In Love with Madden

OUT ON THE BALCONY

The party was held at the Director's house, which had the most beautiful view of the ocean.

Although she had already been at the party for several hours, Everly almost hadn't seen and spoken to Richard, getting dragged off every time she saw a chance to talk to him. She had spent most of the time chatting with her fellow cast-members, and other people she didn't always see on set.

Just as Everly was talking with some people from the marketing department, Richard came up to them with a slight look of distress on his face.

"I'm so sorry, but I need to borrow Everly for a bit," he said, in that swoon-worthy accent of his. "I'm afraid it's a bit of an emergency."

She got up, and together they made a bee-line for the balcony.

"What's wrong?", she asked, concerned, as soon as the door closed behind them. "Is everything alright? Are you okay?"

Richard looked at her for a minute, his face void of any emotion.

Then he started laughing.

A full-on booming laugh, which, Everly thought, was rather endearing. Even giving the circumstances.

"As much as I do love your worrying," he said, "there's really nothing wrong. I just haven't seen you all night, and I was afraid I wouldn't get to talk to you at all, if I didn't do something about it."

"Richard! ", Everly said accusingly, playfully hitting him on his arm. She hoped that the dim lighting from the moon would at least somewhat hide her blush. She was secretly thrilled that he had seeked her out like this, but like hell if she would ever tell him that. "But what about your expression back there? You seemed pretty stressed out!"

"Well," Richard drawled, stretching the word out. "I am an actor, aren't I? What good is it, if I can't even use my skill to steal beautiful ladies away from boring conversations?"

He smirked at her.

Everly just shook her head, trying very hard not to let the compliment get to her head, and really hoped that the people she spoke with previously, wasn't waiting for her. She didn't really feel like getting back to them in a long time.

***

They stayed out on the balcony the rest of the night, enjoying the warm summer night, talking and laughing.

Everly learned about Richard's two sisters, the small town, Elderslie, in which he grew up, and his time shooting Game of Thrones, Bodyguard and Rocketman.

Richard learned about her older brother, her early years of acting and some of the weird hobbies she had as a child.

Everly was painfully aware of the fact, that during the time out on the balcony, they seemed to have unconsciously inched closer and closer to each other, until they were almost pressed up against one another.

At 1AM, despite the usually warm weather, it had gotten a bit chilly, and Everly was shivering.

Richard noticed, and said, worried, "Oh no, love."

That just made her shiver again, though this time it wasn't from the cold.

"Do you want to go inside?"

She shook her head. "I like it out here. Can we stay? If it's okay?"

"Of course. But at least take this then," he said, and handed her his jacket.

Underneath he wore a light-blue, button-down shirt, that deliciously hugged his biceps and chest.

Everly had gotten quite a few drinks, and couldn't help staring at the handsome man in front of her's chest.

Richard tugged self-consciously on his shirt. "Yeah..." He scratched his neck. "It's an old shirt, and it's a bit tight."

"I like it on you. You look really handsome!", she blurted out, without meaning to. Damn it! she cursed herself mentally.

She didn't catch his reaction, because to distract herself from her slip-up, she put on his jacket. Immediately she got a whiff of his cologne, and something else, something very distinctly male.

The influence of the alcohol and his intoxicating scent, almost made her knees buckle. 'Almost' being the keyword here, because they luckily didn't, and Everly silently thanked the gods. That would've been really embarrassing.

She had to resist the sudden urge to bring the collar up to her nose and sniff it. She was close to doing it, but wasn't sure how Richard would react, and decided that it was probably best not to weird him out.

At the very end of the night/the very beginning of the morning, Richard hailed a cab for them, and made sure Everly got home safe.

It was only when Everly had dropped herself on her bed, exhausted, that she noticed she was still wearing Richard's jacket. In the privacy of her flat she brought it to her nose, inhaled his scent, and fell asleep, still clutching the jacket.