Page 55 of Love Out Loud

He needed to say it now. Sleepy or not.

“I really like spending time with you.”

“Mmm-hmm.” She snuggled in closer.

“Fiona, I—”

His phone rang, and it was so jarring he flinched. It startled Fiona, too, who sat up. He was tempted to ignore it, but he was on call for his clients twenty-four seven. With a groan, he grabbed it from his nightstand and turned it over. Yep. He had to take this one. The Tony nominations had been announced, and he had some nervous tech nominees who had called him. This was one of them.

“Sorry,” he said with a kiss on her forehead. “I have to take this.”

“No problem,” she mumbled, scraping her fingers through her tousled hair. “Happens to me, too, during big local competitions or when a pet goes home after surgery.”

He shot her a smile. Of course she understood. That was why they were perfect together.

From the living room, he saw her get out of bed and shuffle to the bathroom wearing nothing but her birthday suit. “Yes, yes, I understand, Ben. It’s perfectly normal to want regular input. Why don’t you come by the office tomorrow and we’ll discuss an accelerated schedule?” He heard the toilet flush and then the water run while Ben complained about his own schedule and lack of free time. “No problem,” Jake said. “I can come to you at the theater. What time are your breaks? I’ll make one of them.”

He could see most of the bed and knew she hadn’t returned to it yet. He’d get her back in it soon enough. “That’s okay. You can text me your schedule when you have time.”

What was she doing? She was naked in his room but not in his bed. Half listening to Ben, he wandered to the bedroom doorway and froze, stomach dropping to his feet as a prickly wave of dread crawled up his spine. “I’ve gotta go.”

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