Page 54 of Free Agent

As soon as I said that, she yawned, then laughed at herself for doing so.

“I am,” she said. “I had to go into the office for bug fixes that took way more time than expected, but I wanted to clear my plate for tomorrow so I wouldn’t have anything except a few emails to handle.”

She settled back against her pillows with a sigh.

Still pretty as fuck.

“What about you?” she asked. “How does it work? Are you… off the clock now, or…?”

“Post-game analysis,” I groaned. “The coaches are gonna want to watch some film, bitch at us, blah, blah, blah.”

“Well that sounds awful. Good for you.”

My eyes went wide as she laughed, and I shook my head. “Damn, you still on my neck?”

“Just the teensiest little bit,” she said, barely getting the words out as another yawn broke through.

“Okay, take your pretty ass to sleep. So you’re ready for your emails tomorrow.”

She laughed. “And you rest up for your… getting bitched at?”

“You so damn mean.”

“Only because I care.”

“Ohhhh, you care now?” I exclaimed, and she covered her face.

“I didn’t mean that, I’m just talking.”

“So you don’t give a fuck about me?”

Her mouth dropped open. “Um?—”

“Sweet dreams, love,” I chuckled. “I’ll be seeing you.”

She shook her head. “Goodnight, Tatum.”

EIGHT

AURORA

“Ms. Mitchell, you have a guest in the waiting area.”

I looked up from my task of dredging through e-mails—my least favorite part of this business, I’d rather be coding—to raise an eyebrow at Shan.

“Huh?” I asked, confused. “I don’t have any meetings scheduled today. At least I didn’t think. Shit. Did I?” I posed the question as I was already navigating to my schedule on the computer screen.

“No, this guest is… an unexpected pop-in.”

I frowned as I looked up from my screen. “I don’t have unexpected pop-ins at work. Except my mother or Monty, and you would have just brought my mom back.” I crossed my arms, glaring at her. “It’s Monty, isn’t it?”

“Ew, no.” Shan smirked. “It ain’t no damn Monty.”

And yet… she still didn’t say who it was.

“Okay, why are you playing coy?” I asked, finally standing up. “What is going on?”

“Am I being coy?” Shan squinted at me.

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