Chapter 136: The Producers Toy -1

Cade Harlan stood outside the producer’s office and forced his hands to stay still at his sides. The hallway was quiet. Too quiet. He could hear his own pulse in his ears.

He had fought for every small part he ever got. Background roles. One-line scenes. Nothing that mattered.

This was the first real chance at a lead in a BL series, and Rylan Crowe held the final say.

Cade knocked once.

"Come in."

The voice was low and calm. Cade pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Rylan sat behind a wide desk, reviewing something on a tablet. He looked up slowly. His eyes moved over Cade from head to toe without hurry. He didn’t smile, he just assessed him with his eyes.

Cade felt the weight of that look. His skin prickled under his shirt. He kept his face steady.

"You’re the one who asked for a private meeting." Rylan said.

"Yes" Cade replied

"Sit."

Cade walked to the chair across from the desk and sat. He rested his hands on his thighs so they wouldn’t fidget. His heart was beating harder now. He could feel it in his throat.

Rylan set the tablet down. "You want the lead."

"Yes."

"You’re not the strongest choice on paper."

Cade met his eyes. "I know what’s on paper. I also know what I can do when the cameras are on."

Rylan leaned back in his chair. The movement was slow. His gaze stayed locked on Cade’s face, then dropped for a second to his mouth before rising again.

Cade’s breath caught. He didn’t look away. He let the silence stretch. Let Rylan look.

The room felt warmer. Cade’s shirt clung lightly to his back. He shifted in the chair, just enough to make the fabric pull across his chest. He watched Rylan’s eyes track the movement.

Rylan’s fingers tapped once against the desk. A small, controlled sound.

Cade spoke softly. "I didn’t come here to argue my résumé. I came because I want this role. And I’m willing to show you why I should have it."

Rylan’s expression didn’t change, but something in his posture did. A slight lean forward. His eyes narrowed just a fraction.

Cade’s pulse jumped. He felt it in his wrists, in his neck. Heat spread low in his stomach. He kept his voice even.

"I’ve watched every project you’ve produced. I know the kind of lead you prefer, and i promise that I can deliver this role."

He paused. Let the words settle.

Rylan’s gaze dropped again, slower this time, tracing the line of Cade’s throat where his pulse was visible.

Cade felt the awareness of that look like a physical touch. Goosebumps rose along his arms.

He didn’t rush. He stayed still and let Rylan look.

Rylan finally spoke. "And how do you plan to show me that?"

Cade’s mouth went dry. He swallowed once. The sound felt loud in the quiet room.

He stood up slowly, rounded the desk, and stopped a few feet away.

Close enough that Rylan had to tip his head back slightly to hold his gaze.

Cade’s voice dropped. "However you want me to."

Rylan’s eyes darkened. He didn’t move for several seconds. The air between them felt charged.

Cade could hear his own breathing, a little faster now. He focused on the small signs: the way Rylan’s jaw tightened, the faint shift of his shoulders, the way his fingers curled against the arm of the chair.

Cade took one more step. Now he was close enough to catch the faint scent of Rylan’s cologne.

His own body reacted - heat, tension, a slow pull low in his gut. He kept his hands at his sides, open, offering.

Rylan’s voice came out quieter. "You’re playing a dangerous game."

"I know." Cade’s answer was steady, even though his heart was hammering. "But I want the part."

Rylan’s eyes stayed on his. Neither of them looked away. The silence stretched again, thick with everything that hadn’t been said yet.

Cade waited. He let the anticipation build. He felt every second of it in his body - the tight pull in his chest, the warmth under his skin, the way his breath wanted to come faster and how he refused to let it.

Rylan finally stood. The height difference was small, but the presence was larger. He stopped less than an arm’s length away.

Cade’s pulse raced. He didn’t reach first. He held still and watched the micro-movements: the slight flare of Rylan’s nostrils, the way his gaze kept returning to Cade’s mouth, the controlled tension in his shoulders.

Rylan lifted one hand slowly. He brushed two fingers along the side of Cade’s jaw, light enough that it could still be dismissed as nothing.

The touch sent a sharp current down Cade’s spine. His breath hitched before he could stop it.

Rylan noticed. His eyes flicked to Cade’s mouth again.

Cade’s voice was barely above a whisper. "Tell me what you want me to do."

Rylan’s fingers stayed against his skin a moment longer. Then they traced lower, along the side of his throat, feeling the hard beat of his pulse.

Cade’s eyes half-closed. He stayed perfectly still and let the sensation sink in. Every nerve felt awake. The slow contact was more intense than a harder touch would have been.

Rylan’s voice was rough now. "On your knees."

Cade’s stomach tightened. Heat flooded through him. He didn’t hesitate. He lowered himself carefully, keeping his eyes on Rylan the entire time. The carpet was firm under his knees. He settled there, looking up, and waited.

Rylan looked down at him. The expression on his face was controlled, but his breathing had changed. Cade could see the rise and fall of his chest. He could see the tension in his hands.

Cade’s own body was tight with anticipation. His mouth felt sensitive. His pulse pounded between his legs.

He stayed on his knees and waited for the next instruction, every second stretching longer than the last.

Rylan’s hand came to rest on the back of Cade’s head. Not pushing. Just resting there, heavy and warm.

Cade’s eyes fluttered. He leaned into the contact just enough to show he felt it. His breath came shorter now. He didn’t rush. He let the moment hold.

Rylan’s thumb moved once through his hair.

Cade’s voice was quiet, rough. "I’m ready when you are."

The air between them felt electric. Neither of them moved for a long moment. Only the slow, deliberate pressure of Rylan’s hand and the hard, steady beat of Cade’s heart.