Page 22 of Bound By Brielle (Crave & Cure Productions)

“Hey.”

She shoves it away, ignoring the message, returning her focus to me. “Adult films, got it.” Winnie grins, her wide eyes holding mine, making me smile, too. “You thought you were too good, and now look. You’re liking it.”

I wave my hand between us. “A little.”

She smirks. “Liar.” She sips her latte, licking the foam from her upper lip. “You wanna fuck ‘em?”

I roll my eyes, but Winnie doesn’t break our gaze. “Do you?”

I look down at the scone then up at her, cutting the bullshit. “Badly.” I poke her. “Who was that?”I ask, nodding to her bag where she stashed her phone.

She waves me off. “Nothing.”

I purse my lips. “You’d tell me if it was anything? Because I just told you I want to bang my bosses.”

She focuses on her last few sips as she says. “Of course I would.”

A week has passed. A week that felt like seven eternities, I swear to god. And why? Because despite the fact that the three of us bicker—Aug, Lance and I—we’ve also been getting along great, too. Lance and I have had these incredible pockets of time where we sit between takes and talk.

About life.

It’s wild. And easy. I think that’s what surprises me most, how easy it is to talk to him as long as you understand and can deal with his icy side. And I get it, I’m not all that different. My bad side manifests in attitude and snark, but same concept.

And this morning, with Aug outside speaking with a new actor that’s arrived on set for the first time today, Lance and I are sitting together. Drinking coffee. Laughing.

“Went to the pier and walked,” he says, pausing to collect his breath as he laughs wildly. “God, young Lance, you were so cringy.” He laughs at himself, and my belly tightens delightfully at the noise. “Tell me what you did on your first night in San Francisco.”

I sip my coffee, and pull my face tight. “Uh, duh. I obviously took a taxi to the Painted Ladies to see theFull Househouse.” I shake my head. “Obviously.”

He snorts. “Obviously.”

Silence settles between our fading laughter. “You gonna stay in the city after you’re done with graduate school?” he asks, staring off into the partially dark set.

I nod. “Yeah, I think I am. My best friend lives here. And… so does my father–” I sip my coffee and smile at him, loving how he watches me. “Makes sense.”

He grins, giving his head a shake. “Makes sense.”

I nudge his elbow with mine. “Am I the only one with parental issues?”

Lance sighs, sinking into the canvas chair, long legs splayed out in front of him. “I swear, Tuck is the only person I know thatdoesn’thave parental issues.”

I smile at that, looking out where Tuck stands, arms wrapped around his wife as he nuzzles into her neck. “You and everyone here, you guys really know each other well, huh?” A sense of home and belonging fill the space between people in this building. Working here must be so fulfilling, and I’m surprisingly eager to share in that.

He nods, snapping for a moment to get Alexa’s attention. “Cami’s shiny,” he says before returning his focus to me. “Yeah, we vet people well but also, we’re here for them, too.”

I lick my lips, finding my mouth dry. “And who’s there for you?”

Our eyes lock for what feels like forever before he looks back toward the set. “I’m there for myself.”

Those four words make my arms ache to hold him, to press my lips to his and absorb his thoughts, his woes.

Whatever he wants to give me.

ten

Imagining her collared at your feet?

augustus

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