Page 61 of Illicit Education

The air shifted, once again charged with that palpable electricity between us, that pull.

The way I wanted this desk to disappear right now…

But no. We couldn’t.Icouldn’t.

This desk saved me from myself. If it hadn’t been here, I might have made a move.

She licked her lips, then dropped her gaze to the desk as if also considering how to get past it.

“Rylan—”

Stella stepped into my office, eyebrows furrowing. As if she sensed the charged atmosphere, she looked back and forth between us.

Rylan gulped audibly and I focused on her.

Eyes wide.

Back ramrod straight.

Cheeks turning that delightful shade of pink.

She stared straight ahead and wouldn’t meet my gaze.

She’d put two and two together and realized it was Stella strapped to my St. Andrew’s Cross last night. If ever there was a time for the ability to read minds…

I looked up at Stella, raising my eyebrows.

“Your five o’clock is here, Mr. Reed.” She glanced at Rylan again, eyes narrowing. “Would you like me to escort Ms. Blake to the elevator.”

“No. We aren’t finished, and I’m sure Ms. Blake can find her way to the elevator just fine on her own.”

Rylan jumped up. “I think we’re good.” She inclined her head and set the manuscript on my desk, patted it lovingly, then hurried past Stella.

I bit back a grin as Stella looked at me, eyes wary.

“Well, go ahead and bring in my five o’clock.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Rylan

As soon as I was through the doors of Reed Tower, I pulled out my phone to call my best friend. Hurrying down 5th Avenue toward my first official shift at White Rabbit, I waited as the phone rang, bursting at the seams with this new information.

Cabot.

Reed.

Wanted.

Me.

And he’d blatantly said so.

A shiver ran down my spine even as the sun beat down on my back.

“Rylan,” Greer finally answered. “Who died?”

I frowned. “No one, I—”