The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4)

“What the fuck!” Mia exclaims as she surveys the delivery that just arrived. “I don’t have any of the ingredients I special-ordered for filming today.”

“Sorry, ma’am,” the delivery guy says, “someone screwed up and didn’t include it. I won’t have it for you until tomorrow.”

“That’s not okay,” Mia replies. I’m pretty sure that if looks could kill, this dude would be in big trouble.

“There’s nothing I can do,” he says with a shrug, and turns to leave.

“Jesus,” she whispers, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I guess I can just go to the grocery store to buy the stuff, but it’s a pain in the ass.”

“We’re already behind on filming,” I remind her. Thanks to the lights blowing up this morning when they were dropped, I’ve had to send people out to buy new bulbs.

“I can’t make the food magically appear,” she says, turning her glare on me.

“Clearly not,” I reply, and shove my hand through my hair. “We’ll film it tomorrow.”

“Great.” She tosses a pan across the room to the sink. “I get to put this disgusting makeup on again tomorrow.”

“Not my fault your delivery people fucked up,” I reply, and brace myself for a fight just as Riley walks through the door.

“Listen to me, asshole,” Mia begins.

“Hey,” Riley says, standing between us. “What’s up?”

“He’s pissing me off,” Mia says.

“Let’s take a break.” Riley pulls me out of the kitchen by the arm and leads me to her office. She shuts the door behind us. “What’s going on?”

“This is a motherfucker of a day,” I reply, and sit in a chair heavily. “Lights broke, sound isn’t working right, the food wasn’t delivered. Everyone is in a bad freaking mood.”

“Including you,” she says, earning a stare from me.

“Not to mention I got a fantastic lecture from my boss this morning because losing even one day of filming costs the network money.”

“It happens,” she replies. She’s not mocking me, she’s being exactly what I need right now: the calm in the storm.

“It’s a Monday.”

“Maybe you should call it a day,” she suggests, and cups my cheek in her hand, smiling down at me. I reach out and tug her into my lap so I can hug her close. She smells like vanilla.

“You feel great.”

She kisses the top of my head. “It’s all going to be okay, Trevor. Call it a day for now, regroup, and try again tomorrow.”

“That won’t make my boss any less pissed.”

“Turn the sound off on your phone. You’re the man on the ground, and you’re here doing your job. Obviously, they trust your judgment. When will you have new lights?”

“Tomorrow. And the food will be here tomorrow as well.”

“See? You can’t do any more today.”

I lean back so I can look up into her beautiful face. She’s brushing the hair out of my eyes.

“Thank you.”

“For what?” she asks.

“For being you.” I kiss her softly and stand with her still in my arms. She gets a kick out of it when I lift her, so I find myself doing it often.

“I’m kicking you out of here,” she says.

“You’re not the boss of me.”

“I beg to differ,” she says, and kisses me long and slow. “Go home. Play a game, or take a nap. Take the day off.”

“You should come do that with me.”

She smiles. “I would love to, but I have a few things to do here, and then I have to run home to meet the plumber.”

“What are you having fixed now?”

“I have a leak in my bathroom.”

I set her on her feet gently. “I can come with you.”

“No.” She shakes her head firmly. “Go home. I’ve got this. Maybe I’ll come over later.”

She drags her finger down the front of my shirt, over the buttons. We spent the weekend together, except when she went out for brunch with the girls on Sunday. I love her company. I crave it.

I crave her.

“I’d like for you to come over later,” I reply, and kiss her forehead.

“Done,” she says. “I won’t even ask you to go make nice with Mia.”

“I’m ninety-nine percent sure she’s going to take a hit out on me.”

“Nah,” Riley says with a laugh. “Any killing Mia does, she does it herself.” She winks and makes me laugh.

“You’re good for me,” I reply earnestly.

“I hope so,” she says. “Now go let your guys off the hook for today, and I’ll see you later.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I shouldn’t take today off. There is a ton of work to do, but Riley’s right. The correct equipment won’t be here until tomorrow morning. If I ask everyone to stay, they’ll just sit around and be pissy.

Even I don’t want to deal with that.

So I do what Riley suggests and send everyone home for the day, then make my way back to the apartment myself. It’s quiet here. Too quiet. So I turn the game system on, but I can’t play with Scott at this time of day because he’s still at work. I’ll just work on some single-player stuff this afternoon.

But my eyes are heavy, and my brain is too full to concentrate on the game.

So I peel out of my clothes and go to bed, wishing Riley was curled up next to me.





Chapter Seven





Riley


He’s not answering his phone. I don’t know if that means I should not go to his place, or maybe I should be worried because he fell and hit his head and now he’s bleeding out in his kitchen.

Too many thriller movies lately, Riley.

I smirk and approach his door, juggling my packages as I knock, but he doesn’t answer. So I knock again.

Where in the hell is he? He didn’t text to say that something else came up. He’s not the type to just blow me off.

At least, I don’t think he is.

Maybe he really is, but he was just hiding it before.

What an ass. I snarl at the door, flip it off, and turn to stomp down the hallway to the elevator.

“Wait!”

Trevor’s voice stops me, and I turn to find him standing in his doorway, rubbing his eyes, and clinging precariously to a towel that’s wrapped around his waist.

I’m quite sure he’s naked beneath it.

Christ on a cracker, I wish that towel would fall. My eyes travel up his naked torso, over the smooth skin, light spattering of brown hair, and to the smirk parked on his handsome face.

“Hi.” My voice squeaks, of course, so I clear my throat and try again. “Hello.”

“Leaving so soon?”

“You weren’t answering,” I reply. “I thought you’d blown me off.”

All humor leaves his face and he tilts his head to the side, frowning at me.

“Let’s get something straight right now, Riley. I’m not an asshole, and I definitely wouldn’t blow you off. I fell asleep.”

And just like that, all of my indignation evaporates.

“Sorry.” I walk to him and rise up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I brought provisions.”

“Dinner?” he asks.

“Better.” I walk past him into the apartment and set the bag on the countertop. “Cupcakes and Star Wars.”

His eyes widen with interest. “You don’t say.”

“I do say,” I reply with a flirty smile. “I figured it was time that I watch this dude movie, and I should watch it with someone who truly appreciates it.”

“Agreed,” he replies, and leans in to kiss me gently. “Thank you.”

“I’m handy.”