Masquerade Master

Chapter 2

I tried my best to focus on my work and not think about the dual-colored eyes that had been corrupting my dreams. It was a losing battle and after checking my phone every few minutes for his texts, I wasn't sure which side I was on anymore. We had kept in touch quite closely--actually, I don't think we were ever not talking and he never missed a 'good morning' text. I woke up every morning these past few days to a 'Good morning, love!' displayed on my lock screen.

I wasn't complaining, not at all, but there was still that part of me that warned me not to get too attached. Call it a trauma response or whatever but I was tired of past relationship issues getting in the way and I wasn't about to let it get to this one. I was in the middle of an email to my editor when my phone lit up, pinging.

     "Shouldn't u b workin or sumthin?"

     "I am working, shouldn't YOU be working, sir?" I chuckled as I hit send.

     "Wat makes u think I'm not workin?"

     "Your quick responses give you away, buddy," I typed out, smirking and placing my phone down so I could try and refocus.

I didn't immediately reach for the device when it pinged again but instead I finished the last few bits of my email and hit send. With that, I stood to grab another cup of tea and checked off another box on my to-do list for today. It was Thursday and my procrastination meant I had gotten my final draft out to my editor the day before it was due, I could blame it on Alex but I knew it was my fault.

The phone ringing caught my attention and I set my tea down to go grab it. Bright letters flashed across my screen and I smiled as I swiped the green answer button.

     "This doesn't seem like work, Mr. Quinton," I stated, smirking.

     "Ah but it is, Miss Feness. This is a business call after all, so let's talk business!"

I asked, smiling as I walked back over to my tea, "Oh? What business, pray tell, are you proposing?"

     "I got word back regarding that script I was telling you about, the one I submitted for an anime. It's shounen-ai based and since you like shounen-ai and you're a romance writer, I was hoping you wouldn't mind helping me out?" he inquired, his voice deeper than it seemed in person. I ignored the chills that ran flushed along my skin and took a moment to think, I had submitted the last piece to my editor so I was free at the moment. This could be a way to bond too since we shared a similar job and a similar love for our writing. So, why not?

     "Alright, let's say I agree to this partnership proposition. What's in it for me?" I asked, grinning ear to ear as I sipped some more of my tea.

     "Hmm, what did you have in mind?" Alex countered, a smirk evident in his voice.

I pursed my lips, pondering the choices swirling in my mind and opted for a more forward but not quite needy route, "How about the festival this weekend? There's a local arts festival in town and I wanted to look at some of the literary booths. Bubble tea and Japanese for cuisine for dinner, too."

     "My, my don't great minds think alike because I happened to have snagged us tickets to said festival for Saturday night," he chirped. I felt my body grow hot as giddiness swept through me like a desert storm. His voice piped up again as he crowed, "Anime night tomorrow, festival on Saturday and hey, why not make Sunday night a classy date at the new hibachi that just opened?"

     "You, sir, are every woman's wet dream, y'know that?" I chuckled, astonished at his effort. I wasn't used to guys trying let alone to this extent and boy was it a nice change.