Page 34 of Beyond the Spotlight Discreet Version

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, the smuttier the better.”

I shouldn’t be confessing this to my boss, who I can’t stop thinking about. Who I can’t stop flirting with over text messages despite the boundaries we’ve set. But the way his eyes light with fire, a desire, a need... it urges me to keep going.

“Books with kinks: spanking, breath play, edging, praise... punishment.”

He grinds his teeth, making the muscles in his jaw dance.

“Interesting.”

It’s all he says before moving towards me. Slowly. Almost like he’s stalking me where I stand with my back to the bookcase.

“Is that all you read?”

“Mostly.”

“What’s your favorite romance trope?”

“Um... enemies to lovers.”

He’s right in front of me now, looking down at my frame. He’s not much taller than me, but he makes me feel so small. I try to back up, but the shelves stop me. My palms flatten on a row of books. The musk of old pages hits my nose at the same time Reynold’s scent takes hold. Fuck, he smells good. It’s woodsy, cedar, I think, with something else. A spice that I can’t name.

“Enemies to lovers, huh?” He plants a hand on the shelf above my head. “Is that why you like to push my buttons?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” I barely breathe out. He’s mere inches away from my mouth. I lick my lips and the movement catches his eye.

“You don’t?” He taps his thumb on the wooden shelf above my head. “What was it you said to Adeline about ice cream for breakfast? And getting a puppy?”

I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. He smirks because he knows exactly what he’s doing to me right now.

“Refusing to let me send a car to pick you up for your interview? The ghost emoji you sent me and not responding to my texts after?”

“Yeah. No idea what you’re talking about,” I whisper. He smiles this time, a predatory smile, and my legs almost give out.

“The sugar daddy text?”

“Nope. Wasn’t me. Must have been autocorrect.”

He leans down, his mouth next to my ear. “You’re such a horrible liar, Savannah.”

I stifle a moan at the way he says my name: musical and dreamy.

If he kissed me right now, I’d let him.

But he doesn’t. Instead, he straightens up and extracts a book from the shelf above my head. He steps back and turns it over in his hands before giving it to me.

“Pride and Prejudice. Your classic enemies to lovers. Were you required to read that in high school?”

“No,” I say and hold the book against my chest. “But I saw the movie.”

“Read the book. It’s better.” There’s a hint of demand in his voice, an order that I will no doubt submit to. He stuffs both hands back in the pockets of his sweats and I try not to look at his biceps straining against the fabric of his shirt. “It’s not...smutty,but a good read for sure.”

“Yes, sir, er, sure. Okay. I’ll read it.” He has me flustered and he damn well knows it based on the cocky smirk on his face.

He walks backwards, heading to the door without breaking eye contact with me.

“Good night, Savannah.”