STS Ch-54

The cover photo featured a couple. A red-haired girl with freckles scattered across her bare back posed confidently in nothing but bikini bottoms, her skin glowing under the studio lights. She was pressed against a taller man who stared straight into the camera with an intense, almost challenging expression. His golden blond hair and striking blue eyes made Jessica’s heart skip.

The girl had slipped a few fingers into the waistband of his underwear, tugging them down just enough to reveal his hips. The pose was intimate, teasing, and impossible to ignore.

From what Jessica could tell, he was one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen.

This was easily the boldest cover she’d ever seen on a magazine like Rolling Stone.

She had no idea who the man or the girl were, or what the photoshoot was even about, but it was unquestionably the hottest thing she’d ever laid eyes on.

Beside the image, bold text read:

The stars of [The Blue Lagoon], Noah and Julianne, aren’t shy about being comfortable in their own skin. See more of them inside.

“Holy shit,” Jessica whispered.

She didn’t hesitate. She grabbed the magazine, only to realize it was the last copy left on the stand. That struck her as odd, especially since it was still early in the day.

Clutching it to her chest, she headed inside, suddenly very glad she’d stopped to look.

“I want to buy this one,” she said to the newsstand owner, trying to sound confident.

The man glanced at the magazine in her hands and chuckled. “Of course you do. That’s the last copy we had today. It’s been flying off the shelves. I wonder why.”

He clearly didn’t expect an answer. Jessica felt heat creep up her neck at his knowing tone, but she didn’t let it show. The moment she paid, she folded the magazine to hide the cover and hurried home, completely forgetting about browsing for a book.

No one else was home, which meant she could read in peace. In the privacy of her bedroom, she hesitated for just a second before opening the magazine, her curiosity finally winning out. She flipped through the pages, eager to learn more about the man on the cover. Noah. The star of [The Blue Lagoon], whatever that film was.

She skimmed quickly until she found the main feature, and the photos did not disappoint.

The first image was mostly a solo shot of Noah, and it was stunning.

He was nude, posed carefully and artfully, his body sculpted like something out of a classical statue. His blond hair looked windswept, and his pale blue eyes locked onto the camera with an intensity that made her breath catch. There was a faint, cocky smirk on his lips, like he knew exactly what effect he was having.

His physique was lean and defined, every muscle sharply outlined. A woman’s hand, with long, manicured nails, was placed strategically over his privates, while her other hand rested flat against his chest, possessive and intimate.

In the next photo, the roles were reversed. Noah stood behind Julie, his hands covering her breasts possesively as her bare back pressed firmly against him. The image felt charged, intimate without being crude.

Jessica kept turning pages. There were more photos, eight in total, each one more daring than the last. The final image pushed things furthest, the two of them wrapped around each other, eyes closed, faces inches apart, frozen in the moment just before a kiss. It was intimate, restrained, and maddening all at once.

Then came the interview that accompanied the shoot.

Q: Tell us more about yourself. Who are you, and how did you land this role?

Noah: I’m Noah Hunter, 19. I am studying at Harvard, and I just finished my first year, actually. Landing this role was the biggest surprise for me. The casting director approached me after seeing some photos of me from my previous modelling gigs, and asked me to audition. It was a long process, but I’m glad everything worked out in the end.

Julianne: I’m Julianne Moore. The rest is mostly the same for me, except for the modelling part. It was such a coincidence that Noah and I worked together on this film and then ended up getting accepted into the same university.

Noah: But unlike her, acting was never really my passion. Until last year, I was fully planning to become an Olympic swimmer. That changed when I was told international rules wouldn’t allow me to compete anymore since they discovered about my modelling job.

Q: You must’ve been very satisfied when the US boycotted the event.

Noah: Not really. Even if I didn’t get to compete, hundreds of athletes trained day and night to qualify for it. So no, I’m not happy with the outcome. I do understand why it was necessary, though, and I don’t have any complaints about the administration’s decision.

Q: Did you feel nervous when you found out about this shoot and how intimate it would be?

Noah and Julianne exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter.

Noah: After shooting [The Blue Lagoon], this was very tame, trust me.

Julianne: Yep. On that set, we spent more days on the island without clothes than with them.

Q: Didn’t you feel shy shedding your clothes with so many crew members around?

Noah: Not really. It was a very small crew for a studio film, less than 35 people in total. Everyone got so comfortable with each other that it felt like getting changed in front of close friends, or even family.

Julianne: After a day or two, I felt stranger wearing clothes than not. Being without them for an extended period is surprisingly freeing. You don’t really get it unless you experience it yourself.

Noah: If you think about it, clothes are something humans created. God made us without them.

Q: Do you think this photoshoot, or maybe the movie itself, will spark controversy because of the lack of clothing?

Noah: I can’t say for sure. I’m still very new to the industry. What I do know is that Julianne and I look great in these photos, and even better in the movie. That’s what matters to me.

Julianne: Exactly. The movie is a masterpiece. It’s shot so beautifully that I can’t wait to watch it again once this press tour is over.

Q: All the best for your movie. Is there anything you’d like to say to our readers before we wrap up?

Noah: Please watch our movie in theaters. It’s very good. Don’t believe everything critics say. Not every film is made to please them. Some are meant for audiences who want to experience something beautiful.

Julianne: laughs Couldn’t have said it better myself, Noah.

Jessica finished the interview, but her eyes drifted back to the solo photo of Noah. It wouldn’t be fair to say she was just crushing on him. No, this was much worse than that.

She was crushing hard.

And she already knew she’d be watching [The Blue Lagoon] in theaters, no matter what, if only to see more of Noah and his sexy body on that screen.

(Break)

I twiddled my fingers in the back of the limousine as we neared the venue. On the outside, I looked composed. I was dressed in a perfectly tailored black tux, my hair slicked back with a generous amount of hairspray, and a very expensive watch sat comfortably on my wrist. On the inside, though, I was nervous. This was my first red carpet, after all.

“You’ll be fine,” Mom said reassuringly. “I can’t believe this would be more difficult than that photoshoot.”

I groaned. “Oh, come on. You’re still on that? I told you my reasons, didn’t I?”

She opened her mouth to argue, then seemed to think better of it and closed it again.

After a brief pause, she said, “Your reasons were stupid. If the film flopped, you could’ve just done another one. Not…whatever the hell that was. And you didn’t even give me a heads-up. It was humiliating when one of my friends brought that magazine to our book club, completely unaware she was showing me my ‘hot’ son.”

“They bring magazines to a book club?” I asked dryly. “What kind of club is that?”

She shot me a look. I sighed and inclined my head. “You’re right. I should’ve warned you, and probably Dad too, since he’ll be seeing it in New York anyway. I’m sorry about that. I’m not saying I won’t do shoots like that again, but I can promise I’ll give you a heads-up next time.”

Mom sighed. “Well, I guess that’s the best I can hope for. Just be ready for the backlash. The magazine only came out this morning, so people haven’t reacted yet. Give it a day or two and everyone will be talking. Especially the media. Rolling Stone is a big deal.”

I nodded quietly, my thoughts drifting to my relationship with her.

If things between us hadn’t already been strained, she probably would’ve put her foot down much harder about the photoshoot and my career choices. I could already see the difference in how she treated the twins compared to me. She likely didn’t want to push me any farther away than she already had.

“Thanks for the gift, by the way,” I said, lifting my wrist slightly. The Patek Philippe gleamed under the dim interior lights, a beautiful and absurdly expensive watch she and Frank had given me as a sort of graduation present, since I’d decided not to continue college.

“Consider it a gift for all the birthdays I missed,” she said softly. She looked out the window as the car slowed. “Oh, we’re here. Come on. Be confident and smile.”

I gave her a curious look. “Have you done this before?”

She smirked faintly. “My husband is the CEO of Columbia Studios. What do you think?”

I nodded at that, then closed my eyes and took a slow, steady breath. A second later, I opened them, set my face into a calm, confident expression, and put on my most charming smile just as the driver opened the door.

Blinding flashes erupted the moment my foot touched the carpet. Cameras clicked from every direction, the noise almost overwhelming. I turned back and offered my hand to Mom as she stepped out beside me, elegant in a long red gown that flowed down to the carpet.

Leaning closer, I whispered, “Why are there so many photographers? This is my first film premiere for God’s sake.”

“Columbia pays for them,” she whispered back without missing a step. “That way, they control what gets published. Just keep smiling and keep moving.”

So I did exactly that. I smiled, angled my body the way I’d been trained to, and let the cameras do their thing. That part, at least, I knew how to handle. We posed together for a few shots, then I stepped aside so they could take photos of me alone.

I was just about to head into the theater when a sudden chorus stopped me cold.

“NOAH! HERE!”

I turned to see a group of girls standing a few feet away from the carpet, pressed up against the barricade. There were seven of them, eyes wide and faces lit up with excitement.

I glanced around instinctively, half-expecting them to be calling someone else. But no, they were definitely looking at me.

It felt surreal as I walked toward them, my hesitation probably obvious in the way my steps slowed.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” one of the girls at the front said dreamily.

“Of course I am,” I replied with a polite smile. “What are your names, and where are you from?”

They all spoke at once, names tumbling over each other so quickly that I knew I wouldn’t remember most of them.

“We all have classes together at USC,” the girl in front said. “I’m Jessica.”

That was the only name that stuck.

She pulled out a folded page and held it out to me. “Would you sign this, please?”

“Sure,” I said easily, taking it from her.

When I looked down, I paused.

It was the photo. The same one where Julie’s hand was strategically placed over my dick, the rest of me bare and posed exactly the way I’d suggested during the shoot. She must’ve torn it straight out of the magazine.

I didn’t want to disappoint my first real fans, so I uncapped the marker offered by her and signed it.

With love,
Noah Hunter.

That only opened the floodgates. All of them wanted an autograph on the same photo, and I signed every single one without complaint.

After a few minutes, I stepped back and raised my hands slightly. “Alright, girls. You’re some of my very first fans, so if you don’t mind, can we get a photo together? I’d love to remember this. My first taste of fame at my very first film premiere.”

They were practically bouncing in place, which I took as an enthusiastic yes. I turned to one of the nearby photographers and gestured toward us.

“Mind helping me out?”

“I’ve got the perfect pose,” the photographer said excitedly. “Noah, lean back into them a little, like you just fell into the group. And girls, place your hands over his shoulders, arms, and chest.”

I turned back and said seriously, “If any of you have pointy nails, be careful.”

That was all the warning I gave them before following the photographer’s instructions. I leaned back into the girls with my arms spread wide, and their hands immediately found their way across my upper body, everywhere except my face. Fingers pressed against my arms, shoulders, chest, and stomach, light and excited. A wide grin spread across my face because I already knew this moment was going to live in my head forever.

The photographer snapped a few shots, occasionally asking us to tweak the pose just slightly. Shift here. Lean back a bit more. Tilt your chin. After a handful of photos, I was finally released from the enthusiastic clutches of my fans.

“Thank you, ladies,” I said sincerely, still smiling. “I’ll never forget this day. Even if this film flops and I quit acting altogether, this will still be one of the best days of my life. So thank you.”

The effect my words had on them was immediate. Their smiles widened, eyes shining, and for a moment, I wished I could stay longer and learn each of their names properly. But I knew I couldn’t afford to linger due to time constraints.

With a final wave, I turned back toward the theater entrance. Inside, I could already spot a few familiar faces. Was that… Jane Fonda talking to Jack Nicholson?

Holy shit! They came to see my movie?

As I stepped closer, more faces jumped out at me. Warren Beatty. Faye Dunaway. Ryan O’Neal. Jessica Lange. And plenty more I recognized instantly.

Before I could fully spiral, Mom and Frank joined me. Frank had arrived earlier than me and was already deep into host mode.

“You okay, son?” he asked in his usual steady tone.

“I can’t believe so many celebrities are here to see my movie,” I admitted.

Frank nodded. “I invited them. We needed headlines for this premiere. They get free food and drinks and a night of socializing. We get press. Everyone wins.”

That made perfect sense.

“Come on,” he said, gesturing for me to follow. “I’ll introduce you to a few people.”

I fell into step beside him.

Hollywood was a tight-knit circle, made up of a relatively small group of powerful people. Connections mattered. Frank was one of the strongest connections I could’ve hoped for, but I knew I couldn’t rely on him forever. Sooner or later, I’d have to build my own relationships.

I half-expected him to lead me toward Jack Nicholson or someone equally famous. Instead, he stopped in front of two people I didn’t recognize at all.

“Noah,” Frank said, placing a hand lightly on my shoulder, “these are two of my peers in the industry. Sherry Lansing, the CEO of 20th Century Fox, and Michael Eisner, the President of Paramount Pictures.”

Of course. Knowing who they were made a lot more sense of the situation.

“Sherry, Mike,” Frank said smoothly, “this is who I was telling you about last week. My stepson, Noah Hunter. A great actor, and an even better director.”

I offered my hand to Eisner first. “Frank’s exaggerating. I’m just a newbie, trying to learn one step at a time.”

Michael Eisner smiled as he shook my hand. “If you keep that attitude, you’ll go far.”

I then turned to Lansing, took her hand, and kissed the back of it lightly.

“You’ve got a charmer for a stepson, Frank,” Sherry Lansing said. “I hear you’re betting big on Noah over the next twelve months. Is that true?”

“You bet on someone when you’re unsure of their talent,” Frank replied without hesitation. “I have complete faith in Noah.”

“Talent alone doesn’t sell tickets,” Sherry said bluntly before turning to me. “No offense, Noah, but this project is already the talk of the town. For both your sake and Frank’s, I hope his gamble pays off. Otherwise…”

She let the rest hang in the air.

I glanced at Eisner, who was nodding in quiet agreement.

Sherry looked back at me. “Frank’s told me about the film you’ve made that’s under post-production. I don’t usually consider new filmmakers personally, but I’ll watch it as a favor to him. If [The Blue Lagoon] works, come see me next month.”

“The same goes for me,” Eisner added.

I nodded, not entirely sure what I was agreeing to, as Frank gently steered me away from them.

In that moment, I realized I didn’t want to release my film with either of them. Or with any of Frank’s acquaintances, for that matter. I didn’t want him owing favors on my behalf. I wanted to earn my place on my own, even if that meant taking the harder path.

For now, though, I forced myself to focus on the film about to play.

And hoped the critics wouldn’t tear it to shreds.