Page 470 of Once Upon a Fable

Her eyes crinkled as she smiled a coy little smile. “Want to know a secret?”

“Of course.” I fondled her breast, running my thumb over a pebbled nipple. “I want to know everything there is to know about you.”

She lowered her voice, leaning into me to whisper in my ear. “You taught me something in the valley.” Her lips brushed my neck, sending fire through my blood. “You taught me that I like rough. Ilovehard. So...don’t tame yourself on my account.” She kissed my throat, the hint of her teeth making me shudder. “Never hold back when you’re with me.”

I grabbed her chin and tilted her head up.

Smashing my mouth to hers, we both groaned and pawed each other.

My legs threatened to buckle, to pull her down onto the grass and fuck her on her knees, audience up on the cliff be damned.

I was so fucking close to coming just from her confession.

Her tongue sought mine, tangling in a rough, wet dance that made my heart rate explode. “Gem.... Tell me there’s a forest nearby where I can get you naked—”

A piercing ring shredded the sexual tension between us.

I jumped, my mind scrambling with the past. Whispers tried to creep over me. Memories that only brought darkness. Breathing hard, I forced myself to focus and stay present.

The noise was just her phone. I’d heard it before. Nothing bad, nothing dangerous.

Gem gave me a guilty smile as she pulled away. “Hold that thought for a second.” Bending to grab her phone from the gear scattered by our feet, she scowled at the number. “That’s strange.”

Instantly, my hackles went up, sensing a threat. “What? What’sstrange?”

“It’s my rep at YouTube.”

I frowned. “And that’s a bad thing?”

Gemma held up her finger and pressed a button on her phone. Holding it to her ear, she said, “Hello, Gemma speaking.”

I stood close enough to hear a scrambled voice reply but not close enough to understand.

Gem paced away a little, nodding. “Oh, wow, that’s very nice of you.”

More silence as whoever she spoke to continued.

“Next weekend? Um, I mean....I’m sure he’d be very honored but—”

She listened as the other side of the conversation added more.

“Okay, sure. I’ll ask him. But you’re right. That does sound like a great idea. Thanks.”

More silence followed before she said, “Okay. Send me the details via email, and I’ll be in touch. Thanks again.”

She hung up and spun to me.

I spread my hands. “Everything okay?”

Tucking her phone into her leggings pocket, she studied me. Too intently. Too closely.

My headache increased as fear siphoned through my blood. “What? What is it?”

“That was my YouTube rep.”

“You already said that. And they’re what exactly? Technically your boss?”

“No, a rep is someone who works with high earners. They’re just a good point of contact in case anything goes wrong.”