Headlines (Prime Time #3) - Ella Frank Page 0,11

that to you.”

“See, that’s where we disagree. You do need to explain it to me, because right now, I’m your only hope with Bailey, and you better be fucking serious about this, Sean, or I’ll kill you for hurting him this way.”

“Aww, that’s sweet. It’s also the first time you’ve ever said my name. Wasn’t sure you actually knew it.”

“If I’m threatening to kill you then I’m gonna make sure to use your name. That way you know I’m dead fucking serious.”

And I believed him. There was this underlying current that vibrated around Boudreaux. It always felt as though there was something hidden a little deeper that I wasn’t aware of, and never would be.

“So I’m gonna ask you again. How did this happen? You and Xander.”

After finishing off my lemon bar, I wiped my hands and then rested them on the bottom of the steering wheel. “I don’t know, it just…did. There was no drunken night, no sleazy seduction. We were just—”

I cut my words off and looked his way, and instead of the smirk I figured Boudreaux would be sporting, there was an understanding in his eyes that I hadn’t expected.

“We were in an intense situation that made it difficult to keep our distance from one another. We learned more about each other in those first two weeks than we had over two decades. And the longer we were together, the closer we got.”

I thought back to the night at Xander’s place when we’d discovered his stalker had been inside his home. That was the first time I’d kissed Xander. The first time I’d acknowledged the feelings growing between us weren’t some strange delusion. I hadn’t gone to his room with the intent of ending up in his bed. But even now when I looked back on the way that night went down, nothing had ever felt more natural than holding him in my arms.

I ran a hand through my hair. “We didn’t plan it. It just happened. And it’s very important to me, okay? Xander, he’s special…”

I wasn’t sure if it was the defeat in my voice or the fact we’d spent more time talking than we ever had in the past, but Boudreaux nodded and said, “Okay. Leave it with me.”

He pushed the door open, and I grabbed his arm. “Leave it with you? What does that mean?”

“It means exactly that. I’ll talk to Bailey, see if I can get him to call you. But you and Xander need to let him make the move, okay?”

“Okay. When do you think that’ll happen?”

“Honestly?”

“Yeah.”

“I have no idea. This whole thing has pretty much turned his world on its ass. Everything he thought he knew and understood makes zero sense right now. But I’ll talk to him.”

I gave a clipped nod, and as Boudreaux climbed out, I called his name.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

A light gleamed in those dark eyes and he inclined his head. “No problem. I’m actually rooting for this. But just remember, you break his heart, I’ll break you.”

Boudreaux slammed the door shut, and as he headed back to his car, I watched him in the rearview mirror. At least Bailey had Boudreaux to watch over him if he decided to write me off forever. But that wouldn’t happen. Bailey would come around, would see how crazy I was about Xander, and understand that sometimes love finds you when you least expect it.

After all, he’d fallen for an ex-con. If anyone should be able to understand that opposites could attract it would be Bailey…right?

6

Xander

MY FIRST DAY back at work went off without a hitch, and considering this was my second attempt in a month, I was glad for it.

The broadcast tonight had been pretty run-of-the-mill. There were a couple of hurricanes brewing out in the Caribbean that would no doubt give us trouble soon enough, but for now they were just angry tropical storms that we were keeping an eye on.

Sean had texted earlier to let me know he’d meet me for dinner downtown, and as I headed out of the studio and into the newsroom, the sight that greeted me made me smile.

Sean was leaning against Ryan’s desk with his arms and ankles crossed. In dark jeans and a black button-up shirt he looked sinful and sexy. His eyes locked on mine and didn’t let go. My pulse sped up as I crossed the room, and damn, he looked good. Strong, masculine, and all mine.

“Good evening.”

Sean looked me over and nodded. “It is now.”

I chuckled and wondered how Sean