Page 27 of Safe Word

‘Our merchandise sale is up this month,’ he said. ‘I’ve been thinking of adding to the collection. I wanted to brainstorm with you about it.’

He raised a brow at my finger, tapping agitatedly against the edge of the desk, then shot me a questioning look.

I stopped, cosying further into my chair. ‘We’ve got bookmarks, book holders, book lights, keyrings… not sure what else we could add.’

Vinnie flattened his back, his gaze darting towards the corner. ‘What do you think, Paula?’

She shifted in her chair, her back pressing against the wall – feminine in a way she likely didn’t even realise. The movement highlighted the curve of her chest beneath that form-fitting shirt, and I bit down the inside of my cheek to keep myself from reacting. My pulse jerked into a gallop anyway. I felt like a fucking teenager caught staring.

Her eyes darted between us, a playful glint sparking in them as she crossed one leg over the other. She paused then, as if testing the line between boldness and appropriateness. Then, casually: ‘How about handcuffs?’ she said, with a tone too light to make the room feel smaller, but doing exactly that.

The words hit like a hammer, and for a second, the air seemed to freeze.

‘Handcuffs?’ Vinnie reiterated, his voice rising in disbelief, though the smirk on his stupid fucking face was unmistakable.

He didn’t notice that her words didn’t match her tone. But I did. Too casual. Too smooth. As if she hadn’t just tossed a grenade on the table and waited to see if one of us would catch it.

I coached myself into blinking. Her eyes met mine.

She wasn’t playing. Not really. That kind of suggestion wouldn’t come from nowhere.

I clenched the armrest.

Paula’s gaze stayed steady, but not smug. There was no teasing edge, no flirting. She was being her fucking self. That was what made it worse.

‘Why not?’ she added, her voice even, almost deflective. ‘They fit the theme. Dark romance. Restraint. It’s what your readers are here for. I’d buy them.’

Did she mean it?

My teeth locked with the effort of holding back. I was bracing. Bracing against the film roll she had unfurled between us.

And I wasn’t entirely sure she’d realised what kind of heat she’d just poured into our bloodstreams. My mind was already feeding me the scenes she hadn’t written – scenes where those cuffs were real, and so was the surrender.

I had to fucking look away before I said something I couldn’t take back.

Vinnie laughed, breaking the tension like a rock thrown through glass. ‘You’ve got guts, Paula. I’ll tell you that.’

Her eyes darted to mine briefly, and I saw something there – amusement, curiosity, or maybe something darker.

‘I just call it as I see it,’ she said, turning back to her laptop, the conversation dismissed as easily as she’d started it.

But for me, the moment lingered, the words handcuffs and restraint looping through my mind long after the silence settled over the room again.

Vinnie, still chuckling, stood and stretched, his smile wide as he made his way to the door.

‘Handcuffs it is, then. I’ll run it past the merch team and see what they can mock up,’ he said, winking at Paula. ‘You’re already proving to be a valuable addition, DeLuca.’

‘Glad to be of service,’ she replied smoothly.

‘Hey—’ He paused at the door. ‘Maybe you’d like to tag along and pick the material yourself?’

My jaw slackened. He didn’t look at me. Which meant he hadn’t said it to tease me. He’d meant it.

‘Trust me. I’m not the forge-and-furnace kind of girl.’ She winked at him and glanced back at her monitor.

With a half challenge, half tease in my direction, Vinnie slipped out of the room.

Arsehole. Always playing.