Sarah meets with Damien

The silence of the film studio was broken by the sound of Sarah's soft footsteps. Her expression was one of nervous anxiety. She was dressed in a modest sweater and long skirt that reached down to the floor, the image of wholesome Christian innocence. She saw Damien in his office nearby. She twisted and clasped her hands in front of her, trying to gather the courage to approach him.

Sarah knocked on the door to Damien's office. "Mr. Blake," she began, her voice soft and hesitant like a mouse, "Do you have a moment? I want to talk about my character."

Damien smiled, "Of course. And please, call me Damien." He gestured towards a chair nearby, his expression warm and inviting, "What's on your mind?"

Sarah sat down on the edge of the chair, as if she was ready to flee at a moment's notice. "I'm not sure how to play Lily. She's so different from me."

"In what way?" Damien asked, his head tilted slightly in curiosity.

Sarah shrunk herself down in the chair. She didn't know if she should tell him or not. He might judge her, or worse mock her. There were no shortage of guys who had done that when she told them. But if she didn't tell him, how could he help her?

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear, "I've never...I've never been with a man," she confessed, "I've never even kissed anyone before."

She felt the words tumble out of her after years of suppressing them, "My parents...they were very strict," she continued, "They told me that sex was a sin, that it was something dirty and shameful that only sinners did. They wouldn't let me date, they wouldn't even let me hang out with boys when I was in high school. They wouldn't even let me go on any school trips because they wanted to keep me away from 'temptation'." Her voice raised slightly as she kept going, "I don't know what to do. How do I portray someone as sex positive as her when I don't even know anything about it." She paused, her voice trembling slightly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to burden you with this."

Damien's features softened and his eyes gazed at her with a warmth that she didn't expect, "I'm glad you came to me Sarah," he assured, "It takes a lot of courage to face the unknown." Damien squeezed her hand reassuringly, "I would be glad to help you if you want me to."

Sarah's eyes lit up, "Thank you Mr. Blake...Damien," she replied with gratitude in her voice, "I was afraid that you would..." She trailed off into silence, recalling all of the sermons that she heard from her parents about the dangers of sex, "I'm sorry for being such a mess."

Damien stood up and stepped over to Sarah. His imposing frame towering over Sarah and made her look even more petite than she already was. Despite the height discrepancy, there was no malice about him. His mannerisms were smooth and loose, his expression confident and sincere. He took her hands in his, "Do you trust me Sarah?"

Sarah looked into Damien's dark eyes and felt an immediate connection to him. "Yes," she replied, her voice steady and sure.

Damien glanced up and down Sarah's body. Despite her attempts to hide them underneath her conservative outfit, her buxom curves could still be seen. She had never had a man look at her like that before, like she was someone to be desired. A shiver ran through her as she stared up at his eyes.

Damien looked into Sarah's eyes. "Take off your clothes Sarah."

Sarah's breath hitched and her eyes went wide with shock. She had heard stories from both her parents and Nora about powerful men in Hollywood who would try to make young women like her trade sexual favors for roles and then threaten them if they said no. However she had always dismissed them as cynical ploys to scare her. Now, she was experiencing it. "What?...I can't do that," she stammered as she looked away from him, "I've heard stories about things like this. I thought you were different."

Damien shook his head at his own carelessness, "You misunderstand," he replied, his voice smooth and assuring, "I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. It is entirely your decision."

"And if I say no, you'll destroy my career," she cried softly, her voice dripping with hurt and betrayal.

He put up his hand to silence her, "No threats Sarah. I picked you for this role because of your talent, not because of your body. Your career is safe regardless of whether you do this or not."

He continued, "There is nothing to be afraid of. This is a safe space for you to explore an essential part of the human experience."

Damien backed away from Sarah, his gaze never leaving hers, and he unbuttoned his shirt. Her eyes widened and her breath hitched in her throat as his tanned, muscular chest was revealed to her. His shirt fell to the floor and his hands moved to his belt. Sarah looked away, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Still, she couldn't help but sneak a peek at him.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about Sarah," Damien said softly, "Nudity is a natural part of life, something to be embraced, not something to ashamed of."

Sarah turned her attention back to Damien. Her eyes went wide as she took him in. He was now completely naked without any trace of self-consciousness or embarrassment. She wished that she could be as confident in herself as he was.

Damien sensed the doubt that she felt. "Look at me Sarah. There is absolutely nothing to fear."

Sarah stood frozen in place. He was the most handsome creature that she had ever seen. His body was sculpted like a god's, her skin flawless and unblemished. She felt a fluttering in her stomach that she had never felt before. She felt herself getting hot. She had to do something.