Page 54 of Silver Brewer

Yes, my mother who called only a few days ago to arrange another dinner between myself and Alyce Wright. I’m worried I’m feeding Letty to the bears, but I also think my mother’s going to love her.

“And your relationship is open, right?” My brother’s marriage was full of deceit, so I’m certain he means honesty, not a relationship where we see other people. At least, I hope we aren’t seeing other people. I’m not seeing anyone else, and I don’t want Letty to either. Like I told her, we’ll work this distance thing out.

I spent several months each year apart from my wife throughout our twenty years of marriage, sometimes up to eighteen months back during the Iraq War.

And how well did that really work? my heart whispers.

It made us distant and lonely even in the presence of each other. We loved one another, but we didn’t know one another after my years of service and separation.

“Letty,” Charlie says, standing from his seat and offering a hand to her. “I’m Charlie.”

“The mayor brother,” she confirms, and her cheeks flush. She must be thinking about her phone call to his office.

“Sure.” He chuckles.

“There are so many of you. I keep it straight by associating your profession with your name.”

“Oh goodness, what’s his profession?” Charlie teases, glancing over at me.

“Resident sex god.”

I choke on air.

Charlie stammers.

Jaxson bursts out laughing.

“Giant, she’s a definite keeper,” Jaxson says once he settles his laughter, sounding like James, the biker brother.

“Well, uhm…on that note. I’ll leave you to it,” Charlie says, turning red around the collar. “I mean, I’ll leave you to do it.” His eyes widen. “I mean—”

“I think we get it,” I say, standing.

“I didn’t mean to clear the room,” Letty says, a sly grin on her face.

“Oh, we were only hiding out from Billy. Pub owner brother,” Charlie clarifies. “He’s a pain in the ass today.”

“I can’t wait to meet him,” Letty teases as I reach her, and she steps under my offered arm.

“Don’t be too eager,” I say, leaning to kiss her forehead.

“Aww, you two are just the cutest,” Jaxson drawls, sounding more like his mother, my sister.

“Mama’s gonna have a field day,” Charlie repeats, pushing my nephew out the door and pulling the door closed behind him.

“I really didn’t mean to interrupt,” Letty says, looking up at me. I reach around her and lock the door.

“And I really didn’t mean to be gone so long. I’m sorry.” We only have so much time together, and I should be hanging out with her, not my brother. I can be with him on the days she isn’t here.

“So sex god, huh?”

“That was too much, wasn’t it?”

“Maybe we should test it out.” I lean forward and kiss her, urgent and earnest. Why didn’t I make love to her last night? In my office, I’m as turned on as she always makes me, and within seconds, I’m moving her toward my desk.

“You said you never kissed a bearded man before,” I tease, keeping my mouth against hers. “How about desk sex?”

“Here?” she chokes, excitement mingling with her surprise. I love surprising her, and I love how she surprises me by letting me do what I want with her body. You love her, my heart screams, but I ignore it. It’s too much, too fast. I can’t.