Page 16 of A Little Bit Extra

“Hi, Cassie!” I look up to see Tyler waving from the kitchen.

I walk over to the island. “Hi.” I smile.

Max and Lane wave from where they’re sitting on the couch. Emmett comes next to me, leaning his elbows on the island.

I turn my head to the right to find him looking at me. “So, Cassie, can I get you something to drink?” he asks.

I nod. He pushes off the counter, which looks sexier than it should, and walks over to the fridge. He calls out some options they have stocked, and I decide on a non-alcoholic drink. Something fruity.

He hands me the can and then walks into the living room area. I follow him.

The front room is open-concept, decorated minimally with a few art prints on the wall. My seating options are either a spot on the large sectional couch or the oversized chair. I decide on the chair because it’ll be easier to have conversations with others in the room.

I thought Emmett might join the rest of the guys on the couch, but he comes and sits on the flat arm of the chair. When he sits, he doesn’t even look at me. He just continues to talk to the guys like it’s not a big deal that I’m here.

I don’t like it.

I want him to talk to me. I should be grateful that we have other people here, diffusing the tension between us, except Emmett is sitting so close to me that all I want to do is reach out and touch him. Anywhere. I want to pull him to sit next to me and snuggle up under his arm.

Emmett says my name.

“Hm?” I ask, looking up at him.

“You okay?” he asks, studying my reaction.

I nod. “Promise.”

“So, Cassie, what brought you to the City of Angels?” Max asks.

Emmett leans back, catching his body with the back of the chair. He snakes his arm along the cushion, resting his hand close to my shoulder. If I shifted two inches to the left, I’d touch him. When he turns his head to look at me, waiting to hear my answer even though he already knows, I also realize that a mere foot separates his mouth from mine.

“Well,” I return my gaze to Max, “I arrived with a single suitcase and a dream. I figured if I wanted to become an actress, there were limited places to do so, so I decided to move somewhere I hoped would bring me the most opportunities.”

“And? Has it?” Lane asks.

I turn to him and say, “Has it what?”

“Brought you opportunities.”

“Um,” I hesitate, not wanting to dump all my problems on this group of friends. Emmett’s hand comes in contact with my shoulder and he gives it a light squeeze. All eyes are on his hand touching me. Claiming me.

“I’ve been in a few things, but I’m determined to land something larger.” I smile softly, also remembering that Max and Lane could one day hire me.

“Sometimes it takes a while. It took Max and I a few years to get our company off the ground, then when Tyler started working at the studio, he brought us on,” Lane says.

“And the rest is history,” Max chimes in.

“Have you all been friends for long?” I ask, looking around the room to each of them.

“We have been,” Tyler says, gesturing at Max and Lane. “Emmett is the newest addition to our crew.”

Emmett leans toward me, his mouth inches from my ear, and whispers, “They forced me to be friends.”

I bite my lip to stifle a laugh as the guys talk about some memories from working together at the studio.

They try to tell me embarrassing stories of Emmett, but that gets shot down. All it takes is a glare from Emmett and their lips zip shut.

I’m having so much fun that I don’t realize it’s past midnight. Max and Lane left an hour ago, so it’s just Tyler, Emmett, and me.

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