Page 75 of Total Shutdown

Me

Oh, Baby Girl, I can confidently confirm it’s neither of those things.

Collins

We’re going with the nickname then.

Me

I don’t see you objecting to it anymore.

Collins

No, I am not.

“Doyou think Jack and Kendra have used the handcuffs yet?”

Still smiling like a fool, I lock my screen and set my phone down on the duvet next to me.

Turning to Archer, who has fully woken and is lying on his side, facing me, hands clasped between his head and the pillow, I balk at the thought of Jack getting it on.

“Why in the world would you be thinking about your center and his fiancée having sex?”

Archer rolls onto his back, interlacing his fingers across his chest. “I’m not in that sense. I just can’t believe you got away with it.”

“We got away with it because you haven’t said anything—thank Christ.”

He runs his pinched fingers across his lips, zipping them shut. “This mouth is forever sealed.”

I tap my phone screen once, checking the time and how long we have until the team bus pulls up. “Is that a promise?”

He pushes his head back into the pillow, a grumble rising from his throat. “I’m always the butt of your jokes. No one takes me seriously around here.” He swings his legs over the edge of the bed and sits up, facing me. “And I can be one hundred percent trusted and serious when I need to be, you know? Not everything is a game to me.”

I mirror his actions until we’re facing each other. “Name one thing you take seriously,” I say, lips trembling with amusement since I’m only goading him, just as he does with everyone else.

To my surprise, he flushes—full-on fucking flushes; hot pink takes over his face and chest since—once a-fucking-gain—he isn’t wearing a shirt.

Collapsing back on his bed with a thud, he stares up at the white ceiling. “Never mind.”

Well, color me intrigued.

“Archer,” I demand, “what the fuck have you done this time? Please tell me you haven’t gotten it on with Kassie again.”

Archer’s jaw tics, his eyes remaining locked on the ceiling. “Nope. No danger of that.”

I flop onto my back in a wave of relief. “At least you learned the error of your ways with her. Maybe you’ll be a little more careful about who you hook up with in the future.”

“No danger of hooking up either.”

I’m back in a sitting position, relief replaced with concern. Not just in response to his statement, but the way he said it. I go to speak, but he cuts me off.

“I don’t want to talk about it because it’s pointless. So, can we just change the subject, please?” He pushes a stressed hand through his hair.

My concern increases. “Is everything okay, man?”

He puffs out a humorless laugh. “Yep. Everything is just peachy.”

“Oh, well, now I definitely believe you.”

---