A Place Beyond The Horizon Ch. 06

She pours two glasses and hands one over to Aidan without his asking. Reaching over, she clinks glasses and settles back into her chair.

"You did good today," she observes, "You ever given a thought to it?"

"What? Acting? I wouldn't know where to start."

"Oh, it's not complicated. You just gotta look good, and smile at the right time."

Mara's eyes are twinkling with mirth.

"So there's really nothing to it?"

Mara laughs. "Oh, baby, if only."

She takes a drink, letting her eyes settle on the ocean.

"I started out at eight, got my first break at fourteen. I've been doing this all my life. I've played bimbos and fruitcakes and girlfriends."

Mara pauses, wagging a finger at him.

"I played a season as Lady Macbeth in the West End, in London. That was a lotta fun."

"What's the new film about?"

"A female detective caught up in a drug war. It's a pretty meaty role. I did a few ridealongs with the cops in preparation."

She snorts.

"Beverley Hills, not the Valley. I didn't want to go where I could get fucking killed. I'm method, but I'm not that method."

"Method?"

"Uh, yeah. Like, you read the script, try to inhabit the character. I think you can only bring them to life if you're gonna be prepared to walk a mile in their shoes."

"So you do that for all your roles?"

Mara laughs. "The jilted girlfriend? Yeah, a lot of miles in those shoes. That's less method, more just muscle memory. Bimbos, well, I guess I got treated like a bimbo all my life. I have insight."

"This one doesn't sound like that, playing a cop."

"Yeah," Mara replies, but then stops. She's looking out to sea again, her expression turning solemn.

"Yeah," she repeats, "This is the tricky bit. The valley of death."

"The what?"

"The valley of death. The dip in the career trajectory."

"I don't get it."

Mara takes a mouthful of wine and for a moment Aidan thinks that's the end of the conversation.

"It's like this, Aidan. You get discovered, you're, uh, the same age as Pita who we met today, all bounce and bubble, a bright new thing. You wear the bikinis, you do the bedroom scenes, the camera pans across your body. You play the girlfriend in the romcoms, you don't have to act too much because so long as you got the goods, you keep getting booked."

Mara frowns. Reaching out for the bottle, she refills her glass.

"Doesn't last forever. A lotta girls don't see that part and they just drive off the edge of the cliff. You gotta see what's next. Wives, playing breakups, maybe getting roles where you gotta do a lot more. You work harder. It sorts the wheat from the chaff. You gotta know people, have good relationships, work the floor. You also gotta still look good on the carpet. Even then, the valley of death's sitting there in front of you, when you find you're too old to play the bride and too young to play the mother."

Mara replaces the bottle carefully on the table and takes another big sip of wine.

"Yeah," she muses, "That's the tricky part. Yeah. So, I did Macbeth, I did this film. It's an indie title, but they got an interesting script. It's a lower budget, but it's about pushing yourself out of the comfort zone, taking on new things. There's only a few make it across the valley, and I intend to be one of them."

"Is that what this morning was about?" Aidan asks.

"This morning? No. That was just business, plain and simple."

"Business? I thought you were just doing it for fun."

Mara laughs again. "Hell, no. Or, yeah, maybe there was fun but that wasn't the reason for doing it."

Aidan sits up in his chair, his wine forgotten. "So what was it for?"

"Well, that's how all this works. Here."

Mara pulls her phone out of her pocket and hands it over to him. There's a news story on the screen. Aidan reads it, then looks at the picture.

"See?" she says, "Can't keep a secret, any of them."

"Someone posted."

"Sure, yeah."

"You don't seem mad."

"Like I said," Mara shrugged, "Just read the headline. That's all I needed."

"I don't understand. We've been hiding out here for weeks, and now you're in the news feeds, and it doesn't bother you."

"Scroll down. Second picture."

Aidan obliged. The second picture showed her bending over Aidan's table in the back of the scene. Her hip was stuck out, directing the eye down a smooth, toned leg.

"The socials are going nuts that I turned up to play a waitress in a soap. That picture's getting reposted everywhere. My agent loves it, the studio loves it, everyone wins."

Aidan is still looking at the picture. It's true, Mara looks stunning. The shot is taken from an angle, showing her exercise shorts and her long legs, her face clearly visible. She looks gorgeous and trim, showing off her beach-ready body. There is something about the picture that chills him, though.

"I'm in that shot too," he says.

"I guess."

"Uh, you didn't say we were gonna be photographed."

"We were always gonna be photographed."

"You should have told me."

Mara's smile fades. Aidan hands the phone back to her.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"Bit late, if I did."

Mara holds her phone in her hands, looking down at the picture she had engineered so meticulously.

"Look, sorry. I should have thought."

Aidan shrugs. Yes, he thinks, you should. I'm collateral damage to your publicity coup. He can see in her face that she knows that too.

Instead, he says, "Well, it's done now. No harm, no foul."

"Yeah," Mara murmurs, "Kinda goes with the territory. If it helps, you just look like an extra."

"I guess no-one will be looking at me, hey?" Aidan replies, forcing a smile.

Mara smiles back. "Nah, they're all just gonna be looking at my amazing ass."

She leans towards Aidan, raising her glass in a toast.

"To your good work, and its dividends," she announces.

Aidan clinks his glass against hers, and the awkward moment passes. Mara's mood lifts again.

"Music," she bellows, "We need music."

Aidan raises his eyebrows.

"Pool party!" she exclaims, getting up from her seat.

Again, he's struck by the way her moods change, and finds himself carried along by her momentum. She heads inside and begins fiddling with her phone. The speakers come to life, emitting the steady bass thud of a dance track. Mara stalks back over to Aidan.

"Let's go," she says, emptying her wine glass, "Pool!"

Aidan gets to his feet, but hesitates.

"You got anywhere better to be, Aidan?"

She's dancing now, gyrating to the music, picking up the bottle to refill her glass again. He can sense that today was a big day for her, that somehow, unknown to him, there was a plan and it's all worked out. A single picture of her on a news feed has made all the difference.

"I guess not," he replies and Mara steps up close to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Her beautiful face is close, grinning at him.

"Just don't get it, do you?" she laughs.

"No."

"It's pretty simple, Aidan. There are a bunch of fuckers gonna be sitting around the boardroom table tomorrow morning in L.A. looking at that picture, looking at the buzz. Then they're gonna sign the contract. It's just about exposure. They need to know they're buying the right merchandise. You did good. Now get in the water."

Mara pulls her shirt over her head to reveal a bikini top underneath. She shimmies her shorts down her legs and strikes a pose.

"Let's go," she grins, and heads over to the edge of the pool.

Mara sets her glass down on the side and dives into the cool blue water. Aidan bunches his hands in his t-shirt and after a moment of uncertainty, begins to strip himself down to his exercise shorts.

"Come on in!" she calls, splashing.

Aidan follows her to the edge and sets his own glass down next to hers. He stands there, looking down at her. Mara floats on her back in the water, smiling up at him.

"Come on Aidan," she calls, "Don't think about it. Just dive in."

Her smiles widens. Aidan's stomach flutters, but it's not from the drink. He throws himself forward into the water.

Later, they are stretched out on the sun loungers looking up at the sky. The clouds are high and fine, threaded through with orange and pink as the sun sets. On the little table between them is another empty bottle. Aidan closes his eyes for a moment, feeling the buzz of the alcohol and the damp of his shorts against his skin. The music has mellowed into ambient tracks and Mara has fallen silent.

"This is your life," Aidan murmurs.

"Yep."

"It's insane."

"Yep."

"I couldn't live like this," Aidan confesses.

"Sure you could. It's pretty simple, it just takes practice."

"Seems way too complex for me."

Mara folds her arms behind her head, stretching out on the lounger and looking up at the sky.

"Friend of mine said to me that's it's just like running a business, except the product you're selling is you. Ever run a business, Aidan?"

"Yeah."

"What did you do?"

"A fitness gym."

"Ah," Mara responds, "Figures. Lotta hours, though. Right?"

"Yeah."

Aidan is watching the clouds, but he's thinking about Rosa. She feels a long way away.

"So, what happened?"

"I came here."

"No, I mean what happened that meant you're here and not there? Who's running it while you're gone?"

"My wife."

Aidan keeps his voice level. He doesn't want to talk about it, but with the wine and the relaxed music and the sunset, it's just slipped out. Mara pauses.

"Ah, shit," she murmurs, "I get it. Shit, dude, I'm sorry."

"No problem. Me too."

Mara doesn't reply. The music hums along in the background and there's a faint swirl of the breeze coming up from the sea, far below.

"Life is fucking complicated," Mara observes.

"And you, why are you here?" Aidan asks.

"Same, same. More or less. Had to get the fuck out of L.A. and get some space."

"Break up?"

"You really don't know?"

"Nah. Imagine I don't keep up with the showbiz feeds."

"Oh, man, I wish I knew more people like you," Mara chuckles to herself.

"Was it an epic bust up?"

"Really? I kinda guess not. He was looking for something and I couldn't provide it."

Aidan thinks back to the scene at the table in the morning, how Mara's eyes had filled with tears.

"You mean he wanted more from your relationship, but you just couldn't open up?"

Aidan feels pleased with himself at the insight, liking the way that they're talking. It's good to see the woman behind the image, behind the craziness. She shocks him by laughing.

"Oh, fuck no. He wanted co-producer credits on a project I was involved with. It was, uh, more of a transactional relationship."

Aidan suddenly feels stupid, and remains silent. Mara sighs to herself.

"Aidan, I would have loved for it to be about that. Truth is, it's never about that. It's always about something else. Sometimes, it's just about being a notch on someone's fucking belt."

Her tone sours and Aidan looks across at her. Mara's staring up at the clouds, solemn.

"You know how hard is it to meet someone? Then, imagine trying to do that when your face is on billboards. Imagine how you build a real connection in that kind of world."

Mara props herself up on her elbow and reaches for her half-empty glass. She downs the wine in one, her face crumpling.

"Can I ask you something, Aidan? And you have to give me a straight answer."

Aidan nods, looking into clear blue eyes.

"When was the last time you made love?" she asks, "And I mean love, not fucking."

His mind shifts instantly to Rosa, scanning back through the end of their time together, through the bullshit. If that's Mara's point then she's made it well. He recalls Kat's face as they were laid side by side in bed in the hotel: that look.

"A few weeks back. She came up from Melbourne for her friend's wedding."

"What's her name?"

"Kat."

Mara nods. "Kat. Okay, she sounds nice."

She places the glass back on the table and lays down again.

"How about you?" Aidan asks.

He sees Mara's lips turn up in a smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Fucking? Well a few weeks back too. We were fucking quite regularly and then I got on a plane."

"What about love?"

Mara doesn't answer immediately. Instead, she closes her eyes.

"Years and years and years," she says.

All at once, she sits up, moving so quickly that it catches Aidan by surprise.

"Red carpet," she exclaims, "You need to tell me."

Mara hauls herself to her feet, reeling to one side before correcting her balance. Her face is set, determined.

"Stay there," she tells him, "Or at least, stay down here. I gotta change."

Suddenly, she's in motion, weaving around the side of the pool unsteadily and threading her way back into the house. Aidan watches her disappear up the stairs and reluctantly pulls himself up from the lounger. He picks up the glasses and the bottles and begins to tidy away the empties into the kitchen. The wine has affected him too; after so long without drinking, his alcohol tolerance is way down. He fumbles with the bottles as he puts them into the bin. Mara is gone a while, and he finds himself propped up against the glass balustrade watching the waves crash into the rocks below when he hears movement behind him.

"Eyes closed," Mara orders, "Then turn around."

Obediently, he does as she asks, waiting patiently.

"Okay, open."

He opens his eyes. Mara is standing in front of him in a strapless white silk gown. Her hair is gathered up, leaving her graceful neck and shoulders bare. The dress has a high slit and Mara's standing with one leg forward, emerging through the slit to outline the toned shape of her leg against the silk.

"Whaddya think?"

Aidan blinks, clearing his head. "Wow," he mutters.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. You look fabulous."

She goes up on tiptoes, trimming her shapely calves.

"Imagine with strappy sandals, maybe a four-inch heel. I don't have those yet."

"Even just barefoot, you look amazing."

Aidan looks her up and down. When his eyes lock on hers, he finds a strange emotion flickering across her face. He can tell she's inebriated, but it's more than that. Her eyes are glittering in the dusk.

"It's partially the drape," she says, "But mostly the scaffolding."

Aidan frowns.

"Let me show you what I mean," Mara explains.

She reaches behind her back and Aidan hears a zip. She wiggles her torso, and the dress tumbles down towards her hips, baring her breasts. She smooths the silk over her hips and lets it fall in a sleek, white puddle of material around her ankles. Mara stands there, nude, her eyes locked on his.

"See?" she whispers, "Want to check?"

Without waiting for a response, she approaches him, reaching out to place one hand softly against his chest.

"You know what happens next, yeah?"

She isn't smiling anymore, her blue eyes searching his, earnestly. Aidan remains silent and Mara descends to her knees on the white paving, her hand tracing down his torso until it's resting on the waistband of his shorts.

"You've been in these all day," Mara murmurs as her fingers begin to explore the folds of fabric.

Aidan feels her fingertips brush against the side of his manhood and, despite himself, he begins to stir. Her fingers trace upwards, around him. She knows exactly what she's doing, and Aidan feels his resolve crumbling. He has a beautiful naked woman kneeling in front of him, exploring his body tenderly. When she slides her fingers into the waistband of his shorts and begins to tug downwards, he doesn't resist.

"Ah, that's better," she purrs, sliding his shorts down his legs, stripping him naked too.

Her eyes are locked on his groin and Aidan waits for her hands to reach up and begin to explore his body. The moment she touches the soft skin of his shaft, he feels himself surge to life, stiffening beneath her probing fingertips. Mara looks up at him and smiles seductively.

Aidan watches in disbelief as she leans forward, cupping his balls with one hand before delivering a soft kiss on his firming shaft. The fingers of her other hand encircle his root and as he surged to full erectness, she purses her lips together and blows a steady, warm stream of breath over his tip.

"Remember what you signed," she murmurs, "Remember? You can't kiss and tell, not if you don't want me to own these."

She squeezes his balls gently in emphasis.

"You're not gonna tell, are you?"

Aidan has to clear his throat. His mouth has gone dry. "Uh, no," he grates.

"Good."

"Just, there's one thing," Aidan stammers, "I don't have any protection with me."

Mara leans forward to place a kiss on his tip. It sends shivers of pleasure through his groin.

"Oh, that's okay. There's no risk of getting me pregnant."

Aidan's eyes are fixed on her mouth as she speaks. He watches as she parts her lips and lowers them over the end of his penis. She closes her mouth and sucks gently. Aidan groans in response.

She pulls off the end of his manhood with a popping sound, and says, "You wanna fuck me, Aidan?"

He's mesmerised by her blue eyes. "Yeah," he groans.

Mara stands up, but she doesn't let go of his balls. She presses herself against him. Her face is right in front of his now.

"You been thinking about what nasty things you could do to me?"

Mara smiles predatorially.

"You been so close to me all these weeks. You wanna do something wild?"

She kisses him, her tongue slipping between his lips. At the same time she goes up on her tiptoes, holding his shaft in position with her other hand. When he feels the moist warmth of her descending onto him, it's a surprise. She pushes down, taking him all the way into her, already slick with her own burning desire.

Mara releases her grip and wraps her arms around Aidan's neck, pressing her naked body against his even as she envelopes his manhood within her. She squeezes him, her walls clenching, and it feels amazing.

"There," she purrs, "That's so much better, isn't it? You like that?"

She contracts around him again, and Aidan nods.

"Now, I want you to fucking take me."

Aidan's hands slide down her skin, cupping the orbs of her buttocks in his palms as he supports her body weight and lifts her back onto her tiptoes, raising her up off his manhood. It gives him enough room to move, thrusting upwards into her.

"Yeah," Mara sighs, "That's good. Yeah, however hard you like. You won't break me."

At her encouragement, he starts to drive harder into her, feeling her body respond immediately. Part of him can't believe he's actually inside her, but the other part is taking over now, the instinctive part that just wants to fill her. She can sense it too, making little grunting noises at each thrust. She buries her face in his neck and he can feel the heat of her breath on his skin.

"That feels so fucking good. C'mon, harder."

Aidan lifts her up further, supporting all her weight in his hands, and she wraps her legs around his thighs to brace herself in position. He drives harder into her, until his balls are slapping against her skin with each thrust. He feels her body shift and writhe in his arms. Her teeth nick his earlobe and she breathes into his ear.

"Take me from behind," she rasps.

Aidan drops her back down onto her feet and she uncoils herself from him to grasp the edge of the glass balustrade, bent over with her bottom in the air and her legs apart. Aidan can see the glistening sheen of her swollen labia and positions himself between her legs, his fingers curling around her hips to brace himself before sliding into her again.

"Oh fuck," Mara gasps, "Yeah... just like that. Do it."

From behind, he has better leverage and he begins to pound into her, burying himself to the root inside the beautiful body in front of him. It sends Mara into a paroxysm of pleasure, her groans reaching a crescendo before suddenly contracting around his manhood in powerful, quivering spasms as her orgasm erupts.