Testing the limits (Sample)

CHAPTER FOUR - ARE THEY OR AREN'T THEY?

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LUCY
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Jet lag hit Ryan and I hard after our day on the beach. It took us 3 days to get a seemingly normal sleep routine together, with a lot of 2am wake ups and lunch time naps.

Now it's Sunday night and I'm sitting on the couch reading over the latest edit of the novel we are meeting the new author about. The author is a 20 year old male who appears to be incredibly talented. I'm absolutely jealous he has been noticed so early. But then again, I've never let anyone read my stuff.

Well that's not quite true.

Growing up, Seb used to read almost everything I would write. He was the only person I ever trusted with it.

But in the last 5 years? No one has even glimpsed at it.

Ryan is sitting on the other couch, my laptop resting on his knees, reading my book after winning the bet. I'm nervous. So nervous I've read the same line 20 times. I keep glancing up to look at Ryan's facial expressions, trying to gauge his reaction, but he's giving nothing away.

Seb sits down next to me on the small couch, he's so close I can feel the heat radiating off of him, his woody masculine cologne invading my senses. Fuck he smells good.

He looks at me and chuckles, placing a hand on my bouncing knee.

"Relax. I've read your stuff, it's good. So stop stressing."

I give him an appreciative smile, trying hard to ignore the electrical current pulsing through my body from his touch.

"Thanks."

Seb removes his hand and leans back on the couch, one arm resting on the back of the couch behind me, the other on the arm rest. He hits the remote to turn on the TV and changes it to the cricket.

I try to continue reading the manuscript in my hand but find I'm distracted for a totally different reason. My entire body is alive with tingles, my brain foggy, I feel drugged from being so close to Seb. I curse my heart for beating so fast, my senses for going into overdrive and my body for reacting to such a small encounter. The small amount of air between our bodies is electrified.

I can't help but wonder if he feels it too. I shake the thought out of my head. I know he doesn't. He sees me as a little sister. Family. Nothing more.

Brad walks into the lounge room in his scrubs, his hair still wet from the shower.

He looks to Ryan and kicks his foot. Ryan looks up from my laptop.

"Any good?"

Ryan looks at me and smirks.

"Yeah... but certainly not something her brother would want to read."

My eyes widen, I look to Brad quickly then glare at Ryan, Ryan doesn't acknowledge my glare.

"She has a great imagination... although I don't even know if some of the stuff is possible... it's incredibly detailed."

I can feel my face redden as I sink down in my seat, staring intently at the manuscript in my hands. Seb chuckles quietly beside me.

"I can see why your copy of the 50 shades trilogy is so well warn, Lucy."

Seb roars with laughter next to me. I sneak a peek at Brad who has his hands over his ears, shaking his head at Ryan. I sink even lower in my seat, praying to whatever gods will listen to strike me down right now.

The couch vibrates with Seb's laughter, as Ryan continues.

"Chapter 27 is definitely inventive..."

That comment gets my attention. I sit up in my seat and glare at Ryan