‘I did not!’
‘You so did, looking all guilty when I walked in. You kind of gave yourself away. So, how long has this been going on?’ She studied his face, but he just looked oddly amused. Teasing.He can’t know; he wouldn’t be looking at me like that if he did, surely?If she played along, maybe she could test her theory without giving herself away in the process.
‘Nothing is going on,’ she hedged, keeping her voice light. ‘I was just looking, that’s all. People look things up on the Internet all the time; it’s not that radical an idea. I really don’t want people knowing either, Ty.’
‘Oh, I won’t be telling a soul, don’t worry about that.’ He laughed out loud. ‘You are a dark horse. I wouldn’t have pegged you for the type.’
Ouch. That stung. ‘Type?’
‘Yeah, you know. I just figured it wasn’t your thing.’ He shrugged with an ease she didn’t return. ‘It’s fine, it’s not mine either. It’s hardly realistic.’
‘I wouldn’t say that. I was always going to do it at some point.’
‘Do it?’ Tyler’s eyes bulged. ‘Really?’
‘Yeah,’ she bristled. ‘I’ve wanted to forever.’ She folded her arms, the pastry now a distant memory as a bad taste filled her mouth. ‘You sound as if you think I might be bad at it, but it’s really none of your business. Besides, I was just researching. A little.’
Tyler didn’t answer for a moment, his eyes glazing over. When he spoke, his voice was deeper, almost rasping. ‘I don’t doubt you’d be good, amazing even, but the stuff in those movies is not real life. You don’t need to research like that. I mean,’ he ran his hand down his scruff, swallowing hard. ‘Having a bit of variety is good, but I don’t know. Some of it is just?—’
Hold the phone. What?
‘Movies? What the hell are you talking about, Tyler?’
He nodded to the blank screen. ‘You know, that. You don’t need to change, Amb. Any man who wants you to is an idiot. Is this about Brad? Did he say something to upset you?’ His jaw clenched. ‘Do I need to go have a word?’
‘Tyler, I have no idea what you’re going on about.’
‘I’m just saying.’ He shuffled from one foot to the other. ‘You don’t need to watch that stuff.’
‘Watch what stuff?’
‘Porn!’ He half shouted; his face scrunched up.
‘Porn?’He didn’t see. He thought I was hiding… porn?She exploded with incredulous laughter. ‘Porn! You think I was looking at…’ His words played on repeat in her head. ‘You think I was looking at porn.’ The relief she felt in her hammering heart soon gave way to horror. ‘Ugh, Tyler! I was not looking at porn. Really?’
Tyler was doing his best impression of a fish out of water. ‘Er… no… well… I thought…’ His brows were like two caterpillars breakdancing as he reprocessed the conversation. ‘Well, it’s doesn’t matter what I thought. Sorry.’
She couldn’t help it. She wanted to be mad at him for thinking she was in her office looking at well-endowed wangs but the look on his face was making it hard. No pun intended.
‘It’s fine.’ She smirked, and when their eyes met again, they both snickered. ‘I can’t believe you thought that.’
Tyler ran a hand through his thick, black hair, sagging against the desk. ‘I am relieved, I’ve got to say. I thought Sloane might have said something to make you feel bad. I dunno. I thought I saw something. My bad.’
She winced. ‘Nope. Our sex life wasn’t what broke us up, Ty. Well, the lack of one maybe featured.’
Tyler’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing.
‘Thanks though.’ She grinned at him. ‘I needed the laugh.’
‘You’re welcome.’ He smirked, those brown eyes of his twinkling before he looked away. ‘Well, I’m glad we got that sorted out. I better get back to the kitchen before I make more of an ass of myself.’
‘I think that’s probably a good idea.’ He was halfway out the door when something he said replayed in her head. ‘Amazing, eh?’
‘What?’
She twirled around on her office chair, and she could swear he was blushing.
‘You said, and I quote, “You’d be good, amazing even.”’