Page 39 of Book Bae

I shook my head. “What does that mean?”

“I’m an author.”

“Oh. Well, what sort of stories do you write?”

“Mostly crime fiction.”

“I’m not really into that, but it must be cool.”

“It’s entertaining, and it pays the bills.”

I lifted my eyebrow, because I was certain he was going to say that he had a secondary source of income. If writing allowed him to live like this, then he must be doing pretty decent at it. “What’s your pen name? Or do you write under your real name?”

He chuckled and inhaled deeply. I felt that he was about to drop a bombshell on me, but I wasn’t prepared for what he said. “Mike Jamison.”

“Wait. Did you just say Mike Jamison?”

He nodded. I shook my head. “As in thee Mike Jamison?”

He nodded again.

“No, Micaiah, you don’t get to sit there and just nod. I’m talking about the household name Mike Jamison who writes mystery and crime fiction that has all the other readers in a chokehold?”

He bobbed his head again.

“Oooh, God. I’m so embarrassed.” I groaned and smacked my forehead.

“Don’t be, gorgeous. You had no way of knowing.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place?”

“One, you weren’t into mystery and crime fiction. You told me that off the bat that night we met, so I didn’t think it would matter.”

“I mean, it does and it doesn’t. I needed to know who I was getting into bed with.”

He narrowed his eyes at me and steepled his fingers. “You knew. You knew it was a man who made you feel desired, beautiful, and cared about that night. You knew it was a man who would protect you while giving you the romance you desired.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right, but still, this has blindsided me.”

He reached across the table and took my hands into his. “There’s more.”

“More?”

“Yes, but what I’m about to tell you, including what I just told you, but especially this part stays between us. My team would have my ass if they knew that I told you, and my good friend, Lance, would insist I have you sign an NDA.”

“You’re scaring me.”

“I promise there’s nothing for you to be scared of.”

“Then what is it?”

“I’m also MJ Stone.”

“No, that can’t be right. MJ’s a woman—she’s her, and you’re you.”

He stood and walked around the table as my heart beat a mile a minute. I looked around the room to see if there were any hidden cameras, and I found none. He took my hand and pulled me out of my chair.

“Follow me. Let me show you something.”