Page 118 of Swim To Me

Grey and I pull apart, both of us glancing in the direction of the grating sound to find one of my bosses, standing on the makeshift stage, a glass of champagne in his hand, speaking into the microphone delicately balancing on a stand.

“Oh!” I laugh, smacking my lips together to smooth out the glossy product I’ve carefully applied there. “I thought—”

Grey wipes at his mouth with his thumb, staring back at me. “I thought they were clinking their glasses at us for kissing.”

“Like at a—”

“Wedding,” he finishes.

I don’t tear my eyes away from his.

I wonder what’s running through his head at this exact moment. Does he think I’m going to back away?

Because I’m not.

Sending him a smile, I feel the heat between Grey and I notch up a level or two, the invisible string connecting the two of us zapping with electric energy like a live wire. But I’m not scared. Far from it, if the bubble of warmth forming beneath my heart has anything to do with it.

“That look of yours is dangerous, gorgeous,” Grey speaks lowly, his voice dipping an octave and causing my body to shiver.

“What look?” I wonder out loud, tracing my gaze up and down the entire long length of him, drinking him in because I can. Because he’s mine.

Grey opens his mouth to say something else, whatever filthy idea is right on the tip of his pretty tongue, but my name is being called before he can say anything.

“Miss Clark! Come on up here!”

Without hearing the beginning of the speech, I had no clue what I’m being called onto the stage for, but I force my legs to move, nonetheless.

“Miss Clark, here,” my boss gestures to me as I ascend the steps to the stage, “Is one of our most esteemed editors. She has an attention to detail even I envy, and a very skilful mind. Miss Clark succeeds at everything she puts her mind too and is a very valuable member of our team. She works extremely hard at our office and alongside a great team of cover artists and formatters, she is part of the amazing crew who helped publish the book we are celebrating the release for tonight! Miss Clark, would you like to say a few words?”

He phrases it as a question, but I have no choice to decline when he moves away from the microphone, presenting me with the opportunity to give a small speech I am extremely unprepared for.

I can feel the nervous heat begin to prickle along my skin like tiny punctures. I’m good at my job, I know I am, but what I am not good with is being unprepared.

This is my worst nightmare.

My mouth is so dry, and I left my drink with Grey so I can’t—

He stands out in the crowd, his energy shining brightly without even needing to try among the sea of watching eyes.

Grey.

His eyes are fixed on me, like everybody else in the function room, but he’s grinning, his dimples on full display.

And with a confident nod of Grey’s head, I part my lips and begin to talk, keeping my attention on him so I don’t crumble.

“Thank you for inviting me on stage, Mr Richards.” I tip my head to my boss, swallowing. “It is always a privilege to do what I do, to work with some of the most talented people in the business, and to be allowed a sneak peek into the wonderful mind of an author before anybody else in the entire world. It’s like keeping the most amazing secret, knowing you’ve found a hidden gem and being able to change somebody’s life for the better. To help them achieve their dream. I adore my job. I adore the people I get to work alongside. And I adore the author we’re all here to celebrate tonight. She is such an amazing storyteller, I was sucked in immediately, and I think you will be too. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two, but until then—”

I don’t have a drink, but I mime holding a glass up and raising it in a toast, ignoring the flash of a camera that burns brightly behind the thin skin of my eyelids. “Congratulations. I can’t wait to see this book take the world by storm.”

I step down just in time for Mr Richards to call up the author, who gives me a big hug before she takes to the stage to make her own speech.

I’m a bit wobbly on my legs with sheer adrenaline still coursing through my veins, but I don’t think anybody notices. Except for Grey. Who watches my every step back towards him and holds out the rest of my drink for me to glug down.

“You did so well,” he whispers, welcoming my embrace as I wrap myself around him, needing the comfort.

“I couldn’t have done that if you weren’t here,” I admit, exhaling to calm down my rapid heart rate. “I was so unprepared. I had absolutely no clue they were going to ask me—”

“But you did it,” Grey praises. “And it was an amazing speech.”

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