Page 84 of Total Creative Control

Cool?He winced.

But Lewis only nodded. “Yeah, you’re great at that. I miss—” He cut himself off abruptly, colour rising in his cheeks. “Have you thought about, uh, opportunities withBrahmins? Charlie will need a storyliner who knows what the fuck they’re doing.”

“Shit. Charlie won’t be the showrunner, will he?”

“Fuck, no. He’s got someone lined up in Vancouver. That’s where they’re filming it. Cheaper than LA. If Charlie’s interested, his PA, Paula, could put you in touch, though.” He looked uncomfortable, frowning. “I could mention it to him, if you’d like?”

Aaron stared. Was Lewis…? Whatwasthis?

“That would be… Er, thanks. I’ll think about it.”

Lewis looked at him intently, in the way Aaron imagined an artist might study their subject. Or a scientist their specimen? Then he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, another voice carolled across the office.

“Aaron! Hoped you’d be in.”

Turning, Aaron saw Tag O’Rourke striding towards them carrying a bag from Grinder and wearing a bright white smile. “Got you something,” he said, setting the bag on Aaron’s desk with a flirtatious grin. “I’m not above buying your affections.”

An odd kind of rumbling sound came from Lewis’s direction. Thunder, possibly, judging by the stormy expression on his face.

Tag, blithe spirit that he was, didn’t notice.

“I’m here for a meeting with Sandra,” he told Aaron. Sandra was theBow Streetcasting director. “Aaaand I wanted to know if you’re going to the Monster Mash-Up on Friday. Tell me you are. Everyone is.” He glanced at Lewis, his smile dimming. “How about you, Mr. Hunter?”

The Monster Mash-Up was RPP’s Halloween costume party, one they hosted every October for staff and freelancers and pretty much anyone involved with the company. It was always brash and riotous, and Aaron went most years. Colin had always loved it. Well, he’d loved the free bar and flirting with all the cute actors.

Lewis, in the three years Aaron had worked for him, had never gone.

“If I wanted to wear fancy-fucking-dress,” he said now, “I’d be a fucking actor.”

Speaking over him, Aaron said, “I’m thinking about it, yeah.” Although he hadn’t really given it any thought at all. His mind had been too full of other things lately.

“I’ll look out for you, then.” Tag wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “I’ll be the cute zombie with a craving for man-flesh.”

From the other side of their pod of desks, Chika snorted. “Subtle!” she called. “Very subtle.”

“Who's trying to be subtle?” Tag reached out and brushed Aaron’s wrist with his fingers. “See you there? And enjoy your treats. I stuck in a couple of those Cookies and Cream brownies you’re always after.”

“You didn’t need to…” Aaron said, but Tag was already heading off towards Sandra’s office. “Catch you later!”

In fact, the Cookies and Cream brownies were Lewis’s favourite treat. He glanced back towards Lewis, about to offer them to him, but he was already gone. Aaron just glimpsed him following Toni and Dave into the meeting room before the door closed behind them.

“Nom de dieu,” Marc whispered in his lovely French accent. “Lewis Hunter needs to get laid.”

Chika raised her eyebrows. “Are you offering?”

Marc made a very gallic sound in the back of his throat. “There has been nobody since… Aaron, what was his name? That one who was all…” He sucked in his cheeks and pushed his mouth into a ridiculous moue.

Despite the weight in his chest, Aaron was amused. “Mason? The model?”

“Yes, Mason the model. And that was weeks ago. Perhaps Lewis is pining for those pouting lips?” Marc cast a dark look at the closed meeting room door. “He is like a big thundercloud floating around the office, no? And we have enough of them today.”

Yes, Aaron thought, returning his attention to the closed door. Quite enough, and yet not nearly as much as he wanted.

Chapter Twenty-One

Lewis

Lewis was cyber-snooping on Aaron when Toni walked into his office on Friday morning.