Page 11 of Sharing Her Heart

Felicity hesitated for a moment, but then her voice steadied as she answered, “Oh, that’s a tough one. I’ve read so many, but if I had to choose... It's probablyPride and Prejudice. There’s just something about Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet’s relationship—the tension, the misunderstandings. It’s so timeless.”

John nodded, smiling. “Ah, a classic. Can’t go wrong with that. How old were you when you first read it?”

“Clichéd answer,” Nathan murmured as he stepped in front of her to adjust the settings on her mic. “What’s the real answer, Felicity?”

She looked at him, hyper aware of how close he was to her. Every time his hand grazed her skin or the tip of her earlobes, she felt jolts of sensations. “Outlander,” she whispered.

“Oh, that’s a good choice,” John said with a delightful grin. “I love that book.”

“I do too. It was one of the first times I realized how powerful storytelling could be.”

“I bet you have read it a couple times.”

“Probably around fourteen,” Felicity replied, her voice gaining more confidence as she relaxed into the conversation. “I remember staying up all night just to finish it. I was completely hooked.” She smiled a little. “Like that scene where Jamie fights for Claire’s honor and... I don’t know; something is just so raw about it. Like he’s willing to risk everything for her.”

“So that’s what you’re into?” Nathan commented. “Someone to fight for you.”

Felicity blushed as she looked up and found herself staring right into his eyes, hooked in the draw of his gaze with no power to do anything but wait for his permission to be released.

Once again, John came to her rescue, his voice breaking the hold that Nathan’s gaze had over her. “Isn’t that what we all are into?” he chimed in. “Someone to fight for us.”

“Maybe,” Nathan said with a shrug. “Some people want it more than others, though.” He stepped away from Felicity. “I think she’s ready now?”

John leaned back slightly, giving Felicity an encouraging smile. “Are you ready?” he asked, his tone warm but with an edge of excitement that Felicity couldn’t help but feel.

She nodded, her nerves still fluttering but under control. “Yes, I’m ready.”

“Great,” John said, reaching for the manuscript. “Let’s start with chapter seven. It’s a good place to ease into it.”

Just as Felicity was about to turn the pages, Nathan spoke up, his deep voice cutting through the moment. “Actually, let’s jump ahead to chapter twelve.”

Felicity froze for a second, feeling the tension ripple between the two men. John raised an eyebrow, clearly about to protest, but then he stopped himself, his lips twitching as he glanced over at Nathan. He hesitated, then nodded. “Alright, chapter twelve it is.”

The air shifted slightly, and Felicity wondered what had just passed between them. She didn’t dwell on it too long, though, and quickly flipped through the pages, landing on chapter twelve. It was a heavy scene—one filled with tension and longing—and she could already feel the weight of it as she looked down at the words.

Taking a deep breath, Felicity started reading. Her voice was soft, a bit too careful, and monotone as she focused on getting the words right. As the sentences flowed, she realized it wasn’t coming out as naturally as she had imagined.

John stopped her gently after a minute. “That’s good, Felicity. But try to loosen up a bit—be more lively, more free. This scene is full of emotion, right? Don’t be afraid to really dive into it.”

Felicity smiled nervously, nodding. “Okay, I’ll try again.”

She took another deep breath and started over. This time, her voice was less stiff, and she tried to feel the words as she spoke them. But even as she pushed herself, it still didn’t sound quite the way she wanted it to. It was better, yes—but something was missing.

John gave her a reassuring nod. “Getting there. You’re close. Just relax a little more.” He winked, trying to ease the tension.

She tried a third time and was glad to hear herself sounding much better. She continued reading, thinking she had finally found her voice when a few paragraphs in, Nathan’s voice interrupted her.

“Stop!” he said softly but with enough authority that she instantly clamped her lips shut. “You’re not feeling it.”

Felicity blinked. “What?”

“The words… You’re just reciting them. You’re not feeling it.” He moved closer to her, his towering figure leaning over her shoulders to point at a paragraph on the manuscript. “You’re reading from Ashley’s POV. You want to make the readers feel what she’s feeling, but how can you do that when you don’t feel what she’s feeling.”

Felicity’s face heated. “I don’t know if I can do that. I’ve never been good at acting.”

“Good thing no one is asking you to act.” Nathan leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that was still amplified within the tight confines of the booth. “What’s happening in this scene?”

“She’s arguing with Kane,” Felicity replied.

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