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Reid and Stella Crowne’sson.

I credit myself for the partial truth while trying to figure out a way to leap off her radar.

“Natalie, line four,” Elena sounds through the intercom interrupting Rosie’s interrogation. It’s all I can do to hide my relief. Rosie stands when I roll my chair closer to the console in a hint for her to make an exit.

“Lunch next week before I fly home?” She asks.

“It’s a date,” I say, with zero intention of keeping it. Feeling the walls closing in—especially as she lingers, suspicious, in my doorway—I give her my attention, finger inching toward the speaker button.

“I’m going to get the truth out of you before I head home,” she warns, giving me a shifty side-eye before sashaying into the pit.

The hold line blinking, I click my mouse to run a spell check on my latest article before pressing speaker. “This is Natalie Hearst.”

“Beauty,” Easton’s sexy, sleep-coated voice fills my office, “you broke my cock.”

Snatching the phone from the cradle, it escapes my grasp before I can get a good grip on it and lands with a thwack on my keyboard. Taking the phone off speaker, I eagerly search the bustling newsroom for anyone within earshot.

“What in the actual fuck, East—” I stop myself in the nick of time and duck behind my monitor. “You’re supposed to call me onmy cell phone.” I whisper-yell.

“I tried. You didn’t pick up.”

“That’s because I have a job,” I scold, glancing at the console screen, relieved to see the name and number on the caller ID are blank. “Thank God you’re unlisted.”

“Always unlisted,” he sighs, “but this is an emergency.”

I straighten in my chair and respond in my professional tone. “I’ve heardEastern medicinecan be helpful in that particular area. Maybe you should soak that issue out.” I cup my mouthpiece to continue my quiet rant. “I’m going to kick your ass. I had you on speaker. Thank God I was alone.”

“Sorry,” he says, clearly amused.

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, you soundreallyapologetic.”

“Because you’re smiling.”

“How can you tell?” I catch my grin in my monitor’s reflection.

“Because I’ve memorized you, Beauty.”

“Fine,” I sigh in mock irritation as my chest flutters. “So, you called to discuss the state of your—”

“My cock, yes,” he replies, mocking my tone as if discussing the weather.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“No, you clearly aren’t.”

“Because nowyou’resmiling,” I click my mouse to make myself look busy while briefly lowering my guard.

“Not denying that,” he rasps out softly, “I’ve been doing a lot of that lately.”

“According to the gossip columnist, whojust left my officeseconds before your issue announcement, I’m suffering from the same condition.”

“Shit . . . be careful with her.”

“Well, you aren’t helping with that. She was sniffing me out before you called, and trust me, I’ll be doing everything I can to avoid her. I’m thankful she’s going back to California next week.”

“Sorry,” he whispers sincerely. “It’s just . . . I’m driving today and wanted to talk to you before we hit the road.”

“I see.”

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