Page 29

I walked into the Studio Black building with my head held high, my shoulders straight.

I walked right past the front desk - empty, for now - and down the hallway towards the executive offices, bypassing the doors that I ordinarily walked through in order to make it back to the studio spaces.

I wasn't scheduled for a shoot today, and that wasn't why I was here.

The meeting room at the end of the hallway was lit from underneath the closed door, and I only took a moment to wonder why the door was closed - Cole, Tanner, Emmett, and Dorian always had meetings on Wednesdays and they were usually open, in case any of us had anything that we needed to discuss - before I knocked, and a moment later Cole called out, "Come in."

I opened the door, and arched my eyebrow at the sight of Cole, Dorian, and Emmett - no Tanner, interesting - sitting around the table with someone new.

A tall, blonde guy that looked like he spent most of his time at the gym, his muscles broad and defined even under the fabric of his red t-shirt.

"Where's Tanner?" I asked, looking between them.

Something flickered across Cole's expression before it shuttered, and then was the same casual, friendly face that he usually wore.

"Not in today.

Can I help you with something?"

The new guy was looking at me with his blue eyes huge, practically taking up half of his face, and Emmett and Dorian were both looking at him like he was their newest plaything.

A new actor already? Xan's only been here for a few weeks...

I shook off the oddity of the thought, and I smiled at Cole, jerking my head towards the hallway.

"Didn't mean to interrupt, sorry.

Can I talk to you for a moment? It'll be fast."

Cole nodded, smiling at the new man, whose cheeks had pinked.

"Of course.

Oliver, I'll be right back."

Cole followed me out into the hallway and then closed the door most of the way again before looking at me, his arms folded over his chest.

He was a little shorter than I was when we stood face to face like this, though I was under no impression that he couldn't handle himself in a fight if necessary.

His demeanor immediately relaxed, and he smiled at me, cocking his head to the side.

"What's up?"

I smiled; Cole was a good boss, despite the sensitivity of the industry that we called work.

It was the only reason that I felt comfortable approaching him like this.

"I just wanted to talk to you about something.

About Xander," I clarified.

He cocked his head to the side, his smile turning a little sly.

"Yes, the work that the two of you have been doing is...something else."

There was a twinkle in his eyes that told me that Xan and I hadn't been anywhere near as subtle as we'd thought in our feelings on camera, but I wasn't going to feel sorry about that.

If he already knew, that was going to make this conversation that much easier.

"Right.

Well, I'm going to guess that you already have a bit of an idea of what I'm about to tell you, then," I said, keeping my voice casual as I tucked my hands into my pockets.

"Xan and I...we've been dating.

Properly, outside of our work here."

Cole nodded, his gaze steady.

"Congratulations."

"Thanks." I grinned, unable to help the dopey expression.

"And...it's serious.

I mean...as serious as it can be.

We're not married or anything, yet, so don't worry about that," I added hastily when Cole cocked an eyebrow at me.

"But we're exclusive. So...I'm coming here to tell you that I don't want to be scheduled with anyone else for work. I'll do solo work, of course, but I won't work with anyone other than Xan on partner shoots."

Cole nodded, his expression thoughtful.

"And I assume the same goes for him?" He cocked his head to the side.

"You understand that means that we'll be scheduling the two of you closer together without as much room for a break? We've been going relatively easy with Xander's schedule, but going forward..."

I nodded.

"I know that," I assured him.

Cole nodded.

"Okay, good.

Your work has made our subscribers very happy, so as glad as I am that the two of you seem to have found something special with each other, we still need to adhere to contracted work."

I inclined my head in another nod.

"I know that.

I just..." My stomach twisted at the thought of Xander working with anyone other than me, even if it was only for photos, and I blew out a breath, unwilling to let the spill of jealousy come out.

"I don't want anyone else touching him, Cole.

I know that makes me a possessive caveman, but that's how I feel. I love him."

Cole's eyes widened a little, his lips parting.

Clearly, I'd surprised him with that, but...well, I'd told Xander, and I didn't want to keep it in anymore.

I was fucking gone for the man, and I didn't care who fucking knew.

"Wow," Cole finally said.

He reached up and ran one hand through his hair, making the dark-and-gray strands mess a little before he looked at me again.

"I wasn't expecting that.

Congratulations.

Really." His expression softened. "I'm really happy for you, Tris."

I grinned, ducking my head a little.

Cole was a good guy, and if I was honest with myself, I'd always felt close to him.

Closer than I felt to my own parents, sometimes, simply by proximity.

Cole was here and had offered an ear to vent to more than once over the years that I'd worked for the studio, and I was always going to be grateful to him for that.

Cole hummed, and when I looked up at him again, his face had grown thoughtful.

"I know that he was just scheduled for a session with Hunter in a few days, but I'll talk to Dorian and Emmett once I get back in there and see what we can do to shift things around.

We'll figure out something for the two of you to do, though it'll probably be a few days since your last two videos are scheduled to go live this weekend."

I nodded, tucking my hands into my pockets.

"Okay.

Cool.

Thank you," I said sincerely.

Then I glanced at the door, a smirk touching my lips as I looked back at Cole.

"So, who's the adorable beefcake? Is he going to come to work here?"

Cole's eyes flashed, and he offered me a small smile that reeked of mischief.

"This is his interview.

Says he's a submissive bottom and had experience as a dungeon monitor in LA.

I'm going to have him observe Brandon before he signs anything.

I think they'll pair well together."

I stared for a moment, stunned, before I tossed back my head and laughed.

My words from before, that Brandon was going to meet someone who slipped past his defenses and he wouldn't even know it, played in my mind, and I couldn't stop myself from grinning at the closed door.

"Don't scare the poor boy too much," I said, winking.

Cole chuckled, and I turned on my heel to walk away, raising one hand to wave goodbye.

I heard the door to the conference room open and close again as I walked away, and I couldn't help the way that I felt so fucking light.

Xander was mine, and now everyone at work knew it too.

I had no probably continuing to fuck him on camera for money, as long as everyone knew...that I was the only one who go to touch him.

Caveman Tristan, reporting for duty.

I couldn't bring myself to care.