Chapter 13: Screen Test

Adrienne and I had a quiet morning together. She fixed a nice breakfast and served it to me in bed, then I took her to the bath and gently bathed her bruises from the spanking I’d given her. We made love again, fresh from the bath and dressed for our day at the studio.

We’d also taken time to look at the slides of her and I chose one I thought would make an excellent print. Since I was going to see Fran again, I chose one of the slides of her for a print. Adrienne once again called upon Samuel and told him she wanted three prints in large format of each slide. Well, when I got home, I’d make a print of it myself and see if it compared to the job “pros” did in Los Angeles.

Chrystal and the limousine picked us up at a little before noon, so we had time for a light lunch before we got to the studio. I told Chrystal that I thought it was cool that Adrienne could just make a phone call and get my slides processed and a color print ordered for delivery later in the day. Chrystal looked at me as if I was crazy.

“You do know that’s what I’m for, don’t you?” she said. “I mean if you want to use your personal assistant for menial tasks, that’s your privilege, but basically anything you need while you are working for the company, it’s my responsibility to provide. Adrienne, will you please forward the bills for that kind of service to me? And for any meals you are ordering in. Or restaurant tabs you have. I don’t want to infringe on your relationship and the work you do, but when Nate is in town on company business, the company is responsible for his expenses. Okay?”

“Yes, Chrystal. I will have all expenses forwarded to you. It isn’t a problem,” Adrienne said.

This day, Adrienne wore another midriff exposing tight top with a black leather miniskirt and a jewel encrusted bolero jacket. I’d gone to the closet to get my shirt this morning and discovered all my shirts and the rest of my clothes had been professionally laundered and pressed. Adrienne had dressed me in a black shirt and tie, black suit, and my fedora. I felt kind of gangsterish when she slid my shades on my face.

“Oh, and of course, we’ll write you a check for housing Nate. We expected to have him stay at the Beverly Wilshire, so I hope $100 per night will be satisfactory,” Chrystal said.

“Since you are doing this to assuage the company’s conscience, I’ll accept whatever you’ve indicated. I was selfish to want him in my home. Nate, if you want to move to a luxury hotel instead of my apartment, I’ll certainly let you go,” Adrienne said.

“Where,” I asked, “would I ever find the luxurious amenities that you have provided? There are some things that can never be replaced.”

Adrienne leaned against me and I put an arm around her. We arrived at the studio a few minutes later.

Our script meeting had taken place in the company’s office in a non-descript building. I wasn’t even sure how good the part of town was where we worked. The screen tests, however, were held at an actual production studio with a sound stage and all the professional equipment that could be desired. I was impressed that the screen test was being shot with two cameras and a professional sound tech was handling microphones and recording. Lighting techs were focusing on the area where the filming would take place.

The whole thing was bigger than my studio by about four times, and the ceiling was at least twenty feet high, giving plenty of room for lights that were hung all over the place. In this space, a setting of sorts was prepared. It looked mostly like a photographer’s studio. A light blue backdrop was pulled down and a stool was positioned on it for a portrait setting. Pretty standard, though the stool was a little high.

I wandered around the soundstage a little while people were getting set up and saw a few props, either left over from some other production, or awaiting something that was moving in. The whole place was pretty cool and Adrienne stayed close beside me. I knew they wanted me to simulate an Attic Allure photo session with Fran later, so I grabbed a feather boa from the props I saw and handed it to Adrienne.

“Is this where I’m supposed to be for a screen test for a movie called Over Exposure?” I heard a voice from over near the entrance. I turned and saw Fran standing there looking slightly bewildered. I started toward the door and was beaten there by Reginald, the director, and Dave, the PA.

“This is the right place,” Reg said. “If you’d accompany Dave over to the desk there, he’ll take care of cross-checking your resume with you and having the releases signed.”

Dave took charge of Fran immediately and I didn’t have a chance to even say hello.

“Nate, if you’d come over here, we’d like your help. Of course, we don’t expect you to be a professional actor, but just act naturally as you would in your studio. You brought your camera? Good.”

“We went over this scene in the office yesterday,” Bert said. “You made some corrections and we incorporated them into the side that you’ll be using. Anything you need to make the scene more realistic?”

“Would you have a tripod around I could use?” I didn’t bring one on the airplane.

“We have all kinds of things like that.”

Reg flagged down a worker and he ran off, to return a minute later with a tripod that I could attach the Hasselblad to. I loaded the camera and attached it to the tripod, then set it where I thought it would be for the portrait. The film cameramen adjusted their positions accordingly, and I took some light meter readings.

“Good morning, Fran. Welcome to your screen test for the upcoming blockbuster, Over Exposure. We’re going to run cameras throughout this test, so just forget about them and be as natural as possible,” Reg said.

“Okay,” Fran squeaked. I hoped she got her voice under control quickly.

“I’m going to have you start by just standing here while we get things focused and ready, and I ask you a few questions. Clapboard please!”

Dave jumped in front of Fran and read out the details.

“Over Exposure. Screen Test: Fran Carter. Director, Lombardi. Roll 2. May 13, 1970.” He slapped the gate on the clapboard.

“Tell me a little about yourself, Fran. Start with your name. This is just so we can adjust sound levels,” Reg said. He really had a nice way with getting an actress comfortable. I could see Fran relax.

“I’m Fran Carter, from Chicago, Illinois. I completed my BFA in acting from the Goodman School of Drama. I’m twenty-three years old. I’ve done several television commercials and have appeared in many stage plays.”

“Good. That’s a great set of credentials. Did you ever work with Mort Anderson at Goodman?”

“Oh, yes. Dr. Mort directed me in All’s Well That Ends Well,” Fran said. “Do you know him?”

“We go back a long time. Now, Fran, we have a little speech from the script we’d like you to read. We’ll do it a couple of times, so read it through and then we’ll just run one cold.” He waited while Fran read through the short speech. She looked up. “And action!” Reg called.

I was impressed. Fran kept the script down away from her face and only seemed to glance at it a couple of times.

“You’re a quick study, Fran. Now let me give you some context. In this scene, you’re confronting your husband. He’s a photographer and quite a playboy, but he thinks he’s been very discreet and no one knows how many women he’s slept with. Let’s put a little edge and bite into this next reading.”

Fran nodded and read through the script again before tossing it aside on the stool. When Reg called “Action,” she launched into the little speech like a completely different woman. She sounded like she was about to divorce the cad. When she finished, there was a smattering of applause.

“Cut! Are you up for a little improvisation, Fran?” Reg asked.

“Okay.”

“Set us up for a photo session, Dave,” Reg called. “Nate, can you join us?”

“Sure.” I walked into the light area.

“Fran, I believe you’ve met Nate.”

“Yes. We had a great little trip out here together. Hi, Nate.”

“Since you’ve had some experience with it, we’re going to have you re-enact the scene from the airplane as if you were doing it in a studio instead of on an airplane. So, in this scene, you’re just a young woman who has come to this photographer because you’ve heard he does special work and you want a racy photo to send to your boyfriend back in Chicago. Nate will talk to you just as if you were his client and he’s actually going to take some pictures while we’re at it.”

“Okay,” she said.

“Slate it.” Dave clapped the board and Reg called, “Action!”

I led Fran to the stool and just started talking like I normally would.

“It’s nice to see you, Fran. Welcome to the studio. I understand you’d like something sexy to send to your boyfriend.”

“Yes. I don’t want him to forget me while I’m working out here. You know how short boys’ memories are,” she said.

“I guess we all suffer from that when in the presence of a beautiful girl. Let’s start with a simple portrait. The stool’s a little high, so let me help you up.”

I lifted Fran by her waist as she hopped up on the stool. Then I spent a minute smoothing her clothes out and positioning her face. Mostly, I was just touching her to get her used to my hands.

“You’ve got a very nice smile,” I said. “Let’s see you light up the room with it.” I stepped behind the camera and focused as Fran smiled broadly.

“Like this?”

“Beautiful. Now give me something more seductive. That look you give him when he comes into the bedroom and you’re waiting for him.”

Fran reacted well and dropped a shoulder as she melted the film with her look.

“Hold it right there,” I said approaching her again. “This is a great look, but let’s drop the jacket down off this shoulder. Yes. That’s good.” I took the picture and went to take her jacket completely. “Now we’ll get into some really sexy poses,” I said. I unbuttoned her top button.

“Are you going to undress me, Nate?” she asked, fixing me with her piercing eyes. When I took her picture on the plane, she’d been drinking and was just a little glassy. This afternoon, she was sharp and clear.

“Would you mind?” I asked.

“Well, I do want sexy pictures, so I guess it’s okay to loosen up my clothes a little.”

“Let’s focus on how you’ll greet him when you see him again. Moisten those lips. Yes. Hold it.”

I took a picture and then went back to her on the stool.

“We’ll open the blouse a little so the camera can see the beautiful curve of your breast,” I said as I opened it and brushed my hands across her breasts. She was once again braless, the firmness of her implanted breasts requiring no support.

“Do a lot of women come to you for sexy photos, Nate?” she asked.

“Quite a number, yes,” I answered. “They know I’ll be discreet and the photos are just between the two of us.”

“That’s good. I mean, if it’s just the two of us, then I guess it’s okay.”

I opened her blouse and exposed the curve of her breast without quite showing the nipple, then I returned to the camera. She was looking delicious. I took a picture and then turned to Adrienne. She handed me the boa.

“I need a little prop for you,” I said as I brought the feather boa to her.

“Oh, that’s pretty,” Fran said.

“The secret of a sexy photo is to tease, not just to expose,” I said. “The glimpses the camera sees of you should look accidental.”

I looped the boa around her neck with the ends hanging down over her breasts, and then pulled her blouse down and off her arms.

“I’m topless,” Fran breathed. “But I’m still kind of covered.”

“Now tease a little with the end of the boa. Toward the camera here.” I took two pictures. When she moved the end of the boa, her right nipple peeked out from behind it. It gave me another idea.

“In this next shot, it’s you we’re teasing,” I said. I ran my hand under the boa to cup her breast and tease the nipple.

“Is this for the photo?” Fran asked innocently.

“Yes, honey. You want to show your hard little nipple to your boyfriend, don’t you? You want him to think of touching it and kissing it and sucking on it. It needs to be hard for him.”

Her nipple was certainly hard and I pushed that end of the boa off her breast so it was exposed.

“I see. Yes. You made it very hard. I really want my boyfriend to suck on my nipple.”

“Now just use the other end of the boa to tickle it a little,” I said. She got the idea right away and the look of invitation she gave the camera was superb.

I went back to her and pulled her blouse on over her arms and shoulders.

“I think we got just what we wanted,” I said as I caressed her breasts and then pulled the boa away.

“I think I want more,” she said. “You don’t need to dress me. I’ll take all my clothes off for you. You could ... have me ... right here.”

“Oh, Fran. I might not have told you. I never fuck in the studio.”

I kissed her and Reg yelled, “Cut!”

I buttoned up Fran’s blouse and smiled at her.

“Are you going to do that in the movie?” she asked. “Because we really need to rethink the whole not fucking in the studio thing. Can we go somewhere else?”

“Remember your goal, Fran. You came here to get a movie part. Pay attention to your director.”

By the time I got Fran fully dressed, there was a heavy consultation going on with Bert, Reg, Frank, and surprisingly, Adrienne. I made sure Fran was properly covered and got her jacket back on.

“We need to see the rushes,” Reg insisted. “With that as a criteria, I agree. She’s perfect.”

“But not Nate,” Adrienne insisted.

“Yes, ma’am. No one else sees the test,” Frank said.

What the hell? I mean, I was glad Adrienne was coming to bat for me and insisting that I wasn’t an actor in the movie, but I wasn’t sure why the sudden deference from the producer to my mistress. She looked like she towered over him and the whole crew was in awe of her. Well, I was still a little in awe of her.

“Who is that?” Fran whispered.

“That’s my mistress,” I said.

“Wow! I guess I should learn my place. I’ll still be available, though. Like, if you want a little extra.”

“You’ve already done everything necessary to get this part. There’s no payment required.”

“Okay. Thank you, Nate.”

“Fran,” Reg said, coming up to us. “Pending viewing the rush, I think we have a part for you. Your readings and your improv were spectacular.”

“It was easy with Nate to work with.”

“We all agree with that, but Nate won’t be in the movie. It might require more serious effort in your acting with an actor who doesn’t have all Nate’s attributes. He brings out the best in all of us. Now, if you’d go with Dave over there, he’ll go over the schedule for tomorrow. I’m sure you’ll want to see the rushes with us. Dave will set everything up. I expect we’ll start filming June 1. That’s our schedule.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lombardi. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She smiled her megawatt smile and left with Dave to make arrangements.

“Well, Nate, shall we just buy you tickets on airplanes so you can scout out new talent all the time?” Frank asked. “If she comes off as well on celluloid as in person, we’ll have a new star.”

“I’m going to beef up the part for her,” Bert said. “It will still just be a supporting role, but it will show her off. She’ll be a star.”

“Let’s plan on dinner tomorrow night,” Reg said. “We’ll officially welcome her to the show. I think I know the right guy now for the role of Joe. Lyle Patterson will complement her well. This just makes things gel. And Jayden Fisher. Let’s contact her agent and offer the part of Myrna, the mother. Bring in Lorna Love to play Sally Jane. She still has the Lolita look. Catch her before she gets her boobs done.”

I just stood back and watched. Apparently, Fran was a missing piece that made all the others fall into place. Adrienne and I found Chrystal and left while the rest of the crew started talking about going out for drinks to celebrate. It wasn’t even three o’clock yet.

Chrystal took us to our limo and gave the driver instructions. She told us she’d pick us up at ten in the morning for rushes. Then she waved and left us in the limo.

“Chrystal isn’t coming with us?” I said.

“She agreed that it would be a good night for me to show you Hollywood,” Adrienne giggled. “So that’s where we’re going first. Then dinner, and then a very special movie. Finally, to our room, where I will worship every inch of your body with mine. Will that suit your tastes this evening?”

“Oh, that will suit me very well.”

“I could call and ask Fran to visit us if you prefer,” she said coyly.

“Don’t be silly, pet. How could I prefer Fran to what is in my arms right now?”

Adrienne shifted around in the back of the big car so she was lying back across my lap and I could kiss her and fondle her. It was so easy to slide my hand up under the crop top to play with her breasts. We made out until the limo came to a stop. Then we scrambled around and were presentable when the driver tapped on the door and then opened it slowly.

When Adrienne stepped out of the car, and took my hand, I turned to see a remarkable building. It was all lit up and had three domes over sparkling white pillars.

“This is the Griffith Observatory,” she said. “It’s a beautiful building from the 1930s and if you’d like to go inside, we can. The real reason I brought you here, though, is the other direction.”

I turned around and saw the famous HOLLYWOOD sign on the other side of a canyon.

“Unless you want to change into hiking clothes and sturdy shoes, this is as close as we’ll get. But we can take pictures of the sign if you want to really show people you were in Hollywood.”

“That’s so cool!” I said. “My little Midwestern heart would love a picture of the sign.” I reached back into the limo and opened the camera case. I debated a moment, but decided that tourist pictures would be best with the Nikon. I’d reloaded it with Kodachrome.

We walked toward a little observation deck and I took a picture of the sign and then got Adrienne to pose so I could take the picture of her with the sign in the background.

“Now give me the camera and you go pose in front of it,” she said.

I wasn’t used to that, but figured ‘Why not?’ She focused the camera and shot a picture, then called the driver to take the picture while she posed with me. We got one just standing there, and then I swept her into a kiss and he took another.

We walked around the observatory and she pointed out where the main attractions of Hollywood and Beverly Hills were. She pointed toward where her apartment was located. We walked under the rotunda and looked up at the night sky painted on the ceiling. Then we headed for the limo again.

“Where to next, oh beautiful one?” I asked.

“We have just a bit of shopping to do,” she said. “Chrystal mentioned she had planned to house you at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, so I took the liberty of accepting the offer. We’ll stop to do a little shopping first, though. You’ll need additional clothes tonight.”

“I will?”

“It’s a formal opening for a very limited and exclusive audience,” Adrienne said. The limo pulled up in front of a men’s store called Carroll & Company.

“This is Mr. Hart,” Adrienne announced as soon as we’d walked into the store.

“Mr. Hart! Welcome. We are so pleased to serve you. We have prepared a tuxedo for you and will do any alterations necessary at once. Please, come this way.”

We followed the kind of fussy guy back to a fitting room and Adrienne and I were directed into a dressing room. The room was large enough for a family. There was a service tray with hot coffee and another tray holding various alcoholic beverages.

Adrienne began undressing me, pausing when I was in just my boxers to kiss me and rub my protruding cock.

“You always need to know how a suit will respond with your changes in mood,” she whispered. Then she pulled a nice formal shirt on me and inserted studs and cufflinks.

“Uh ... Adrienne, these cufflinks have my initials on them.”

“Of course, sir. You must have a proper pair of cufflinks.”

She grinned at me and held the trousers for me to step into. This was all ridiculously over the top and I kept expecting Allen Funt to step out and say, “Surprise. You’re on Candid Camera.” Nothing happened. She pulled a tie around my neck and in a few quick moves had a perfect bow. Then came the vest and jacket. She knelt in front of me and had me slip my feet into shiny patent leather shoes. She stood back and looked at me.