‘I’ve read Fifty Shades of Grey. And these things don’t go in me mouth!’ Two silver balls rolled in Sally’s palm.

Rhys fixed her with a confused expression. ‘What are you talking about? These are speech therapy balls. You put one in each cheek and then we just talk. They won’t hurt your teeth. They’re plastic.’

‘This is bloody ridiculous.’ Sally stared at the innocuous balls.

‘There’s nothing ridiculous about it. The idea is to bring your voice into the back of your mouth so you produce a well-modulated tone. When these are in your mouth, your tongue moves differently, allowing the flow of air move in an altered way.’

‘As opposed to speaking from my nose, like everyone thinks I do. I can’t hear that I do that. This is gunna be a total waste of time.’

‘These do work, Sally.’

‘I’m gunna swallow ‘em and choke. And die. And then you’ll ‘ave to start with someone new all over again.’

Rhys flipped the lid of another little plastic box he’d brought in with him this morning. She’d had two weeks of the “polite” and “professional” Rhys and it had stretched her nerves to the limit. Every time someone came into the room, she jumped, nerves jangling, and if it was Rhys, the resulting heart flutter would have her blood pounding in her veins, filling her with sensitive hyper awareness. She’d drop things, lose her chain of thought, sound even more stupid than she felt.

He had been true to his word, neither showing nor acting in any way towards her other than an associate. It was as though their conversation about staying emotionally away from each other had never taken place. As though the magic had never really occurred. That she had imagined the entire episode. That was more unnerving than anything. In his need to not make her feel rejected, he’d done the worst he could do. Ignored everything about her as though their feelings never existed.

He pushed a silver ball into his mouth and positioned it inside his cheek and then did the same to the other side. ‘See? This is how you do it. I’ll use these and we’ll both talk with them in.’

She regarded him for a second then pressed her lips together.

‘What’s so funny?’ Rhys frowned. The creases in his forehead and extended cheeks misshaping his face further.

‘You look like you’ve got the mumps.’

‘That is not funny, Sally.’ His mouth shaped into an upside down U.

But the whole scenario was completely absurd starting with those silver balls. And she was so stressed. Two weeks of pent up emotions weren’t going to be trapped a moment longer. A giggle burst from her mouth and she slapped her hand over her lips.

He gave her a withering glance. ‘I guess I do look a bit strange.’

‘Ribbit.’ She fell on the sofa, erupting in abandoned giggles. It felt so good to laugh. She clapped a hand to her side as her muscles pulled. She glanced at him again and was helpless to the ensuring flow of twitters. Rhys sat next to her and waited until her laughter had subsided. ‘It’s been ages since I’ve laughed like that. It feels so good.’ She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

He sighed and took the balls out one by one, replacing them into the container. ‘They really do work.’

‘I’m sorry. I can’t work with sex toys.’ Her face immediately heated. ‘Well, I mean, there’s this thing in Fifty Shades of Grey where they…’ She flipped her hand. Now she couldn’t even look at him. Her cheeks burned with fire. ‘Never mind. It’s nothing.’

‘I can’t say that book has been on my reading list.’

‘It’s a woman thing. Maybe if men read books like those, they’d know what women really do want.’

‘And what do women want, Sally?’ His voice was like whiskey.