Page 21 of Five Days

“Well there’s a serious plot issue going back to book three in this series.” Cynthia went on to lay out the problem, a massive overlooking of the fact Landon had killed off a secondary character, who showed up in his latest manuscript and held a prominent part in the plot for book eight, which was currently being edited. Not an easy erase or fix.

“How the fuck did I miss that?” I muttered, scrubbing a hand over my face.

“His death in book three was that last minute add-in with the others,” Cynthia said, and I cursed again, remembering her suggesting Landon rain down some bad shit on characters who hadn’t deserved to live anyway. It had been an unexpected twist, one that had ended up shooting the book to the top of the charts because it’d drawn so much emotion from readers.

Seeing as how Landon was a complete pantser and wrote his stories from the hip, I wasn’t surprised by the mistake. He’d made plenty over the years of his publishing career but nothing so substantial that it ruined an entire plotline.

How the fuck had I missed it too?

“We don’t have time to fix this,” I said, staring at the bathroom door Landon had disappeared behind.

“Maybe if he sits his ass down, figures out how to weave in a new character from scratch to take the dead dude’s place, and does nothing but type for the next three days straight, we might.”

We’re fucked.

The shower had shut off, and I chewed on the inside of my lip.

Did I drop this bomb on him now in the hopes he would have the remainder of our vacation to take care of this mess? Or did I allow him the chance to set right what he’d been desperate for since childhood?

Yeah, given the choice, there was no way would Landon would ever pick his job over Zack.

That man would always come first.

I swallowed hard at that truth, knowing even I, his best friend and rock over the years, took a backseat.

Best to let him get that shit with Zack straightened out over breakfast—hopefully—then spill the news he needed his focus elsewhere for the next couple of days. Maybe he would be able to pull some magic out of his overly active imagination.

“Let me talk to him, but send me your developmental notes in the meantime,” I said, about to commit Landon to something that might prove impossible. But what choice did we have when the countdown to release couldn’t be stopped without major consequences? “We’ll get this taken care of and a manuscript back in your inbox before the end of next week.”

“That’ll be pushing the ARC schedule.”

“Only by a couple days. I’ll spread the word that the manuscript is so hot he burned his fingers ensuring everyone’s satisfaction. Building up the hype a little more will only ensure his fans are knocking down doors to get their hands on a physical copy.”

“If anyone can incite fans’ need to buy, it’s you,” Cynthia said with a snicker.

But I wasn’t laughing.

I pressed my lips tight and hung up a second later after bidding the editor a better day than the one ahead of me.

From the first manuscript that had magically appeared on my desk, I’d been smitten with the unknown author. His weaving of words, regardless or perhaps because of their eroticism, had spoken to me and invoked a physical response that had surprised me. I’d felt attraction before but never with consuming focus.

Mere words typed on paper had changed my life.

I’d literally dug up the roots I’d planted deep in the publishing world and left New York behind. Rearranged my entire existence to make myself available to an author who had potential, quiet charisma, and a spirit alluring enough that I couldn’t refuse him a single thing.

Add in the fact he needed to be looked after, a firm disposition to keep him in line and on track, and I’d been a goner for the beautiful boy with amber eyes.

It’d been eight years since I’d first spoken to Landon over the phone, and I didn’t regret one choice in leaving my job in marketing to work as his PA. Laboring for a secret, breakout indie author proved ten times more fulfilling and lucrative than any desk job at some skyrise in Manhattan where we pushed cookie-cutter books in the hope of making us all a few million.

There were less restrictions, more independence, I had control without anyone higher up the chain breathing down my neck, and I got to watch over Landon. While some probably saw me as more of a babysitter than personal assistant, I loved what we shared as best friends and roommates.

But I want more.

The thought echoed in my head as the bathroom door opened, releasing rolling steam.

Landon exited like a supermodel, freshly shaved and his hair done, a towel wrapped around his waist. His slender yet muscular arms and chest were still damp from his shower, and my tongue salivated to lick the droplets off him.

The man wore sensuality like a second skin in the way he walked, spoke, and thought up raunchy stories. He was a sexual creature, which had almost led to his demise not long before we’d met. While I knew about the hookup apps on his cell, I wasn’t aware if he utilized them.

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