Sharing Her Heart

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

T wo weeks later, Felicity paced by her front door, glancing at her watch. The email said the car picking her up for dinner with Nathan and John would arrive at six o’clock. It was still a few minutes before six, but she couldn’t help but feel impatient. Impatient and anxious. She had spent the entire afternoon getting ready for dinner, even using one of her precious vacation days so she could miss work.

Her dress was new; a fitted navy blue dress that was elegant but not too formal. It hugged her figure just enough to boost her confidence, with a flattering neckline that dipped slightly into a soft V-shape. The dress had short sleeves, and the material shimmered subtly in the fading light. It was the most she’d spent on a single outfit in a long time, but it was worth it to Felicity. She hoped Nathan and John loved it.

To complete the look, she had chosen a simple pair of black heels with just enough height to make her feel poised but not so tall that she’d be uncomfortable. A pair of delicate silver earrings dangled from her ears, catching the light as she moved, and she’d pulled her hair into soft waves that cascaded down her shoulders, keeping her makeup light and natural with a hint of color on her lips. The email had simply said to dress for a fancy dinner. She’d tried hard to strike the perfect balance between dressing elegantly and not looking like she had tried too hard.

It had also come up with an NDA that she needed to sign. Felicity was not surprised by that. Nathan and John were notoriously private. Nothing proved this more than that they’d somehow managed to remain anonymous at a time when everyone else with a social media following shared every detail of their lives.

This level of mystery only fueled the fans' curiosity, and over the years, there had been countless rumors and leaks about their identities. From supposed photos surfacing on obscure fan sites to wild theories about them being famous authors themselves. Some fans were relentless in their search to unmask them, and entire forums were dedicated to piecing together clues.

There were even stories about alleged fan encounters with the two mythical figures in the podcasting and audiobook world. Tales of romantic and sexual meetings, most of which sounded too ridiculous to be true but only served to fuel the online fervor of the fans desperate to know the voices behind some of their fantasies.

One story stood out more than the rest—a woman claimed to have been in a relationship with Nathan and John for several months. The theory sounded just as wild as the others. Still, it grew very popular when the woman disappeared just as suddenly as she’d appeared, leaving behind dozens of unverified stories about her time with the two mysterious podcasters.

Felicity, however, had never cared about knowing who they were. She wasn’t in it for the mystery. She loved their voices, their dynamic, and how they made every story come alive. Sure, it was hard to avoid the online gossip about them, especially with how obsessed some fans had become. She knew all about the wild lore surrounding them and the theories about their age, location, relationships, and even sexuality, but none of it mattered to her. She just loved the podcast.

So she had no problem signing the NDA. It was fairly standard: no pictures, no recordings, and no sharing details of the dinner itself. Felicity had signed without hesitation. She had no intention of violating their privacy. If anything, she admired how they had managed to keep their lives out of the spotlight for so long. But as she signed, she couldn’t help but wonder what the night had in store for her and what she would learn about these two.

The sound of a car pulling up outside snapped her back to reality, and she peeked through her window to see a sleek black car parked at the curb. She knew it had to be the car for her, but she still waited. The email had said the driver would call to let her know when he arrived. It was nice to know Nathan and John were doing everything to make her feel safe.

When her phone rang, she picked it up immediately, giddy with excitement when the caller announced that her ride was parked outside her building. Her heart raced as she grabbed her purse and checked her reflection one last time before heading out the door.

The cool evening air hit her the moment she stepped outside, making her nerves spike again. She took a deep breath and walked toward the car, trying to steady herself.

“Felicity Pearson?” the chauffeur asked as she approached the car, and she nodded.

“Yes… Yes, that’s me.”

“Good evening, ma’am,” he said as he opened the door for her. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Felicity said, smiling as she slid into the back seat. This was it. The night she’d been waiting for. She hadn’t even met Nathan and John yet, and somehow it was already the best night of her life.

The car stopped in front of a fancy restaurant in the middle of the city, and Felicity’s heart started to race again as she stepped out and walked up the steps to the restaurant entrance. The valet held the door open for her, and she gave him a quick smile before walking in, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor.

One look at the interior of the restaurant and Felicity wondered if she should have bought a fancier dress. Everything from the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the elegant tables draped in pristine white cloths to the room's decor and even the live band playing soft jazz music in the corner screamed opulence. This was not just a fancy restaurant. It was the fancy restaurant. Not the place a woman on a schoolteacher salary would ever imagine herself being in.

A host dressed impeccably in black greeted her with a warm but professional smile. "Good evening, ma'am. Do you have a reservation?"

Felicity swallowed her nerves and replied, “Yes, it’s under Felicity Hargrove. I’m supposed to meet some people here...”

The host scanned the reservation list, then nodded. “Ah, yes. You’re expected. Right this way, please.”

Felicity followed him through the bustling dining room, past elegantly dressed patrons, and her nerves started creeping up her spine. She grabbed her purse tighter, feeling her heart beating fast in her chest. They walked toward the back, away from the more open dining area, where the tables became more private and intimate. Finally, they reached a secluded booth near the rear of the restaurant. Felicity’s heart skipped a beat when she saw the two men seated there, waiting for her.

She blinked, taken aback for a moment. For years, she’d had an image of Nathan and John in her head, an idea of what they would look like that she formed from listening to their voices. She was wrong. To start with, they were both older than she’d expected. A lot older. She had pictured them to be around her age, maybe a decade older at the most.

Nathan and John looked like they were in their mid-fifties… Maybe forties, she thought again as she got closer. They had a maturity about them that she had not expected, but that didn’t make them any less striking. In fact, they were even more good-looking than she had imagined. Ridiculously so as well.

The man sitting closest to her; the one she instinctively assumed was Nathan, was big and burly, his frame muscular and imposing. He had a full beard, well-groomed with a hint of salt and pepper in his hair, and his broad shoulders stretched the fabric of his suit jacket. He had a smile on his face as she approached, his sharp blue eyes twinkling with warmth.

John sat next to him with a glass of wine in his hand. He was leaner but still fit, his tailored suit sitting well on his toned frame. He had left his jet-black hair to grow too long, and now it brushed the nape of his shirt and some even fell over his eyes. Eyes that seemed fixed on her as soon as she appeared. Almost like he’d known who she was before she even got to the table. Her heartbeat quickened under the intensity of his gaze.

Suddenly, it didn’t matter how old they were. Or maybe it did. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that her mouth had gone dry at the sight of them and the beating of her chest no longer had anything to do with how nervous she was to meet two of her biggest idols and more to do with the fact that she was about to eat dinner with two elderly, drop-dead gorgeous men whose voices had fueled her fantasies for years.

Felicity’s first thought was to turn around and run away. That would probably be less embarrassing than whatever she was about to do in front of them. But it was too late, and she found herself standing at the table.

“Good evening,” the big burly man said, getting to his feet, his eyes twinkling with warmth and an air of mischief that could only come from one person.

She knew then that she had been wrong. This was John, not Nathan. Yet another shock to her already shaken system. She had assumed it the other way around. That this big man was the one with the deep, sometimes menacing, and always intense voice. The one that often played devil’s advocate on the podcast.

“Hi,” she blurted out, her brain spending precious few seconds to come up with that single word. “I’m Felicity…”

“Hi, Felicity,” John continued. “It’s wonderful to meet you. And you look incredible… love the dress,” he said, his eyes sparkling with genuine warmth as he smiled down at her. “Isn’t her dress stunning, Nathan?”

“Sure,” Nathan said, his eyes fixed on her as he took a sip of his wine. “She looks stunning.”

Felicity blushed deeply, trying to think of a response. She knew she should thank him for the compliment and tell them how good they looked too, but the words were caught in her throat and she could not find her voice.

“Congrats again on winning the dinner,” John said, stepping out to hold her chair out for her so she could take her seat[JS1] . “We’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

“You have?” she stammered.

“Of course. Now, the winner was chosen at random just like we said at the start of the contest, but I’ve seen how active you’ve been on our pages over the years. I know you’ve been a fan of ours for a very long time, so I was excited when I saw your name popped out.” He half turned to Nathan, who was still sitting back in his chair. “Tell her how excited I was, Nathan.”

“Oh, he was excited all right.” Nathan swirled the wine in his glass, his demeanor calm and reserved as he stared at Felicity. “Wouldn’t stop talking about how excited he is to finally meet one of our biggest fans.”

Felicity’s eyes widened. “You know about me?”

“Like I said, I’ve been reading your comments and posts about us for years. I’ve even replied to a couple of them myself.”

“You replied…?” She paused and swallowed, thinking about all the comments she had left on the podcast’s social media page over the years. Not all of them were clean, and she’d left a lot of them right after having a glass of wine or two and listening to the podcast. Meaning some of those comments were the embarrassing ramblings of a slightly drunk horny woman. “All of my comments?” she squeaked.

“Well, most of them, anyway.”

“I thought you hired someone to do that. You know, manage your social media pages.”

“Oh, we tried that once but decided we didn’t like it,” John replied.

“He hated it,” Nathan added. “He said he preferred having a personal connection with the fans.”

“So when I replied to your comments on my post…?”

“That’s right,” John said excitedly. “You were talking to me.”

“Oh God!” she groaned, cheeks turning red. “I didn’t know… I’m so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be,” he said. “It’s nice to know you love our work so much.”

“I do,” Felicity said, cheeks flushed as she stammered. “I can’t even believe I’m here today. Th-thank you! I-I… This is—this is unreal.” She could hear the awkwardness in her voice and cringed inwardly, trying to steady herself, but her nerves had a mind of their own. She stumbled over her words again. “I’ve been such a—such a big fan for years, and I’m just—I’m sorry, I can’t… I don’t know what to say.”

Nathan chuckled softly while John leaned in, his smile widening as he gave her a reassuring look. “Hey, take a deep breath,” he said, his voice gentle. “It’s just us. You don’t have to be nervous. We’re just happy to have you here.”

Felicity exhaled shakily, realizing she hadn’t been breathing properly since she walked up to them. She followed John’s advice, taking a slow, deep breath and feeling her shoulders relax slightly.

“Better?” John asked, still grinning.

She nodded, feeling a little more grounded. “Yeah, thank you. I just—I didn’t expect to be this nervous.”

“That’s okay,” Nathan added, his deep voice soothing. “Good girl. We’re real people, I promise. Just think of this as a fun dinner with friends.”

Felicity smiled, finally feeling the tension in her chest ease. "Right. Friends," she echoed softly.

“How about a glass of wine to start the evening?” he suggested, motioning for the server. “I was thinking we’ll have a glass of Domaine Lafage C?te Est Rousillon. You know…”

“The wine Brooke and Owen shared on the yacht when he told her he loved her in Sail with Me ,” Felicity finished immediately, grinning when John instantly looked impressed with her.

“I love that book,” he said softly.

“I know. You say it’s your favorite on the podcast all the time.” She paused and cleared her throat. “But I know your actual favorite book is Birch in the Boudoir .”

John’s eyes widened. “How did you…?”

She shyly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Nathan mentioned it once in a podcast two years ago, and I knew he was right because you didn’t argue with him about it. Even though you two argue about everything.”

John looked stunned as he turned to Nathan. “I think I just found my biggest fan.”

“Good for you,” Nathan said, his eyes twinkling with humor.

The server arrived, and John ordered the bottle of wine for the table. “So Felicity, what do you do?” he asked after the server left.

“Oh, me?” Felicity cleared her throat, still feeling a little nervous. “I’m a school teacher.”

“That’s awesome,” he exclaimed. “I consider teaching one of the most important professions, right next to food delivery guys,” he continued with a twinkle in his eyes. Felicity chuckled, relaxing a bit more as she and John chatted about her job.

“You look too young to be a teacher,” Nathan commented out of the blue, surprising Felicity a little. He’d mostly stayed quiet.

“She’s not that young,” John said, scowling at Nathan.

“She looks it, though,” Nathan replied, not taking his eyes away from Felicity. “Too young and way too hot to be a teacher… Well, maybe not too hot. I remember having a few drop-dead gorgeous teachers when I was in school, but she’s definitely too young. She looks like she should be taking the class, not teaching it.”

Felicity was stunned and unsure how to respond to that. “Um, thanks…” she said, her face heating. She was sure there was a compliment in there but wasn’t sure what part. Nathan didn’t take his eyes away from her, and for a moment, she found herself spellbound by his gaze.

If any other man looked at her the way he did, she would probably label them a creep, but it was different with him. Suddenly, it didn’t matter that he was so much older than her.

“I’m not that young, though,” she found herself saying. “I’m twenty-three. That makes me too old to still be in grade school, or high school for that matter.”

“Twenty-three?” Nathan snorted. “That’s practically a baby. You’ve barely experienced life at that age.”

It sounded like a challenge, and Felicity’s instinct was to rebel. “Yes, I have,” she retorted. “I’m not as naive as you think.”

“Didn’t say naive. I said inexperienced.” He swirled his wine in his glass, and the corner of his lips kicked up in a grin. “It’s not your fault. Most people your age simply haven’t had the chance to experience all that life has to offer. Or meet anyone kind enough to show that to them.”

“And can you show me all that life has to offer, Nathan?” she snapped, glaring at him.

“Maybe,” he replied so softly she had to lean forward to hear him. “And it’s Mr. Wilder to you, missy.”

“That’s enough,” John finally stepped in. “Nathan, stop teasing her. Pay him no mind,” he said to Felicity. “He likes toying with people.”

“Oh, it’s okay… I…” Felicity stopped when she saw the smile on Nathan’s face turned mischievous, without losing that hint of wickedness about it, and knew he’d been pulling her leg. She smiled a little, accepting that it had all been in good fun. “Very funny, Mr. Wilder.”

He chuckled, settling back in his chair. “So what is it like teaching the leaders of tomorrow?”

“Exhausting and frustrating. I’ll never give it up for anything,” she finished with a grin. “I love my job, and I guess that makes the bad parts not so bad and the good parts great…”

The server arrived as she talked about her job, and she found herself relaxing more and more with them. They moved on to other topics, and Felicity was surprised to realize she was doing much of the talking. Considering how boring it was, she’d never imagined she had so much to say about her life, but Nathan and John were proving her wrong.

They wanted stories about being a schoolteacher. They asked about all her favorite things, and she and John almost jumped out of their seats in excitement when they discovered they loved the same bands and had even attended the same concert a few years ago.

Nathan and John also answered her questions… Well, John answered her questions. Nathan mostly stayed silent, watching the proceedings from his seat with an amused grin and chipping in with a comment here and there. She was not surprised by this. It matched his personality on the show exactly. He’d always had a quiet intensity about him that she’d always found fascinating. It was even more interesting seeing it in person and the few times she glanced over, she found him staring at her. Like he was studying her.

It should make her uncomfortable. It didn’t. Instead, it made her feel something else. Something she had no desire to explore in the middle of a nice dinner with two of her favorite idols who looked like they were old enough to be her father.

When it came to time to order, she couldn’t decide what she wanted to eat. Half the items on the menu were not familiar to her and she wasn’t sure what it was she wanted to eat anyway. When the server arrived, she spent a few minutes staring at the menu and began to panic when she still couldn’t decide what she wanted to eat.

“She’ll have the coq au vin. Serve that with mashed potatoes and some green salad,” Nathan interjected, ordering for her and giving the server explicit instructions on how he wanted her meal prepared.

“Thank you,” Felicity said, blushing after the server left. “I don’t know why I get so frazzled with stuff like this.”

“You’ll be surprised at how hard simple decisions can be sometimes,” John replied, smiling kindly at her. “Especially when there are so many choices to pick from.”

She nodded. “Sometimes, I wish I could have someone to make all the silly choices for me,” she added, laughing. “Like what to wear, or eat, or even what to do sometimes. You don’t want to know how long it took me to decide what to wear this evening.”

“Oh, that’s okay?—”

“How long?” Nathan interrupted John.

Felicity was a little surprised. “Um… A few days at least. I was originally going to wear this silver dress I got last year, but I was worried it would be too… shiny for a dinner date like this. Then I wanted to go for a red dress, but I wasn’t sure about what shoes I would wear with it…” She rambled on for a few minutes, and her cheeks heated when she realized how long she’d been talking. “Sorry for carrying on,” she apologized, looking embarrassed.

“It’s okay,” John reassured her. “It’s your night after all.”

Her grin widened. “I guess it is. I just didn’t know I’d be doing so much talking.”

“And do you need someone to tell you when to be quiet and when to speak too?” Nathan asked quietly.

Felicity paused, not sure if the question was meant as a joke. It was obviously not meant to be insulting judging by the look on his face and she got the sense he was expecting a genuine answer.

“Maybe,” she replied. “With the children, they talk so much that I barely need to say anything when I deal with them. I guess that’s why I talk so much around other adults. So yeah, maybe it won’t be the worst idea in the world to find someone to tell me to shut the fuck up sometimes,” she finished with a chuckle.

“That can be arranged,” Nathan replied, and for a second, she could have sworn he was drop-dead serious. Then she saw his lips twitch and knew he was joking.

“Well, let me know when you find a company that offers that service. I’ll subscribe to something like that pronto.”

Nathan was about to reply, but John shot him a look, and he reconsidered, simply shooting her a smile before returning to his drink. Their food arrived, and the conversation continued as they enjoyed their meal. Felicity’s food was delicious, and she was grateful she’d let Nathan order for her. No way could she have ordered something so good on her own.

As the food on their plates got smaller and smaller, the three of them talked about anything and everything, jumping from topic to topic. Felicity had a lot of questions for them, and they answered most of them, sharing stories about the podcasts and the early days of their partnership. As a huge fan of the duo who spent a lot of time online, she already knew most of the story, but hearing it from them was different.

By the time the server came to clear the dinner plates from the table, Felicity had already decided it was the best night of her life.

“So how was that?” John asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“Oh, it was amazing,” Felicity exclaimed immediately. “It’s the best date I’ve been on in a long time…” She heard herself at the last moment and blushed deeply. “I meant dinner… It’s the best dinner I’ve had in a long time.”

“It’s okay,” John said, humor twinkling in his eyes. He’d gone to great lengths to put her mind at ease throughout the dinner, and she still couldn’t believe that he was the softer of the two. “It can be a date if you want. Friends have dinner dates all the time.”

“Friends?”

“Well, after tonight, I’d like to think we’re friends at the very least.”

Felicity’s heart skipped a beat. “I’d like that,” she said. “I’d like that very much.”

“Then it’s settled. You’ve got two new friends. Who knows, maybe we can go on another date sometime soon,” he joked, and she laughed.

“Unless you’ve got someone in your life who would object to you going on a date with two gentlemen,” Nathan asked.

Felicity shook her head immediately. “No, there’s no one.”

“Really?” He leaned forward. “No boyfriend… Partner…?”

“No.” She cleared her throat, not sure why she felt embarrassed about that. “I’m single.”

“That’s ridiculous,” John said in an exaggerated manner that made her chuckle. “You know this country is going to hell when a pretty woman like yourself is still single.”

“And how long have you been single?” Nathan asked, his quiet intensity the opposite of John’s friendly and playful manner. Somehow, they made it work.

“For a while,” she admitted.

“How long?” he asked again, not taking his eyes from her.

“A year… Almost two,” she replied.

“Why?”

She blinked. “What?”

“Why did you and your ex break up?”

“I don’t think that’s any of our business,” John said, shooting Nathan a warning glare.

Nathan ignored him. “What happened? Did you break up with him, or did you break up with him?”

Felicity was quiet for a few seconds. She knew she didn’t have to answer, but looking into Nathan’s eyes, she knew she was going to. “He broke up with me,” she replied quietly. “We met freshman year in college and was together all through college. Then about six months after I graduated, he said he was done. To be fair, we’d been heading in that direction for a while, but I was still shocked when it happened. He said it was because I’m boring, but I think it had more to do with this new girl he met at his job.”

Nathan was quiet for a few seconds, not taking his eyes away from her. “So you used to date an idiot,” he finally remarked, and she snorted a laugh.

“I guess I used to.”

“Did he really tell you he was leaving you because you were too boring?”

She nodded, still amused by his reaction. For so long, her last heartbreak had been a source of pain to her. It was the first time she’d been able to laugh at those memories. “He has a point to be fair. My life is pretty boring. I don’t go rock climbing or bungee jumping like the new girl. I hate going to the clubs, and my idea of a perfect night is sitting under my blanket with a good book.”

“What’s boring about that?” Nathan asked, looking confused.

Felicity raised a brow. “Most people would consider books being your only hobby pretty boring.”

“Most people are idiots,” Nathan said with a scowl, and Felicity burst into laughter. She was starting to find his grumpy demeanor charming. “You read books that tell stories about a million different people, places, and cultures. Your ex could have gone on thousands of adventures with you if he’d not been too blind to see just how amazing you are.”

Felicity’s breath hitched. When she broke up with Blake[JS2] , her friends had told her dozens of different things to make her feel better, but nothing had taken the sting out of being called boring. She’d even tried to change who she was. She went to clubs with her friends, signed up for a yoga class, and even considered joining a scuba diving club.

Then she realized that person was not her and gave it all up, deciding to be herself. If that meant being boring, she was fine with it, even if it still hurt a little. Hearing Nathan explain it the way he just did suddenly made it not hurt at all. He was right. She was not boring. She had just been with an idiot who didn’t see her for the interesting person she was.

“Thank you,” she said to him, meaning it genuinely. “I’ve never thought of it like that.”

He nodded curtly without saying a word, and she found it even more adorable.

“So how about dessert?” John interjected, and Felicity nodded excitedly.

This time, she didn’t bother looking at the menu, trusting John to order something for her, which he did. And when it arrived, it was as amazing as she’d expected it to be.

As the night continued with conversation, laughter, and warmth, Felicity realized what made having dinner with these two so exciting. It was probably the same reason she loved the podcast so much, even though she’d not noticed it until now. It was like having dinner with two rich older friends. They had the best stories, were splurging on an expensive dinner for her and made her feel good in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“So what story are you reading next?” she asked, cutting a slice of her creamy dessert. They both shared a glance, and she was immediately worried she’d asked a question she wasn’t supposed to. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I don’t mind waiting to hear it on your podcast like everything else.”

John grinned. “Well, it’s not supposed to be public knowledge so I need to know if you can keep a secret, Felicity.”

“Yes!” she blurted out immediately and cleared her throat. “I can keep a secret.”

“Let’s just say the book we recording for an audiobook right now has not been released yet. It is a sequel to the first book and fans have been waiting for it for a very long time. Can you guess which book it is?”

“ Whispers of Midnight ?” Felicity guessed immediately.

“Not that one.”

“It’s romance alright. Really spicy romance between a gentleman and the woman who used to be married to his brother…”

“ Promises of Forever ,” she interjected impatiently.

“That’s the one,” John said, grinning at her.

Felicity jerked back. “You have a copy of Promises of Forever ? It doesn’t come out for another month.”

“That’s right. We were sent an advanced copy to narrate the audiobook. It is going to be released with the book.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re kidding, right?!”

“No, he’s not,” Nathan said, amused by her reaction.

Felicity didn’t care. “I can’t believe you get to read it already. I’d do anything to get my hands on that book.”

Nathan raised a brow. “Anything?”

She chuckled wryly. “I mean, yeah… Not that I’m asking you to show me the book or anything. It’s just…” She paused and exhaled, still brimming with excitement. “I loved the first book. I still can’t believe the first book was her first release. She’s so good.”

“You can take it on good authority that the second book is even better,” John teased.

“Oh my God!” Felicity cried. “You’re killing me. Now I wish I hadn’t asked. It’s going to be torture waiting for it now.”

“You really like the first book, don’t you?” Nathan asked.

“I don’t like it. I love it. I’ve read it like three times. Four times if you count the times I only read my favorite scenes.”

He cocked his head to the side. “And what were your favorite scenes?”

Felicity paused, and her cheeks turned red when she remembered the answer to his question. “Um… You know, some of the scenes in the book.”

“I know.” Nathan leaned forward, and she could almost swear it was the first time he had given her his full attention. “What scenes exactly?”

A tingle swept up the back of her neck and face. “You know… The romantic ones. Like when he told her he loved her the first time. And that scene with the boat…”

Nathan was quiet for a few seconds. “That’s not true, is it?” he asked, and Felicity said nothing. Her face was already betraying her. “I’m sure you loved the boat scene, but I think you really meant to say the scene just after the boat scene. You know, the one where they…”

“Nathan,” John interjected. “I think that’s enough. You’re making her uncomfortable.”

Nathan did not take his eyes away from Felicity. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”

She was quiet for a few seconds before shaking her head. “No.”

“So what scenes did you enjoy the most?” he asked softly.

Felicity stared back at him, held captive by his gaze. She knew he was challenging her and cursed her rebellious streak that made it nigh impossible for her to walk away from a challenge. Even if it meant embarrassing herself in front of a man she’d only just met a few hours ago.

“The spicy ones,” she replied, her voice cracking a little at first. It got stronger as she continued talking. “The kiss in the shed, the first time they made love at his house, and yes, the scene after the boat scene… where he fucked her.”

She’d meant to shock him with her answer. He simply looked amused and grinned at her as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs under the table. “And what do you do while you read those scenes, Felicity? What does Felicity do when she read how Kane held Ashley down and fucked her until she was crying and begging him not to stop?”

She sputtered, her cheeks going bright red as her jaw dropped.

“Okay, that was definitely too far,” John said. “Pay him no mind. He likes to play these games when he gets bored.”

“Wasn’t playing a game,” Nathan said, still looking at her. “And I promise you, I have not been bored for a single second since you walked into this room.”

Felicity cleared her throat. “I’m glad I could be a source of amusement for you.”

“Do you want to read a scene with us?” Nathan asked, and she blinked.

“Read a scene with you?”

He nodded. “John and I are considering the possibility of bringing in a third person to play Ashley’s part.”

She frowned. “Why would you need a third person to play Ashley’s part? I thought you and John just choose one character to play.”

“Usually, but these people required a third voice. It can work with two, but it will be better with three… and great if that third voice is yours.”

“What are you doing?” John snapped at him.

“What does it look like I’m doing? Getting the third voice we need for the story.” He glanced at his partner. “It was your idea to get a third person, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, and when I said that, I meant someone professional. You know, someone who knows what the hell they’re doing. Let’s not forget you shut that idea down…”

As the two men bickered back and forth, Felicity was busy trying to figure out what was strange about their request. And then it clicked.

“There are two men!” she gasped.

Nathan and John both turned to her.

“There are two men,” she said, barely unable to contain her excitement. “There’s going to be another man trying to win her from Kane, isn’t there?” They didn’t answer, but she was already on a roll. “It’s Harvey, isn’t it? I knew from the way the last book ended that he would be in the second book, but I assumed it would be with a new female character.”

“That’s right,” Nathan said. “Two men are going to be battling for Ashley’s[JS3] heart. That’s three main characters. So are you interested in voicing Ashley for us?”

Felicity paused. “Me? I don’t know… I don’t think I’ll be very good at that.

“This is a bad idea,” John said. “Nothing against you, Felicity, but Nathan is being an idiot.”

“You’re right,” Felicity said, agreeing with him. “I don’t know anything about recording audiobooks. My voice…”

“Is perfect,” he said. “Soft, sweet, with a hint of innocence. Just like Ashley.” He leaned forward. “Listen to her, John. Imagine Ashley’s words in her voice. Listen to that voice beg Kane not to let Harvey steal her heart and tell me you don’t see Ashley in your head.”

Felicity chuckled awkwardly. “I don’t think that’s… That can’t be true. I’m nothing like Ashley. She’s like a boss CEO, and I teach multiplication tables to fourth graders.”

“Doesn’t matter,” John said, his mind slowly changing as he listened to her. “You are a woman, and that’s all that matters. I hate to say it, but Nathan’s right. You sound perfect for it.”

Nathan turned to her. “So what do you say? Interested in being a part of our audiobook?”

Felicity looked at both men, unable to believe what was happening. “I don’t know…”

“Yes, you do.” He was holding her gaze again. Deep pools of gray and green, his eyes pulled her deeper and deeper until there was no escaping. “I’m not asking you to jump from a plane with a backpack or climb Everest. I just need you to read a few lines on a page. How hard can that be?”

It was hard not to be excited by what they offered.

“We can go to the studio right now and get it done,” Nathan continued. “Read one chapter with me, and if it doesn’t work out, that’s fine.”

“It would be amazing to have you,” John said, smiling softly at her. “Now that Nathan’s gotten me to think about it, I honestly cannot imagine someone else playing that role.”

“You can say no,” Nathan replied. “But ask yourself how you would feel in a few months when you listen to the book and know you turned down a chance to be a part of it.”

Felicity looked at them and knew what her answer was. “Okay,” she finally said. “Let’s do this.”

It was hard not to be excited after everything they’d said, and she shook with excitement as Nathan summoned a server to ask for the check. A few minutes later, the three of them were in the car, driving to the studio. Felicity could not believe that she’d gone from having dinner with her two idols to now following them to record an audiobook together.

This was officially the best day of her life, and she couldn’t wait to see what else the night held for her.