Page 86 of Cuffed By Love

“Not if I have anything to say about it.”

“What are you, a caveman? You can’t just cart me around like a sack of potatoes.” I carp, slapping his back.

“Oh no? Watch me.” Dev drawls as he carries me into the elevator and everyone in there looks at us. Each with a different expression, “Morning.” He greets everyone in the elevator as they shift to give us room.

“You are so dead,” I murmur in his ear, and he chuckles.

* * *

“So,how does all of that sound to you, Miss Wickham?”

I look between Devin and the author, and I can already see the wheels in her head turning. She’s considering it. Well, of course, she would. We’re offering her every author’s dream on a platinum platter.

I take a moment to study her. Pale blue eyes, creamy white skin, wild curly copper hair. Gosh, I can imagine how hard it must be to maintain those frizzy curls. “I can promise you that you won’t ever get an offer this good anywhere else. Publishing your book independently is great, but only if you have good background knowledge of how to market your book, so it reaches the right audience. And that’s where we excel, Miss Wickham. We’re the best in the business for a reason, and we believe your book has tremendous potential.” I add after Devin, giving her that further nudge she needs to fall right where we want her.

“If I’m honest, it all sounds too good to be true,” Samantha states, flipping through the presentation, her eyes marvelling at the figures Devin and I spent hours meticulously working out.

“That’s because more often than not, that’s usually the case, but there's no catch here, no hidden agenda,” Devin states, placing his hands on top of the table and lacing them together.

“We just really believe in your book and you as an author. Feel free to take the contract away and have it looked over by your legal team, and if there is a clause that you don’t agree with, we’ll be happy to discuss it and see if there’s a way around it.”

“This book took three years to finish, and I poured my heart and soul into it. Every time I got rejected, it crushed me that little more, and I started to feel like I wasn’t good enough. I’ve wasted years of my life chasing a dream that will never happen. Until someone suggested I go down the self-publishing route, and it’s been great, but as you said, if you don’t know much about marketing, then it’s really difficult to reach the right readers, and that’s where I’m struggling if I’m honest with you.”

I smile and take a sip of my coffee. Samantha’s eyes widen when she sees the handcuffs on our wrists. I follow her gaze and almost choke on my coffee. I’m surprised she hadn’t noticed it before now. “You’re handcuffed together.”

“Not by choice.” I clarify quickly, casting a look at Devin rubbing his jaw, fighting the urge to smile and remain professional, but the mischievous glint in his brown eyes is as plain as a pikestaff. “It’s my father's idea, an experiment of sorts. As you’re aware, this is a family business. Devin and I have known each other since we were kids, and we’ve always clashed growing up. That was our thing.”

“Still is.” Devin pipes up, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk when I throw him a slide glare.

“Right. When we wouldn’t stop bickering long enough to get any work done, my father had enough, and he cuffed us together until we figure out how to work together. We’ve been handcuffed for four days.”

Samantha looks over at Devin and then at me before she pushes her slim frame glasses up the bridge of her nose. I was sure she was about to get up and walk off, but to my surprise and Devin’s, she let out a snort of maniacal laughter. I’m not talking about a little chuckle. I mean a full-on thigh-slapping, gasping for breath kind of laugh. It was one of those outrageous and contagious laughs that had me giggling right along with her. If you’re a fan of the TV show Friends, picture Janice's laugh, and you get the idea.

“Oh, I haven’t laughed that hard in a while.” She giggles, wiping the tears that roll down her cheeks. “The writer in me is picturing all sorts of scenarios right now. I need to jot this down.” Devin and I exchange amused glances while she flips open her notebook and scribbles something down, all the while chuckling and shaking her head.

I like her; she’s quirky and vibrant. “I think you’ve just inspired my next book.”

“We did?” I question warily, and she beams.

“Yes!” She exclaims, and I jump and sink back into my seat. “I was thinking about writing a romance novel after this one but couldn’t come up with a premise but this…” She explains and points a spoon at Devin and me. “...is gold. I’m getting some serious vibes from the two of you. You have this tangible chemistry that you can feel pulsing through the room. You wouldn’t mind if I base my characters on you, would you?” Sam asks, her eyes wide and probing.

“You want to write about us?” I query, surprised and look over at Devin, whose brows fuse with intrigue.

“Not you directly but your backstory. Childhood friends who grow apart but years later reunite and are forced together by fate, and they can’t help but fall madly in love with one another.” I stare at her dumbfounded, and so does Devin. Surely she didn’t just get all that from our vibe? I clear my throat when it goes bone dry and shift in my seat.

“Excuse us a moment. Tinks.” I look over at Devin when he gestures for me to lean closer. We glance over at Samantha muttering to herself while she writes stuff in her unicorn notepad.

I lean close. “Are we sure we want to sign this woman? She’s a real kook.” He murmurs in my ear. I can’t hold my laughter. I press my face into his shoulder to smother the laughter as it comes garbling up my throat. “Shhh.” Upon hearing my cackling, Devin chuckles too. “How the hell did we go from publishing one book to staring in her next?”

“I don’t know. Let’s just focus on signing her. We can deal with the other stuff later.” I sober up and straighten in my seat. The merriment in Devin’s eyes almost made me crack up again, but I catch myself and look away. This is by far the most outlandish presentation I have ever given in my life.

“So, Miss Wickham, how long do you think you’ll need to make your decision?” Devin asks, wetting his lips and flashing her the signature King smile that would melt the panties right off a nun. I smile when Samantha squirms in her seat and flushes a deep shade of red under Devin’s smouldering gaze.

Yeah, I feel you, girl. Not met a straight woman that’s impervious to that smile yet. “Well, Mr King, if everything is right with the proposal, I’ll sign the contract and send it over no later than Wednesday morning. I do have one condition.” Devin and I nod and wait patiently for her to continue. “I’ll sign with you, but you have to consent to me writing that story about the two of you.”

Oh, bloody hell.

Devin and I look at one another apprehensively. “Why don’t you look over the proposal, and in the meantime, Mira and I will have a discussion regarding your condition?”

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