Masey starts reconfiguring my desk, which she’s turned into her “beauty space.”
When I realize she’s sorting all of the products she has with her into different baskets or boxes, I frown. “What are you doing?”
“Prepping.” She gives me a sly grin like she’s up to something, but doesn’t say anything else. Just turns to her computer and finishes editing the video she was working on earlier. I watch as she uploads and sets it to publish later in the week.
Then she opens up the video she just finished filming. “Oh, this turned out pretty good. The lighting really works… I’ll have to remember this watermelon-colored shirt does nice things for my skin.”
I thought it was hot pink. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. Come peek,” she says over her shoulder. “I look…”
Freshly fucked. I don’t tell her that, but as a guy, I can see that relaxed expression and sated smile, and I know exactly what it means.
“You look great,” I tell her.
“Thanks. I don’t know what it is that’s different about this shoot—the lighting, maybe?—but I like it.”
“We can work on figuring it out and replicating it.”
She turns to me, looking touched. “You’d do that just to help me?”
Every day—at least once. Preferably a whole lot more. “Happy to, honey.”
She frowns, looks at me, then glances back at the monitor. Then she tsks and bats at me. “I know what you’re thinking. Perv!”
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
Masey peers at the screen some more, studying it critically, then sighs. “Women won’t see that.”
“Sure.” If you say so…
“We’re not having this conversation. It’s a makeup video. I never once mentioned sex.”
I wink. “You didn’t have to.”
With another prim glare, she turns back to her computer and ignores me.
I chuckle as I go in search of napkins and silverware, then place a quick call to my brother to check on Ranger. He assures me all is well.
“Harlow is worried,” Noah says. “Anything I can say that will set her at ease?”
Not really. “Masey and I talked. It was a misunderstanding.”
“I don’t think so, bro. I think she’s falling for you, so if that’s not what you want—”
“That’s exactly what I want. I’m…um, in the same place,” I say obliquely so Masey doesn’t overhear.
“You’re serious about her?”
“Getting there, yeah. But you can probably guess some of the hiccups I’m having.”
“I can. You know, you might try being honest. Just tell her how you feel.”
Before I can respond to my brother, there’s some rustling on the other end, then I hear a decidedly feminine sigh. “No, don’t tell her that.”
“What?” I blurt. It’s the same question Noah asks on the other end.
“Thom was really good with words. He said all the right things. He told her exactly what she wanted to hear, when she wanted to hear it. But none of it was true, and she’s leery of pretty speeches. But actions? They will speak way louder to her right now. After all, words are cheap, right?”
“Right.”
Which gives me an idea.
After chatting a little more, hearing that Ranger was winding down for the evening, and saying good night to my mother, we hang up. The pizza arrives, so I take it, the utensils, and a bottle of wine to the office.
I serve her a piece, pour her a glass, and smile her way. “How’s that going?”
“Really good. I don’t have that much to edit. I didn’t do a lot of takes on any one part and I didn’t flub my words much, so the bits I need to cut are minimal. I’m just going to speed up some of the application process to keep the video under twenty minutes, paste in the intro and outro, then I’m done!”
“That sounds great. Eat first, honey.”
She nods and takes a sip of her wine, followed by a bite of her pizza. Her low moan sounds so rife with pleasure I get hard again.
“Oh, my god, that’s good.”
“You sound like you’re enjoying that more than time between the sheets with me.” I raise a brow. “Should I be worried? Or offended?”
“No. And no, I’m not enjoying it more than time between the sheets with you. But you knew that. I can’t believe you’re fishing for compliments.”
“Not fishing…but I never mind one from you.”
“You already know you’re good at that. But I’ll tell you that you’re great just to make you happy.”
“I’ll take it.” And since she’s relaxed and enjoying her time with me, I think it’s time to put my idea in motion. “I know we were going