Page 62 of The Casting Couch

“Don’t get drunk,” I said, voice a little lower.“You’ll be fine.”

He didn’t flinch.Didn’t pull away.Just let out this tiny, grateful sigh that hit me straight in the chest like a dart.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I said, giving his shoulder a squeeze.“I’ll be there.We all will.Worst case, you blink and it’s over, and you’ve got a fat check and a wild story.”

He tilted his head just enough to look at me.We were close—close-close—and his eyes were a little too soft for my comfort level.

“Thanks,” he said.“For, you know… not making fun of me.”

“Oh, I’m definitely making fun of you,” I said.“Just later.When you’re emotionally stable.”

He cracked a smile, and I grinned like a dumbass.

Then, of course, the moment was ruined.

One of the dudes from earlier—Kyler with a Y, because of course it was—came strutting down the sidewalk like a sexed-up golden retriever.

“See you tomorrow, dudes!”he said, flashing finger guns at us both.“Hope you’re ready for the money shot!Woo!”

He disappeared into the evening, still making explosion noises.

Bradley groaned and buried his face in his hands.“God help me.”

I watched Kyler go.

And hated him for a full second.

Like, not even a rational hate.Just this surge of heat in my chest, like I wanted to kick his ass into traffic and tell him he wasn’t allowed near Bradley ever again.

Which was… insane.

Because this was porn.And it wasn’t like Bradley was my boyfriend.

Still, the thought of that guy standing in a circle tomorrow, getting off while looking at Bradley…

Nope.I shut the thought down so fast I nearly gave myself a migraine.

What the hell was wrong with me?

Bradley finally looked up from his hands.“You good?”

“Yeah,” I said too fast.“Just thinking about dinner.I might get tacos.”

“Cool.I might, uh, eat… nothing.Not sure if I can keep anything down.”

“Let me know if you want company,” I said, surprising even myself.

Bradley raised an eyebrow.“For tacos or for dying of shame?”

“Both,” I said.“I multitask.”

And there it was again.That weird, electric beat of a moment.Like maybe this was a joke… or maybe it wasn’t.

I stepped back, shoving my hands into my pockets.“I’ll see you tomorrow, Bradley.”

He gave me that crooked, tired smile again.“Yeah.Tomorrow.”

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