River Sterling looked startled and practically jumped, waving his hands frantically. "Of course not! You know how writers are—all quiet and serious. But I’m so rowdy. We’re from completely different worlds. How could we possibly be a match made in heaven?"

Although Clara Grant didn’t agree with River Sterling’s assessment that all writers were quiet and serious, from what she knew of Rhys Ryston, the author truly was a very deep person with a lot of substance. Clara figured she probably wouldn’t be interested in a flirt like River Sterling, who was always chasing after women.

And River Sterling, in turn, wouldn’t like a woman with such a reserved personality.

So, she pouted and stopped teasing him.

She bit her lip, thinking for a moment. Then, she looked at Seth Quinn and River Sterling and said, "Why don’t I talk to her? I can try to find out why she’s unwilling to sell the rights."

River Sterling was overjoyed. "That would be amazing!"

Seth Quinn nodded as well. "That could work. After all, you’re closer to her, so some things will be easier for you to say. I just hate to trouble you with it."

Seeing Seth Quinn doting on his woman again, River Sterling grinned and clasped his hands together toward Clara Grant. "Clara—ah, no, sister-in-law! We’re counting on you! Thank you!"

Clara Grant quickly waved her hand in embarrassment. "It’s no trouble at all."

After he finished speaking, River Sterling happened to glance at Seth Quinn and saw the man staring intently at him, which he found a bit confusing.

Seth Quinn said with a sigh, "Is there anything else?"

"Nope." River was confident that with Clara on the case, success was guaranteed, so he replied breezily.

"Then why aren’t you leaving?" Seth Quinn raised an eyebrow, basically kicking him out.

River Sterling froze for a moment, then he understood. He was being a third wheel.

"I’m leaving, I’m leaving right now," he said, grinding his teeth. ’Seth is such a classic case of choosing a girl over his bros! He treats women like they’re his own limbs and his brothers like they’re disposable clothes!’

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly spun around, leaned in close to Seth Quinn, and gave him a wicked smile. "Seth, try to keep it down. We’re at the office, after all. Making too much of a ruckus would be a bad look, hmm?"

With that, he gave Seth a meaningful wink, stood up, and left. "I’m outta here."

Clara Grant was standing right beside them; of course she’d heard what River Sterling said. Her pretty face was already flushed a deep crimson. She turned to Seth Quinn and grumbled, "That River Sterling! If I’d known he’d say something like that, I never would have agreed to help him!"

Her charmingly flustered expression made Seth Quinn’s heart race. He pulled her into his arms and settled her onto his lap, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Alright," he chuckled, "we won’t help him. We’ll let him sort it out himself."

Clara Grant shot him a glare and covered his mouth with her hand as he leaned in for another kiss. "You... you better not try anything."

To her surprise, Seth Quinn simply kissed the palm of her hand. He then raised an eyebrow with a grin. "Don’t worry. If I’m going to ’try anything,’ I’ll wait until tonight."

...

’She was so not going back to his apartment tonight!’

This was the first time Clara had ever sat on a man’s lap in such an intimate way. She tried to stand up, but Seth Quinn’s grip was too strong; she couldn’t escape.

So, she shifted awkwardly on his lap, but that only made things even more embarrassing a second later.

Because she could clearly feel a certain... unmentionable part of him instantly spring to life, pressing hard against her.

Clara’s face, which had only been tinged with pink before, was now completely scarlet. She struggled again, trying to get off his lap, but Seth stopped her, his voice tight. "Don’t. Move."