Grey popped another piece of shrimp into her mouth and leaned back in her chair, thinking.
“Well, we’re both unemployed layabouts,” she began. He laughed. She continued. “We both like to run away from our problems…”
He wasn’t laughing anymore. Her eyes met his, gauging if she was going too far. He inclined his head, indicating that she should keep going. “And…we both have a hard time letting new people into our lives. Trusting people.”
He looked down at his sandwich. She wasn’t wrong.
“We sound fun.”
She smiled wryly. “Hey, the whole point of this is to get a little uncomfortable. We can stop anytime you want, just say the word.”
“I’m not uncomfortable. Areyouuncomfortable?”
She shook her head. “Not yet. Should I get the nipple clamps?”
He burst out laughing again.
—
AS SHE HOPPEDaround her room, trying to prepare for dinner, Grey’s phone rang.
“Fuck,” she muttered, throwing herself onto the bed and army crawling across it in order to reach her phone in time.
Renata.
“How’s it going, honey?”
“So far, so good—I think,” she answered truthfully. “Except I fucked up my ankle pretty badly.”
“I know, I saw him carrying you over the threshold like goddamn Prince Charming. Nice work.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Grey protested, sitting up on the bed.
“Oh really? You looked pretty pleased with yourself,” Renata teased.
“Renata!” Grey laughed, exasperated. “Did you just call me to make fun of me?”
“Only partly. I’m glad I caught you before you went out. I just got off the phone with theGolden Cityexecs.”
Grey stilled, her blood pounding in her ears. Of course. Why else would she call so late on a Friday?
Renata seemed to pause for a lifetime.
“And?” Grey breathed.
“And…you got it. They’re sending the contracts over first thing Monday.”
Grey shrieked and leapt off the bed, remembering her ankle a moment too late. Her yelp of joy quickly turned into a howl of pain as Ethan burst through the door.
“Are you okay?” he asked, wild-eyed.
She nodded, sitting back down on the bed with a hardthump.
“That’s incredible, Renata. I can’t believe it.”
“You deserve it, angel. Really. Congratulations. I’ll let you get back to your knight in shining armor.”
Grey prayed that for once Renata’s voice wouldn’t carry.
