[Chapter 191: Splash]
He vaguely remembered that in his past life, Jennifer Connelly garnered more attention in Hollywood after boldly taking on a daring role in a thriller when she hit adulthood. It came at quite a cost, but it helped her transition from the innocent girl next door to a sultry leading lady, scoring the main role in a Disney flick. Unfortunately, that film flopped, leaving Jennifer Connelly without a single movie offer for the next five years. When she finally reappeared on screen, she carried an air of nostalgia and change.
"Eric?" As Brooke Shields noticed Eric's distraction, she lightly tapped his shoulder. It was quite irritating that he could zone out in front of someone as stunning as herself -- how terribly frustrating.
"Oh, sorry," Eric snapped out of his thoughts and sheepishly replied, "Did you just mention a sci-fi movie that took place in 1930s Los Angeles?"
Brooke Shields' red lips parted in surprise, and seeing her expression made Eric completely certain.
"How did you know that, Eric? This... it should have been confidential, right?"
"Because if I'm not mistaken, that movie is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Dave Stevens. I happened to have read it," Eric shrugged. He had seen the film, but he never laid eyes on Stevens' novel; some truths were best kept under wraps in front of a lady.
"Well, Eric, what do you think about the story being adapted into a movie?" Brooke Shields asked, her cleverness shining through as she seized upon an important question.
"I honestly don't know. The story in the novel is pretty captivating, but it really depends on how Disney decides to adapt it," Eric shook his head without a second thought.
He had no intention of warning her against this film; perhaps she had already signed a contract with Disney. It didn't matter what he said at that point. Moreover, the film had advanced its release by a year, so the storyline would definitely differ from what he had known. Even a change of just one day could keep a writer's creative flow shifting, let alone an entire year. Who knows, the movie in this timeline might catch fire for reasons completely unexpected. If he bluntly advised her against accepting this role and it turned out to be a massive hit, it would be him blocking her path. Ultimately, he'd have to pay for that mistake himself. It was best to remain silent and just observe.
Sipping his wine, Eric was lost in thoughts again. He couldn't help but think of Jennifer Connelly. He wondered where she was now. The taste of her soft red lips was a distant memory he craved to revisit.
"It seems like I should stop interrupting you. Eric, you always seem so lost in thought," Brooke Shields said with mild annoyance, rising to her feet and shooting him a look of reproach before gracefully turning away.
As he watched the curves of her body wrapped in her shimmering silver gown disappear, Eric suddenly imagined her as a mermaid. He envisioned her stripped bare, clad only in a mermaid tail, tossed into a swimming pool. Splash, splash...
How wicked of him.
Eric shook his head, trying to dismiss those thoughts. He made a decision to head over to Jennifer Aniston's place for some fun instead.
...
Splash, splash.
In a dimly lit bedroom, the bed gently rocked. Two bare bodies intertwined, with the girl beneath letting out lilting sounds of protest that often morphed into moans of pleasure with each passionate thrust.
Time stretched on; they lost track of how long their "battle" lasted until it finally quieted down.
"Ugh, you jerk! You just keep pushing your way in. Don't you ever think of me? If I get pregnant, I swear I'll bite you!" Aniston emerged from the bathroom, soft and fresh, landing on Eric and playfully thumping his shoulder.
"If you get pregnant, then just have the baby. It's no big deal," Eric said, holding her waist and pulling her close, letting her delicate form rest on him as they savored the contact.
Aniston leaned her head against his chest, "But I'm only twenty! I don't want to be tied down with a kid so early!"
"I wasn't scared at nineteen. What do you have to fear at twenty?" Eric chuckled, giving her rear a playful smack.
"No way! I don't want a kid this early. I'd like to wait until I'm at least thirty. And..." At this point, her voice took on a serious tone as she looked up into his eyes. "And if I did get pregnant, would you marry me right away?"
Eric's heart raced. He hesitated for a moment, and just as he prepared to respond, she teased him by squeezing his waist gently. "Look at how scared you are! Your heart's about to leap out. I knew it..."
Eric's hand roamed along her smooth back as he spoke softly, "Jen, I'm always going to take care of you."
"But that's not all I want," she murmured, rubbing her cheeks against his chest. "I want you to be good to only me."
"..."
"I know that's impossible, but I want to leave you, yet you won't let me," she said, her tone turning spiteful. "How can a jerk like you even exist in this world?"
Eric laughed as he cupped her soft curves, lifting her just a bit to lean in and press his lips against hers, savoring the sweetness before responding, "Listen, little lady, you need to remember that all men are jerks. So it doesn't matter which one you're with, so just stop struggling against it."
"Oh, that sounds so reasonable," Aniston rolled her eyes dramatically. "Here you go again, feeding me your bizarre philosophy of life. You're just like an evil cult leader."
"Only a cultist can live freely. Their beliefs often reflect their desires..."
"Ugh, I'm not listening! You're trying to brainwash me again..." she said, shaking her head and playfully covering his mouth to silence him.
Amused, Eric caught her small hand and played with it, noting how his own hand had become slightly calloused from a year of hard work. "Alright, I won't say another word."
Even though she didn't look up, her fingers mischievously tickled his palm. "Eric, are you going to Venice in September?"
"Yeah, the film festival opens on September 4th. I'll probably be there for a few days but won't make it to the awards ceremony in the middle of the month."
"September 4th," Aniston suddenly perked up. Initially, she just wanted to gripe about Eric spending time with Virginia in Venice, but upon hearing the date, she exclaimed while straddling his waist, "That means you'll miss the premiere of the TV show on September 3rd!"
"Whether I see it or not, it's the same. After all, I filmed it; how could I not know the plot?" Eric replied, puzzled.
Aniston's tone grew more animated, "It's different! This is our first collaborative TV show. I wanted you to watch the premiere with me!"
"How about I join you for the second season instead?"
Disappointed, she playfully hit him, turning her head away. "Who knows if your 'dumb' TV show will even have a second season? Hmph!"
"Alright, alright, tomorrow I'll call the Venice people and ask them to delay the opening by two days. I need to be there for my girlfriend's TV show premiere. Let everyone else wait."
Aniston paused, then burst into laughter. "You jerk! Do you think you're God?" After she laughed, she realized this was indeed an impossible dilemma. The things Eric needed to do were undoubtedly more important. "Fine, I won't bother you about it anymore, but remember to bring me a gift when you get back."
"No problem! How about a handcrafted gondola?"
"Ha! You're so full of it. If you buy that, where are we going to row it? I want a mask!"
Eric recalled seeing a friend bring back one of those masks from Venice in his past life. It was adorned in various patterns with feather decorations, appearing both extravagant and eerie -- at least, that's how he remembered it.
"What kind do you want?" he asked, recalling the details of Venetian masks.
"Just pick something! Let's see if you know my tastes," she teased, laughing.
"Ok," he nodded, playfully smacking her thigh. "Babe, look behind you."
Confused, she glanced behind, only to spit out an exasperated, "Ugh, why is it up again?"
"There was a warm, wet little petal brushing against my waist. How could it not be?" Eric grinned.
"Ah!" she squeaked, jumping away from him as they both looked at his waist. Instead of noticing his abs, their attention was drawn to a faint wet mark.
"Uh... I just showered earlier. That was water! Yes, it's definitely water!" Aniston stammered, trying to defend herself.
Eric nodded seriously, pretending to believe her. When he saw her flustered expression, she jumped at him, biting his shoulder lightly.
"Ouch!" Eric yelled dramatically, his tone mockingly pitiful. "Don't bite! It's water, water, water! Oh God, when have I ever said it wasn't water?"
...
"Why are you here?" Bright and early, Eric felt refreshingly cheerful as he left Aniston's apartment and arrived at the office. Walking in, he found Drew sitting at his desk, idly fiddling with the computer before her.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.