Page 45 of Heartbreaker

We have a deal.

This is just work.

“It’s really good,” he says softly, that darn hand still resting on my shoulder, bringing warmth to regions much farther south. “We’re close.”

Yes. Yes, we are.

“We, uh, work well together,” I say instead.

“We do. Our musical styles mesh.”

“I like working with you,” I whisper. I know I shouldn’t have, but it slips out before I can stop it. Professionally speaking, there’s no reason to lie. The problem is I’m talking about more than work and we both know it.

“It feels easy,” he agrees. “Like we’ve done it before.”

Like somethingelsewe’ve done before.

Thatwas easy too.

Until it wasn’t.

“I’ve never co-written a song with anyone,” I say. “I thought it would be…harder.” If there’s innuendo in there, he doesn’t react.

He just keeps watching me with those gorgeous blue eyes.

I distinctly remember what it was like having those eyes burning into mine while he moved inside of me. As he kissed and nipped and caressed every inch of me. But it’s the moment just before he came, his body covering mine, that I think of most. The way he looked at me, as if I was his everything.

No one has ever looked at me like that.

It wasn’t real, though.

Nothing but a stolen moment in time.

Oh good grief, is that where that lyric came from?

My memories of our lovemaking?

Crap on a cracker.

This is going to be a disaster.

And yet, his face is still dangerously close to mine.

His lips…

He hasn’t moved away.

And someone has to.

Before we do something stupid.

He leans closer and panic wells up inside of me.

Icannotdo this again.

I want to so much, but I know better.

“Royal…no. We can’t—” I stand up abruptly, almost dropping my guitar as I run toward the front door.

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