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Gage and Carrie spoke at the same time.

“What’s up? I’m at work.”

Gage started the engine and pulled out of the garage. “Did you ever get in touch with Boomer?”

Carrie frowned. She’d heard Peter mention that name before.

“No. Why?”

“I’m probably just hallucinating, but I swear I just saw him in your parking garage.”

Peter was quiet for a minute. “I’ll see if I can track him down. Is that all?”

“That’s all from me. Unless your girl has something to say.”

Carrie blushed. “Have a good day… Sir.”

Peter made a low humming sound. “I do like the sound of that. Be waiting for me when I get home and I’ll bring you dinner.”

“Can it be pasta?”

“If you’re waiting naked.”

She glanced at Gage who winked at her. “Just pretend I’m not here, hot stuff.”

“OK,” she finally said.

“Good girl.”

Then he said, “Keep her safe, Gage.”

The call disconnected, and Carrie closed her eyes. “Well, that was nice and awkward.”

Gage let out a loud laugh. “You act like I haven’t seen you play with half a dozen men before.”

He was right, but that had always been good fun. What she had with Peter was intimate and someone else seeing it made her feel exposed and vulnerable.

“I’m happy for you, Carrie. Be happy for yourself.”

Carrie smiled. “I am, Gage. I really am.”

He dropped her off and went to park his truck. She hated that he was stuck babysitting her all day, but she was glad to have the protection.

At her desk, she approved the initial list of segments for tonight’s show and sent out emails to various associate producers, bookers, and other staff with assignments before she let herself turn to the only thing she really wanted to work on.

Everything came down to Rip or R.I.P. depending on how you read it, and she had no idea how to go about figuring out who they were. Something told her he’d been at the Doll House whenever she was there. Did that mean he worked for them?

She made a dozen phone calls until she found out who owned the Doll House. There was something familiar about the parent company. She searched for the name, and her heart rate increased when she found it inside the black budget documents Rip had sent her.

“Holy fuck,” she whispered to herself. She had to get back to the Doll House. It had to be where all the answers were hidden.

But there was no way she could get past Gage. Her best chance was tonight after Peter fell asleep. She felt a twinge of guilt over the idea of breaking his trust, but this was her job and she couldn’t just sit at home and not do it.

That evening, Peter brought her pasta and a giant slice of cake for dessert, causing her to feel even more guilt as she cut into the dessert. “Aren’t you going to have some?” He shook his head and heat shrouded his gaze.

“I’m planning to have you for dessert,” he said, his voice low and dark and full of sexual promise.

Later, when his mouth was sucking hard at her clit, that promise was fulfilled tenfold. When he finally straddled her and slid inside, she was tender and swollen, making the feel of him stretching her even more intense. As he drove into her, he commanded her to come one final time, and together they fell into bliss. The guilt came rushing back as they cleaned up and curled into each other.

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