“Why does it sound like there’s a story there?”
“Oh, there’s a story.” I chuckle and swivel back and forth in my desk chair. “A long one.”
“Better shared over a beer?”
“For sure.”
“Will you be at that conference in Chicago next month?”
“That’s the plan, yes. I should be there.”
“Excellent, I can’t wait to hear this story of yours. Hey, have you started prepping for the project we’re working on together?”
“Coincidentally, I finished doing just that a bit ago so I could start recording tomorrow. Wanna talk about it?”
“Yeah, let’s compare notes. I’m on page one sixteen.”
I bring the document up on my iPad and find the page he’s talking about. “Got it. First sex scene. Do you want to run lines, or ...?”
“I want to see if we’re on the same page with how this reads. Do you think she’s scared of him in that first paragraph?”
I skim the page. “Oh, I see what you’re saying. I read it as her being apprehensive, but not afraid. Like this:I don’t want you to touch me there.”
“Why not, little one?” Shawn jumps in, reading the lines. His voice has lowered seductively, making me grin.
Holy shit, the listeners are going to love this.
“B-b-because I—”
“You what? Does it make you feel naughty when I kiss you right here, darling?”
“I don’t know what it makes me feel.”
Shawn chuckles over the speakerphone.
“I think you know. And do you want to see what you’re doing to me? Bloody hell, you’re so fucking sexy, I can’t wait to—”
“He might want to stop there.”
Shawn stops reading, and I whip around to find Ryker standing in the doorway of my office, his arms crossed over his chest, his jaw clenched.
I laugh, but he doesn’t look amused at all.
“Hold on, Shawn.”
But Shawn doesn’t hold on. In fact, he initiates a FaceTime call, and I answer.
“Hello, darling,” Shawn says to me with that smug grin that all the ladies fawn over on social media.
“Shawn, this is Ryker.” I tip the phone so Ry can see him. “Ry, this is Shawn North, a colleague of mine, and we were just going over some notes for a project we’re working on together.”
“Good to meet you,” Shawn says with a nod, and Ry takes the phone from me. “Wait, you’re Ryker James. Congratulations on the retirement.”
“Are you telling me that Willow’s never talked about me?” Ry demands, scowling at me, and I roll my eyes.
“She’s mentioned that you’re good friends,” Shawn confirms.
“More than that now,” Ry says, and I reach for the phone.
