*******Aubrey’s pov*******
Before signing the contract, I leaned back in my chair and burst into laughter. Ryder raised an eyebrow, clearly confused by my reaction. I could see the slight annoyance creeping into his expression, which only made me laugh harder.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, his voice low and irritated.
I looked him straight in the eye, still grinning. “Why are you so desperate for this, Ryder? Why do you want to keep me around when you’ve got Sage waiting in the wings? Don’t tell me you’ve started to like me.”
He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Oh, come on.” I leaned forward, smirking. “You can be honest with me. Maybe somewhere deep down, you’ve developed a little soft spot for me.”