Page 51 of Claim to Fame

Ethan leaned against the counter at her side, popping a cherry tomato half in his mouth while he considered his answer. “I had a business meeting.”

“Do you do a lot of business in Boston?” she asked, scraping crushed cloves of garlic from her cutting board to drop into the sizzling butter.

He ran his hand over his jaw, scratching at his beard. He’d told her about Steph and Tessa, and maybe it was because he’d had enough of sharing his secrets for the time being, but he wasn’t sure whythisfelt like the more vulnerable confession. What would she think when she found out that the voice she’d been listening to on all those AK Wild novels she loved so much was his? And what did it mean that she hadn’t recognized his voice? His British accent wasn’tthatgood.

“Occasionally,” he said, turning to retrieve a loaf of Tessa’s sourdough from the breadbox at the other end of the counter. He held it up for her approval. “Bread?”

She nodded and he busied himself with slicing the loaf into even pieces and setting a fresh stick of butter in the antique milk glass butter dish. She watched him from the corner of her eye as she pushed the shallots and garlic around the pan, her lips pressed tightly together. He hated it. He wanted her soft and open.

“It’s more a hobby than a business,” he said at last.

She lifted her head to look at him, waiting for him to continue.

Here goes nothing.

“I narrate audiobooks. Only for one author. She lives in Boston.” He glanced up to find her staring at him, eyes narrowed and brow lowered as she tried to work through what he’d said.

“Audiobooks,” she repeated.

“Romance audiobooks.” He sighed, cuffing the back of his neck. “For AK Wild. I’m—”

Hannah gasped. She pressed her hands to her mouth and the spatula clattered to the floor, her eyes going wide. “You’re Slade Hardcastle!”

He gave a tight nod and bent to pick up the spatula. When he stood back up, she was blushing something fierce. He rinsed the spatula in the sink and held it out to her.

She snatched it from his hands and used the wide, flat end to hit him on the bicep. “Why didn’t you tell me yesterday?”

“Hey, now,” he said, dodging another strike with a smirk. “I didn’t want to embarrass you.”

“Embarrass me? Are you kidding me? This is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard!”

It was Ethan’s turn to look confused. “Really?”

“Yes, really! You’re famous!”

“I am not famous.”

“Slade Hardcastle is,” she countered, turning back to the pan on the stove. “Do you know how many times—” She cut herself off with a shake of the head.

“What, Han?” He moved behind her as she worked, not quite touching her but close enough to see the goosebumps rise on the back of her neck.

“I’ve listened toThe Lady’s Knightsat least five times.” She dumped the bowl of tomatoes into the pan and glanced back at him, a smile tugging at her lips. “There are entire fan accounts dedicated to you on social media. Do you know how many women would kill to be staying at Slade Hardcastle’s house?”

His hand curled around her hip. “I only really care about one woman.”

She poured a healthy splash of wine into the pan, shaking the tomatoes around in it, ignoring his comment. “Do your friends know?”

“Only Baz.”

“And now me.”

If he wasn’t mistaken, there was pride in her voice. He set his other hand on her hip, tugging her gently back towards him. “Are we friends, sweetheart?”

“Well, I don’t usually cook dinner for people whoaren’tmy friends,” she said, turning off the stove and spinning in his hold to face him.

He didn’t miss the way her breathing hitched when he pulled her closer. He hummed low in his throat as he considered her words. “I don’t usually want to kiss my friends.”

She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, as though that could hide her smile. “I don’t know. Baz seems very kissable.” Ethan grunted and increased the pressure of his hold on her hips, but his reaction only seemed to delight her further. Her eyes sparkled, color dancing across her irises like ripples in the bay after a spring storm. “He’s got that broody, mysterious thing going for him.”

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