Page 116 of Silver Player

“It’s like a little private tent over us, like a secret for only us.”

“Only us,” she whispers, and I lower my forehead to hers.

“I want to complicate things right here in my office,” I admit to her, and she pulls back.

“Here? You said you never take women to your office.”

I look at her hairline and brush back that silver-white hair before meeting her eyes. “No women. One woman. You.”

“Does this mean desk sex?” she inquires, her voice a bit eager at the possibility, and my curious bookstore owner gives me a saucy look. I spin her so her backside hits the desk, and I lean toward her.

“Would you like that? Desk sex?”

“I want any kind of sex with you, William.” Her voice softens on my full name as she flirts with me.

“Well, I don’t just want sex with you, Roxie. I want to make love to you. In my bed. Against a wall. On a desk. I don’t care as long as I’m inside you.”

Her breath hitches, and her fingertips rub over my scruff again. “You should be a writer. You have a way with words.”

“I prefer to be a reader.”

“But you don’t read,” she reminds me.

“Yeah, but I want to read you, Roxie. Every page.” I kiss her jaw. “And every corner.” I kiss her lip in that spot that gets her. “And every fold.”

“Billy,” she hisses, and there’s the sound I want to hear.

“Ready to beg me for it, Roxie?” I tease.

“Yes, William. Yes, I want you to give everything to me.”

Like a firecracker, I’m off. Mouth on hers. Hand lifting skirt. My fingers can’t get to her fast enough. As I slip past her underwear and into her warm depths, we both pause, and our eyes meet.

“I love you,” she whispers.

“I love you,” I say. “And I can’t wait to take you home.”

Her mouth curves. “How about you take me here first?” she says, and I don’t want to disappoint her. I never want to disappoint her again, and I plan to make good on all my promises, including giving her what she wants on my desk.

Everything.

Our bodies lean back, and one of her legs lifts for my hips. Her hands clutch at my neck.

“Hold onto me, darlin’.”

“I’m never letting go,” she moans, and that’s the kind of noise violation I want to hear.

Epilogue

February

[Billy]

I’m nervous when I shouldn’t be nervous. My hands swipe down my jeans-covered thighs before I open the door for Roxanne and Sadie. Their items were moved in after the new year, and we’ve been working at building a life for three.

“Well,” I say as I hold the door, watching my girls walk into the house. Our house.

“I passed,” Sadie announces, holding up the driver’s license in her hand. She beams, matching the photo on the identification. We discussed changing her name but conceded to hyphenating it, so she can keep her identity as a McAllister, but in my heart, she’s all Harrington.