Page 25 of Stolen Voices

DJ Reigns and his team are sitting in chairs surrounding the conference table, chatting and eating. He glances my way and nods—the universal guy code for “we’re good”. I return the gesture and sidle up to Callie, breathing in her sweet floral perfume.

Fuck, she smells so good it makes my head spin and gives my lungs a purpose to keep working.

Double fuck.I need to keep dangerous thoughts like that from popping into my head.

I shove those deep down and watch Callie pile her plate high with what looks like a makeshift taco salad. “Didn’t want tacos?” I ask.

She shrugs, scrunching her nose. “I love tacos, but I’m craving a big salad. Then, I’m going to wash it down with one of those. Maybe two.” Callie points at the pink baker’s box filled with delicious-looking white cupcakes topped with purple frosting and pink sprinkles.

Plate filled, I follow Callie to the empty seats around the conference table. “I might have to have one of those too.”

“You keep surprising me, Elijiah Miller.”

My dick perks up at the sultry way she says my name. I ignore the shameless bastard in my pants and sit down as quickly as possible, hiding the way my body reacts to her.

“Why? ’Cause they’re purple?” I tease. “Cupcakes are cupcakes, and those look fucking delicious.”

Callie laughs, and it’s all breathy and so fucking cute I want to hear it again. “No.”

“Oh, I feel an insult coming on.”

She laughs again, and an unfamiliar warmth fills my chest. “Okay, fine. It’s super judgy, but I just assumed you didn’t eat sugar, like everyone else in Hollywood.”

What the fuck?

“Where on earth would you get that idea from?” I ask.

“Have you looked in a mirror?” Her eyes widen in shock at her admission as a wide grin takes over my face. Callie’s cheeks turn pink like the sprinkles on her cupcake, and she looks so damn sweet it has me wondering how sweet she would taste if I kissed her.

Instead of pulling on that thread, I take a bite of my taco.

“If I turned into one of those ‘don’t eat meat or sugar’ assholes, my dad and brothers would kick my ass.”

She throws her head back and laughs. Her silky hair falls down her back, and visions of me wrapping the long locks around my fist assault me. “I’m glad you have people to keep you grounded. Cupcakes are one of life’s greatest joys.”

“Agree.”

We eat our dinner while chatting. I listen intently as Callie explains the studio process to me and how she is used to singing for hours at a time. She also explains how she saves her voice by drinking a special tea and resting it until the next day, sometimes not uttering a word for days. I barely get a word in, taking in every bit of information she offers.

This is the longest conversation we’ve ever had, and I hate to think we could have been doing this for the last two years. Chatting, getting to know one another.

The car comes to a screeching halt in my head.No, we couldn’t.She’s my client. I can never cross that line with her because it will only lead to me wanting more.

“Want to know a secret?” she asks with a mischievous smile, bringing me back to our conversation.

“Sure,” I mumble, unsure where this is going. As much as I enjoy getting to know Callie, I’m treading rough waters with her. Any second, she can take me under. Drown me. I need to keep reminding myself that this is as far as it will ever go with her.

Callie looks around, reminding me that there are other people in the room and we’re not in our own bubble, before crooking her finger at me to lean in. Which I do, greedy to find out her secret—and more.

“The cupcakes are for me,” she whispers.

“What?”

“The cupcakes, they’re a special order. I have a sweet tooth, and honestly…” She makes sure no one is paying attention to what she’s about to divulge. “I like to see if anyone but me eats one. It’s a little game I like to play.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope.” She shakes her head, popping her P. She lowers her voice a decibel like she’s afraid her game will be over if someone finds out. “It’s fun to watch people glance at the box, pretending they don’t want to eat a cupcake and taste all its sweet, vanilla-and-buttercream goodness.”