Page 39 of Under the Table

“Coffin?” Angelica raised an eyebrow at her in surprise. “I didn’t realize working with me was that difficult.”

Hope’s cheeks turned red. “No. I… I didn’t mean that.”

“Hmm,” Angelica had to work hard to keep the smile from her lips. “They call themselves thelesbian army.”

“What?” Hope’s red cheeks morphed into a look of shock. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” Angelica bit her lip. “Not quite an apt description, considering you’re not, but apt enough.” She took a long drink from her cold beer, needing it to keep herself calm. They were venturing back into the flirtatious territory, one they’d often found on their travels together, and one that Angelica was going to struggle to resist.

“I’ve seen some of the reels go viral, but I didn’t think that was the determining factor.”

“It was.” Angelica sighed heavily. “At least for the next two seasons to see if we can continue to build up an audience.”

Hope shook her head. “Wild.”

Angelica smiled, her lips pulling into a bowed curve as she pressed them around the edge of the pint and drank. She was enjoying this far more than she should. “I did talk to Lyric about being more discrete in what she posts on my social media. For your sake.”

“Mysake?” Hope furrowed her brow.

“Because of Rex…” Angelica trailed off. She’d noticed the difference between them, how it was far tenser than it had been at the beginning of last season, but the cracks were still there. She wasn’t sure if anyone else noticed, but she had a much closer view than most. “I thought it might be best if we were more careful in what was posted. That’s all.”

“Angel, most of those reels were made from the episodes. Not from our social media.”

Angelica shrugged slightly. “But they could…”

“They could. But we can’t control what fans are going to do. And if we want to save the show, shouldn’t we give them a taste of what they want?”

What the hell was Hope insinuating? Angelica was trying to make this easier for her, to put more separation between them, not try to fool the entire fan base into thinking there was more going on than there actually was.

“No,” Angelica said firmly. “I think it’s better if we don’tplay upsomething that’s not there.”

“Not there,” Hope repeated, those two words ringing between them in a despair Angelica didn’t know existed.

But there couldn’t be anything between them.

“Hope, we’re not…” Angelica stopped speaking. She looked around them, making sure that no one was eavesdropping before she leaned in closer and lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “We can’t.”

“I never said we were.” Hope blinked at her wildly. “But what if we don’t correct those assumptions when they’re made either—by fans, obviously. Not by those around us.”

“That’s dangerous territory.”

“I do like a little bit of danger.” Hope winked at her before focusing back on her wine. “Don’t you?”

Hope didn’t look back at her, as if she was a little scared of the answer. Angelica paused, debating exactly what to say, and whether to continue their level of comfort or to end it. Hope wrapped her fingers around Angelica’s wrist, squeezing lightly.

“Angel?”

She couldn’t avoid any longer. Shaking her head, Angelica turned her wrist and broke the touch. But she could still feel Hope’s warm fingers if she closed her eyes, the tingle and thrill that it sent through her. “I think we should keep as much ofthatspeculation under wraps as we possibly can. We’re co-leads on a show, and your husband is our director.” She wanted to addso much more to that, to say she wasn’t willing to risk it, to tell Hope that they shouldn’t play with fire when there was no extinguisher around, that she just flat out wasn’t interested.

But she couldn’t make those words leave her lips.

Because in all honesty, she wanted so much more. She wanted what they were implying to be true. She begged for the touches Hope gave her to be so much more than simply fleeting. Perhaps for the kisses they’d shared to be where they were again, pressed against each other, touching, teasing. Angelica drew in a ragged breath, blinking and finding herself staring directly into Hope’s crystalline eyes, wide with recognition.

She couldn’t hide it.

Correction—theycouldn’t.

Hope was staring at her in the same manner, lips slightly parted, cheeks rosy with arousal, breathing uneven, and as if she was on the cusp of just leaning slightly forward enough that they would touch. Angelica couldn’t move away, completely entranced and stuck in this moment of possibilities and dreams and desires.