"So, I was thinking, and I believe it's your turn." Robin's voice appears from the doorway of the kitchen. 

Looking up from my computer, I meet his gaze and find it expectant. My heart flutters at the sight of him: bed head, pajamas, leaning his shoulder against the door jam, and staring at me with twinkly eyes and his hands in his pockets. 

To avoid spontaneous implosion from having that image in my head, I dropped my eyes back to my screen and started to type in my email drafts: Oh my god oh my god oh my god so attractive what am I going to do I should be writing an email, but I can't focus because oh my god...

"My turn?" I answer carefully, slowing my typing speed and narrowing my eyes to look focused on my work. "For what?" 

He hums, walking toward the coffee pot in the corner. Robin turns his back to me as he pours himself a cup. It gives me the perfect chance to openly gawk at him, something I had started to do more often than I'd like to admit. 

Last night we drove around for hours. We got food, listened to each other's playlists, ate ice cream, walked through the few stores that were open, and ended the night sitting in the park where a live band was playing for a community event.

By the time we got home it was late, hence Robin walking into the kitchen on this Saturday morning at 10 am in his pajamas and me sitting at the counter in mine. We had only woken up two hours apart or so. 

Looking at him now, however, only made me wish we had stayed out later. Just so I could have lived in that day for a while longer with him. We only had a few days in the holiday left before returning to work, and who knows what would happen then. 

If you take this any further, we won't come back from it... I won't come back from it. 

That sentence echoed in my mind as he turned to face me with coffee in hand. My heart twisted with excitement and longing for all the unknowns we had set out to explore together, but there was also apprehension. Robin smiled a bit as our eyes met, and each word seemed to fall on me more critically. 

He took the seat next to me, holding my eyes as he took a drink. Then Robin cleared his throat, peeked at my computer, and said, "Well, technically I'm here on business as your very professional associate. I did my work yesterday. So, today it's your turn to teach me a skill for the book." 

"Ah," I nod, folding my arms on the counter in front of me to bring us closer. He watches me with an amused expression as I feign disappointment, "So all that romance was for work yesterday and you're just  here on business?" 

"Exclusively," Robin replies, leaning forward slightly. "Strictly buisness." 

I lean in further, and start to smile, "I see. So, what you're saying, is you don't come here often?" 

"Are you... hitting on me?" He lowers his voice, tilting his head to the side and sliding his hands across the counter to loop a few of his fingers through mine.

Of course, I immediately shiver, and Robin's eyes darken. I flash a look at his lips, linger for a moment, then sigh as if bored and move to sit straight, "There's only one coffee pot and I need to know if you're going to hog it." 

He freezes, still leaning halfway over the counter expectantly. Robin lets out a laugh under his breath and slowly slides back into his seat. When I grin smugly at my computer and pretend to type again, he breathes out in quiet incredulity, "Wow. So, this is the real you. Unbelievable." 

Not bothering to hide my self-satisfaction from getting him worked up, I spare a glance at him. Then I raise my eyebrow, "I am very busy working, being a famous writer, so if there's nothing else..." 

Robin takes up his coffee and makes a point of loudly drinking it. Then he stands up, glares at me as he walks back to the coffee pot and sets down his mug. I expect him to fill his mug up to the brim as an act of rebellion. Instead, he pointedly lifts his eyebrow at me, unplugs the coffee pot, sweeps it into his arms, and walks out of the room. I had to cover my mouth with my hand so he wouldn't hear me snicker.

--

After finishing my emails, getting ready, rescuing the coffee pot from my room, and restoring balance to the household, Robin and I set out to do our next research project. As far as skills went, I had a select few and nearly all of them pertained to sitting at a desk and typing for hours on end. So, the minute we got in the car, I was wracking my brain for something to teach him.  

As a way of delaying the project until I could think of something, I suggested we go to the library so I could print out a few of the edited chapters I'd been working on before getting started. Meanwhile, he could see a special part of where I grew up. Which wasn't untrue. I spent way more time at the library as a kid than at home. 

"Do you plan on seducing me over a printer only to brutally reject me?" He replied to my idea grumpily, buckling in his seatbelt but not starting the car. "Because if that's what you're planning, I'm taking back the coffee pot for real this time." 

Grinning, I shook my head, "I plan on seducing you over the water cooler. Then I'll publicly reject you. It's more romantic that way." 

Robin snorted, breaking into an upside-down smile, "Just remember, If I steal that water cooler out of principle, you're the one responsible." 

"Fair." I chuckled, "But, on second thought, maybe It would be best to seduce you in the stacks by the romance section." 

This intrigues him, and Robin turns in his seat slightly to look at me straight on, "Oh, really? And why not in the romance section itself?" 

"Well," I grin to hold in the mixture of delight and utter embarrassment in my body. I'm already cringing to the core when I say, "Because when I seduce you, I want it to go down in the history books." 

"Oh, wow!" He burst into immediate laughter, "Was that yours? Did you make that line up or pull it from a pickup catalogue? Cancel your subscription. Immediately. That was terrible!" 

I covered my face, trying to contain my laugh, "I regret it so much."

"And you call me cheesy?" He chuckled, and visibly squirmed in his seat. 

Then, just when I thought he'd settled back down, Robin laughed with his whole chest, "Why do I feel like it still worked on me?" 

Neither of us could stop laughing on our way to the library after that. 

Once we arrived, we walked into the foyer together. Robin stood, looking around for a moment before trailing after me toward the circulatory desk. We arranged to borrow a computer and printer, then walked toward the computer lab at the back of the library. Neither of us made eye contact when we passed the history section. Although, I did hear Robin mask a chuckle as a fake cough. 

Turning the corner leading to the lab, I spotted my computer on the end and walked toward it. However, as I passed, I caught sight of a patron's screen on the first isle. The minute I saw the picture, I froze in place making robin bump into me. He turned to see what I was distracted by. 

Maizy Barker was sitting on the set of Writer's Weekly,  smiling brightly at the camera as she gestured at Delynn Crawley in the other seat. Up on the screen was the scandal picture of her and Robin next to their movie poster. We both watched as the screen changed to show another picture of Delynn and Robin smiling on the red carpet, after which a picture of my face flashed across the screen. 

"Excuse me," Robin was tapping the woman at the computer, and she removed her headphones. Once she caught sight of him, her jaw dropped, and she glanced at the screen. Of course, he was still one of the faces on the screen. 

The woman drew in a sharp breath. "Oh! It's... You." 

He offered a small smile, "Can you turn that up please?"

"Of course," She breathed, gawking a moment too long before turning to the computer and pulling her headphones from the aux. 

Sound erupted from the speakers, as Robin and I leaned in on either side of the woman. She passed a curious glance at me before going back to watching the show. Maizy clapped her hands with the audience as Delynn took a drink of water. 

"Well, Delynn, I have to say I am thrilled for this new development in your career. And to come here and so bravely confront the rumors about you and your co-star... I have to say, it's refreshing to see a transparent celebrity!" 

The audience burst into applause again. Delynn flashed a charming smile, before adjusting her hair and waving to quiet down. Once things were quiet, she spoke in that same haunting voice.

 "Thank you, Maizy, I am happy to be here. So many things were said about Robin and me. I regret that scandals can seem so much more terrible than they really are. I mean, who hasn't done something a little out of character after a bottle of champagne? The only difference between our experiences is that I was followed that night by a malicious paparazzi who took this photo and sold it without consent." 

The screen changed to show the scandal photo. Delynn traced the image slowly before speaking again, "It was a vulnerable and scary time for me to have my feelings and private life exposed, and more importantly it hurt someone I cared about. I want to heal that wound." 

The audience awed, and Maizy made sure to comment on such a "down-to-earth" attitude before mentioning that Antonia Crawley had also volunteered to direct the movie as a show of good faith and to ensure the novel's success. 

"It seems like everyone is behind Emelia Aplin's new work!" Maizy smiles with all her teeth, and they gleam a bit under the stage lights, "How do you feel entering into not only a new genre of film, but with an old flame?" 

"I don't want there to be any animosity between the two of us, or with the public, if we are going to start a new and exciting adventure together with this book adaptation. Emelia is a talented writer and a good friend. She deserves the best. That's what we'll give to her." 

Delynn's eyes found the camera directly, and I felt as if she were looking right at me when she said, "As for old flames, I am proud to be working with Robin Moore again. It's only right that we should pick up where we left off: with a romance. Please, look forward to seeing us on screen and on the page of Emelia Aplin's upcoming novel." 

The crowd erupted into cheers as Maizy beamed at Delynn. Her blue eyes shined like two evil beacons as they roamed over the studio reaction. Once she had the crowd under control, Maizy stared at the camera, "Find out more details about the movie and book's release dates, Delynn's story as an upcoming actress, and get a sneak peek at the previous work of cinema's dark horse of romance: Robin Moore! When we come back." 

The show cut to commercial, leaving the three of us staring at the screen. After a moment, the woman cleared her throat and turned to look at Robin and I, "Well... It's, um, nice to meet you both. Congratulations on your movie and book..." 

"Thanks." I breathed out, still staring at the screen as if it were about to split open and swallow me whole. 

That's when my phone started to ring.

Looking at Robin, who was staring at his phone ringing in his hand, my stomach dropped. He flashed his eyes up to me before answering his call. I picked mine up as well. 

"Hi, Henry?"

"We have a big problem... You need to come back now. Both of you." 

-------

Well helloooo Lovelies!!!

How are we? Good? ^~^ I missed you!

So, what do you think, huh? That dang Maizy is causing my little brain cats trouble! Speaking of, I realized something crazy today and I must warn you; things are wrapping up soon! We only have 10 chapters or so left of this story :,)

I know, you might be thinking:

"But how? So much is left unresolved! What about Maizy? What about the Crawleys'? What about the book release and the deadline?? What really happened between Robin and Delynn? Do Henry and Desi get together? What is the meaning of life?!"

Don't worry, It's all under control...

*Sirens blare in the distance. *

*Disembodied crashing sounds*

*Emergency personnel are unloading from a comically small ambulance*

... All under control :)

Annywayyyy~~~

Have a momentous day/night and I'll see you soon <3

with love,

e.g.