Page 30 of Secrets in the Deep

Emily pushed her plate forward. “Just have some.”

“I shouldn’t.”

“Then don’t. But don’t complain about it.” Preston shoved a big forkful of pancakes into his mouth. “Holy shit balls, these are good.”

“Oh, screw it.” Faye dug her fork into Emily’s pancakes, and the second they were in her mouth, her eyes rolled back. “It’s better than an orgasm. What do they put in that syrup?”

Preston shoved another forkful of pancakes into his mouth. “High praise. Low bar.”

He received another punch in the shoulder from Faye.

Emily dug her own fork in and tried them. They were good. Really good. But she could still feel Ryan’s eyes on her…anddamn him for making her appetite disappear. Just another thing to be mad about.

He couldn’t stop lookingat her. One kiss and he was already in too deep.

She smiled. Not a full smile though. This one didn’t reach her eyes. It was too practiced. Almost rigid.

They hadn’t talked since the kiss. Not once. But fuck, he wanted to. He craved her voice. Which was crazy. Maybe she was making him lose his damn mind.

“Are you okay?”

Ryan forced himself to look at Connor. “I don’t think I am.”

“That kiss really messed with you.”

Not just the kiss. This change in him had started far before that. After one glance, one single second in her presence, and his entire world had been thrown off balance.

“Hey, guys, what can I get you?” Basil asked from the other side of the counter.

They each put in their orders, grabbing food for the other guys too.

“To go,” Ryan added.

“You got it.” Basil tore the sheet from the pad before leaning over. “Can you believe Emily Prior and Preston Painter are sitting in my pancake bar?” He laughed. “Not to mention the greatest director of all time, Roscoe Boone.”

“I don’t know, his last few movies haven’t done so well.” Connor glanced over his shoulder at the director.

“He’s still famous. And he’s eatingmypancakes!” Basil gushed, before moving to the kitchen.

Don’t look at her, Ryan. Don’t fucking look.

He ignored his own warning, only to see that beautiful smile on her face as she spoke to the woman opposite her.

Why were all her smiles so strained? Did she not like the other cast members?

At Roscoe’s loud laugh across the room, Ryan’s jaw clenched.

“Don’t do it,” Connor said under his breath.

Yeah, Connor knew he was fucking angry about the river incident. About the complete lack of care Roscoe had shown for his cast member’s safety.

Another laugh.

Fuck it. Ryan was moving before he could stop himself.

“Ryan.”

He ignored Connor’s call and stopped by the table. “Have you spoken to the studio about pausing production until the river incident is looked into?”