I could escape back into the safety of my car, I knew that. Yet, as I sat inside of Lola, I couldn't seem to gain control of my erratic breathing or shake the feeling that something troublesome would conspire within the theater in that short time.

And all due to the one man residing inside that, for some unknown reason stirred such a level of unease and tension within me that I found it hard to kick him and his alluring blue eyes from my mind.

My fingers drummed against my leather bound steering wheel anxiously. Curiously, I glanced down towards the clock in my car.

2:47

I had to go. I couldn't push this moment off any longer.

"Okay, okay, okay," I mumbled out as I gathered my purse and script in my hands and exited the car on shaking feet. The familiar, antique theater came into sight and I found that the usually very comforting image of the structure only ended up conducting my trembling body with even more trepidation than seconds before.

Annoyance fueled through my veins as I became more and more infuriated with myself for being so nervous for this upcoming interaction. I was making too big a deal of it. I knew that. I knew that and yet it did absolutely nothing to put a stop to the clenching sensation through the pit of my stomach as I entered the theater and walked through the lobby.

"Just... be normal," I whispered out to myself under my breath soothingly as I gripped the door handle leading into the theater.

I used the words and took them in, gaining as much courage as I could manage from them before turning the handle and pushing my way inside.

Yet, before I had the chance to take in the eclectic beauty of the authentic, red, velvet seating or gaze upon the stage I had been dreaming of performing on for years with awe, my eyes were sent immediately to some other beauty in the room.

My jaw slacked and my eyes grew three times in size.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said under my breath.

Standing up on the stage, getting fitted for his costume I assumed, was Kaleb.

And he was conveniently without a shirt.

I tried to stop it, I really did. But my eyes took on a life of their own as they raked down his unbelievably robust, toned torso.

His chest was wide and welcoming with small tuffs of black hairs scattered lightly on his pecks. He stood perfectly straight, staring down at the floor as the costume woman measured the bottom of his pants. His skin was tanned to perfection as muscles rippled across his stomach in exquisite, masculine ridges. He had at least an eight pack. His body looked so powerful...

I also found it impossible to miss how massive his arms were. Not overly huge in the sense that he would crush you but just big enough that he could wrap you up in his arms and you would feel wholly protected in his embrace.

I squinted my eyes as something on his right peck, leading across his shoulder, caught my attention.

He has a tattoo?

Just as my mind began to swell with thoughts of what it could be of, I heard my name being called out.

"Leah! Come join us!"

I ripped my greedy eyes away from Kaleb's captivating form and landed them on the woman who had been so kind to me through this whole process.

Her short, black hair bounced as she waved me eagerly down to join the rest of the cast and crew. Suddenly, feeling very shy with ten or so pair of eyes on me, I bowed my head and scurried down to join everyone else.

It appeared that I was indeed the last one to arrive.

Great start, Lee.

With that thought, I planted myself down in a seat near the front rows that the rest of the cast and crew were sitting in. I directed my attention to the director and far, far away from the man standing on the stage.

"Alright then," The Director from the auditions sighed and stood, placing his foot on the arm rest of a seat and studied us all with introspect. "I'm Dave everyone and please call me just that. Don't try and gain brownie points by calling me Mr. Mulligan. That will only annoy me and make me feel old.

Man, he seems like a hard ass.

"Today should be fairly simple. I'll go over the rehearsal schedule and answer any questions you guys have and then the crew will be released to their chiefs and the four actors will go off with their partners and do some character exercises."

I listened intently as Dave spoke and ran through the schedule for the rehearsal process. It was straight forward and worked seamlessly with Zach's schedule. Rehearsal would be every week day aside from Wednesday from 2-7pm. Compensation would be $100 dollars a week for the entire run of rehearsals until the closing of the show.

I didn't have a job of my own but occasionally the shows that I did paid. It was never anything too much, but over the last two years I had been able to store away a couple thousand dollars in cash and checks in an art box that used to belong to my mother hidden away in my closet.

Zach didn't know about the box just like he didn't know about the money. I wasn't allowed to earn my own money as Zach liked to pay for everything for us, which was sweet. Yet, I liked knowing that if I ever needed money for something Zach didn't approve of, I had my own and it was the one and only secret I had from Zach.

I planned on keeping it that way.

A motion off to the side caught my eye and without thinking, I glanced over to see what it was.

Bad idea.

Kaleb was still trying on shirts, currently shrugging off a light, grey, dress shirt that they had given him to try on. Our eyes met for the most fleeting of seconds, yet the connection stirred enough frustration within me to last a life time.

He was already watching me, waiting for me to peer his way. His wicked eyes sparked in delight once I finally did and he sent one very subtle, mischievous wink my way.

I tore my gaze from his and back onto Dave, who was still talking at the front of the theater and tried to calm my overheating body. I found my cheeks were suddenly flushed, my heartbeat picked up to quite a rapid pace, and overall I was very, for lack of a better word, flustered.

This man had managed to fluster me with a simple wink.

"And if no one has any questions, we can all break off into our groups now." Dave's voice spoke out and forced my attention back on him and thankfully away from my irritating thoughts about Kaleb.

No one voiced any questions and Dave nodded and clapped his hands together.

"Alright! Crew, head off to your respective locations and actors, stay put."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat as five or so people got up around me and shuffled their way out of the row of chairs and dispersed in their own directions of the theater.

"Kaleb, if you're done you can come down here and join us," Dave said as he motioned for Kaleb, who was thankfully putting his own shirt back on again.

I kept my eyes down as he hopped off of the stage, hoping and praying silently that he would sit in the row with the other actors in it.

Please don't sit by me. Please don't sit by me.

"This seat isn't taken is it?"

The moment his deep voice hit my ears, I wanted to crawl into myself and cry out in frustration. Biting the bullet, I briefly shook my head, never once looking up into his eyes that I just knew were already watching me.

I felt the seat next to me shift as Kaleb sat down, the sheer size of his body dwarfing the theater chair. I was overly aware of his entire presence as he got comfortable next to me. I was aware of every breath he took, I was aware of when he laid his back into the chair to get more relaxed.

And I was extremely aware of when he threw his arm around the back of my chair as nonchalantly as possible.

The hair on the back of my neck prickled and my entire body stilled. The warm brush of his forearm against my shoulders was all too much as I found it very difficult to focus on anything other than his hot skin pressing against mine without my permission.

My mind was pumping overtime as I willed my body to stay calm and to move away as habitually as possible.

Slowly, or what I hoped came across as slowly, I lifted myself up out of the seat, shifting all of my weight so that I was leaning forward, resting my arms on the seat in front of me. I had effectively removed all contact from Kaleb and breathed in a soft sigh of relief.

"Okay, so I think the goal to this play being a success is making sure that you four are all so in-sync with each other that you can finish each other's thoughts. I need the chemistry between you four to be on fire. There needs to be tension. There needs to be passion. And in order to start to developing chemistry, I believe the best way to accomplish that is to get to know your acting partner better."

Even though I was nodding along, my head was swarming with caution as his intentions were beginning to become a bit more precise.

"I want you and another actor to head off into different sections of the theater and do some delving into each other's lives and find out things about each other. Ask the hard questions and find ways to relate those answers and traits to their character. Once you're done and you feel you've learned all that you can learn and have a solid start of friendship brewing, you may leave."

Please don't say it.

"Jackson and Meg feel free to go wherever and Kaleb and Leah, same goes for you two."

And with that, Dave walked off, leaving Kaleb and I alone. I hadn't even paid attention as to see who the actors chosen for Larry and Anna were. I was far too engrossed within my spiraling thoughts of being stuck alone in the same room with the man next to me.

My anxiety spiked as Kaleb moved, standing up out of his chair and turning to face me.

"Ready, Peaches?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow, his hand stretched out and waiting for mine. Which I knew was never going to happen. I would never, could never willingly touch this man if it was out of character. My body and mind would never allow such a thing.

So, I opted for awkwardly ignoring his outstretched hand and moving around him. I turned my head slightly over my shoulder just long enough to see Kaleb eyebrows furrow in confusion before he shook his head and moved to catch up with me as I began to walk out of the theater and into the lobby.

As I approached the door to the lobby, I felt Kaleb's body zip in front of mine and reach for the door.

"My lady," Kaleb said with a smug smile as he pulled the door open and held it open for me, gesturing for me to go into the room first.

I'm not your lady.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes and mumbled out a curt 'thank you' to him as I slipped through the lobby doors as quickly as possible.

The lobby was quiet and deserted. My mind instantly became alert to the baroness of the room and the situation that I had just put myself in. Uncertainly ate at my mind as I heard Kaleb's heavy footsteps draw closer to me. I spotted the concessions counter that was used to sell snacks and drinks during the performances and walked towards it.

Kaleb followed.

My feet stopped just next to the counter top. I watched through my peripheral vision as Kaleb walked around me, his large frame taking up most of my vision as he turned his back to the counter top and jumped to sit on top of it.

"You gonna sit?"

Instinctively, I shook my head.

"Come on, peaches," he mused as he patted the spot next to him on the counter. "I won't bite. I swear."

Then, I saw as his eyes lit up with mirth and devious intent. His lips formed into that of a wily smirk as he spoke. "That is, unless you ask me to."

My eyes widened in shock at his blunt statement. "I won't," I replied as innocently and meekly as possible.

Kaleb's eyes dimmed a bit as he looked to the ground, shaking his head slightly. "I don't normally have to ask twice, but I will for you, Peaches. Sit. Please?"

I was momentarily stunned as he turned his stare back to me. His normally playful, confident eyes were appealing into mine with what I could only presume was genuine longing; hope.

Albeit reluctant, I did buckle after a few moments of holding his pleading stare.

I boosted myself up onto the cold counter top, making sure to keep at least a foot of distance away from Kaleb.

"So," he began once I had settled into place. "What do you wanna start with? Anything about me that you've been dying to know?"

Why do you insist on constantly talking to me?

"Not really."

He scoffed. "Nothing? There's nothing at all you wanna know about me?"

"Um... how old are you?"

I looked up into his stare, which had turned incredulous with my simple question.

"Really, Peaches?"

I nodded.

He let out an exacerbated sigh and crossed his arms over his broad chest, his biceps flexing with the movement.

"Fine. 25. You?"

"21."

"Ah," he mused with a smile, his eyes shining with amusement. "So you're still a newbie to the drinking world. I bet you can get pretty wild when you're drunk."

"I've never been drunk," I answered back, steering my gaze towards the floor.

"Never?!" I shook my head.

"Why not?"

Dammit.

"Um... just don't like the taste," I said as slowly as the lie came to me. Curiously, I peered up to see if he bought it.

Our eyes locked onto one another's and his stare swam with uncertainty, digging into my eyes with a peculiar gleam.

He hummed, seeming still somewhat inquisitive before nodding his head and dropping the subject.

"Mkay. My turn," he declared with an arrogant smirk as he kept his eyes on my profile. "Do you have any siblings?"

"No, you?"

"One sister," he answered. "I also believe that just counted as your question which means it's my turn again. What do you do for fun outside of acting?"

Nothing.

"Um..."

I didn't have a backup answer to this question. Nobody had ever bothered to ask me what I enjoyed doing before so I never felt the need to have a lie prepared. "I... do yoga and uh, cook," I said in a low voice, my words chopped and pathetic as they left my mouth.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kaleb cock his head to the side.

"That's it?"

"I read sometimes."

With that answer, Kaleb swung one of his legs over to the other side of the counter so that he was straddling it as he scooted himself closer, now completely facing me. All of his attention was dedicated to me.

"You don't have anything else that you're passionate about? Something that pushes you and drives you?"

My heart constricted painfully in my chest as I thought over his words.

I didn't. I didn't have anything else in this world that drove me or got me as excited or enthused as acting did. I wasn't allowed to have anything else.

I ran my hand over the back of my neck uncomfortably, my lips opening and closing as I tried to think of something, anything to say back.

I came up completely and utterly empty handed.

That realization sent a wave of crushing shame through my veins as I lowered my head, shaking it 'no' to his question.

"That's okay."

My brows dipped and my head raised, my eyes shining in question as they fixed on Kaleb.

"Just means you haven't found your passion yet. Doesn't mean you never will. Just gotta be patient," he said with a smile, a down right, genuine smile that surprised me. My heart ceased up as a brand new emotion for the man sitting across from me accumulated.

Gratefulness.

"What about you?" I asked.

"My passion outside of acting?"

I nodded, keeping my curious stare on his, finally feeling a bit lighter than I had the whole day. Something entered Kaleb's eyes as he thought over the question, something lovely and prideful.

"I paint."

My eyes pinched together at the sides in confusion.

"Paint?"

"Yeah," he nodded, running a hand through his styled, black locks. His eyes drifted to the counter top as he seemed to get lost in the valley of his thoughts. "I paint. I paint whatever comes to mind. Nature, portraits, scenery, any image that I can't get out of my mind, I let it out in the canvas. Anything I'm feeling I just... paint."

The way he was talking about his art stirred an odd excitement inside of me. He was so passionate, so in love with his work and I found that so admirable. I had never heard of anyone talk about something so animatedly before and it was refreshing.

"You really love it," I stated matter of factually.

His eyes snapped back up to mine, something passing through his gaze as he nodded at me. A small smile tugged at his full, pink lips.

"I do."

"That's amazing."

"What is?" he inquired in a soft tone, our stares still glued to each other's.

"That you've found something you love so much, something that inspires you." And I'll be damned if I didn't notice a slight ting of pink form on Kaleb's cheeks at my words.

"Do you have anything I could see?" I asked suddenly, catching Kaleb off guard as the tiniest bit of surprise passed through his eyes.

"On my phone, yeah, I have a few." Kaleb's forehead crinkled as he cracked a disbelieving smile, letting out the shortest of chuckles. "You really wanna see them?"

"Yeah," I said with a nod and a smile. "I really do."

His eyes stayed on mine, dancing with an undecipherable emotion quickly before he reached into the back of his jeans pocket and pulled out his phone.

I watched on in anticipation as he fingered through some things on his phone.

"I've never actually had anybody ask to see my work before. It's kind of intimidating," he admitted sheepishly before handing me over his phone.

Yet, just as he placed the sleek, black phone in my palm, his fingers brushed against my own, causing me to jump and his phone to slip out of my hand.

A resounding crash echoed through the room and terror ripped through me as a memory from months ago seized my mind.

"You fucking idiot!"

Zach's words sliced through the air just as his foot made impact with my stomach. A muffled groan slipped past my lips as the pain radiated through my body, my stomach muscles tensing, preparing for the next blow.

"The fuck is wrong with you, Lee?! You don't know how to operate a fucking phone without dropping it?" Zach screamed over me as I lay on the floor, cradling my legs into me, trying to protect my body as much as feasibly possible.

"You're so goddamn stupid sometimes it baffles me," he growled as he got on the floor with me. I yelped out in pain as he slipped his hand under my head and fisted my hair, tugging my head up closer to his raging face.

"You see this?" he asked as he shoved his newly broken phone in my face. He pushed the broken screen against my cheek, the shattered glass cutting into my bare skin, sparking out intense, slicing pain wherever he moved the phone over my cheek.

"You did this. Now, I have to buy a whole new fucking phone. Tell me you're sorry!"

"I'm sorry," I cried out in a soft whisper, trying not to focus on the tears falling down my cheeks mixing with the blood that was now flowing from the cuts that Zach's phone had given me.