Page 39 of Silver Player

I snort, unattractively. “There’s no need. I live only a few feet from here.” No joke. My apartment windows look down on this tent, which would be annoying except I’m certain I’ll sleep like the dead once I hit my bed.

“I’m still walking you. It’s the gentlemanly thing.” He’s mocking me, and I huff, but he’s already looped my hand into the crook of his elbow, holding his warm fingers over my hand like a clamp, and leading me out of the tent.

If he wants rumors, he’s about to set them in motion.

Billy guides me along the sidewalk to the back stairs of my building. He shifts to take my hand, and I follow him as we take the stairs. For a moment, I imagine us walking like a couple, entering my apartment and falling into each other, but the thought quickly passes when we reach the landing. I pause a second, and Billy steps back to lean against the railing.

“Can I ask you something?” His voice lowers.

“Sure.” I turn to face him and lean against the screen door at my back. I feel like I’m on a first date, and it’s the moment of should I kiss him good night or not. Only this is Billy Harrington.

“Who would be the man of your dreams? Was it really a rock star?”

I’m startled by the question and start to giggle until I realize he’s serious.

I cough to clear the chuckle. “I just want a man who can love me for who I am, who can understand who I am.” Chad didn’t mind me being the manager of a major bookstore chain, but he wasn’t interested in supporting my dream to be a business owner. He also tolerated Sadie but didn’t love children.

“Where were you when we were younger?”

I glance away from him, realizing we’re stretching toward a more serious topic. “I wasn’t exactly the type of girl you’d notice when we were younger.” I won’t tell him about the weight. He’s never acted like he remembers me as a kid, and I’d rather not jog his memory. “Besides, you went to school with my sister. We didn’t go to high school at the same time.”

Billy nods, and there’s so much unspoken history between us. My sister had a major crush on him, but I know all about Rachel, his first wife, and how they were high school sweethearts. What I don’t know is why they divorced, but rumor has it Billy had an affair. His flirtatious fame skyrocketed after Rachel, starting with my sister.

“Can I ask you a question?” I press off the door at my back and make a bold step toward him. With his backside leaning on the railing and his hands balancing on either side of his hips, he’s sexy as hell. His eyes—the best feature on him—momentarily look nervous as I approach.

“Okay,” he says, his voice lowering and rippling down my body. This time, it’s more like a rain shower.

“Why haven’t you ever hit on me like you hit on other women?”

“What?” His voice cracks like a teenager, and my hand strokes up his chest, curling around the collar at his neck. My eyes focus on the opening near his throat, and I want to slip my tongue—which feels thick in my mouth—in the little gap of his collarbone.

“Am I not attractive to you? Am I not good enough for you to bang against a brick wall?”

“Are you serious?” He chokes out.

“Just once, I want to be good enough for wall sex,” I slur, and his eyes widen.

“Roxie, you’re—”

“Why haven’t you kissed me?”

“I did, remember? You didn’t like it,” he states, lifting a finger to scrape down his tongue, imitating me from that night.

“It’s not that I didn’t like it.” My voice drops, and I swallow back the saliva building. “I just thought you had kissed someone else first.”

“Well, I didn’t,” he defensively states, and I move on.

“You suggested I kiss you while we danced. Did you mean it, or where you just singing off-key with the wrong words?” He wasn’t really singing poorly, and even though he botched the words, a rush ripped up my body at the suggestion. My stomach flip flops now. I can’t believe I asked him these questions, and I can’t believe how much I’m leaning on him. My breasts rest against his chest as my heart hammers in mine. The bulge in his jeans near my lower belly isn’t low enough.

“How much have you had to drink tonight, darlin’?” His voice sounds like the way he flirted with Letty. Is he flirting with me? Does he want me like he wanted her?

I lean forward, ready to take what I want from him. Kiss me, my lips scream as my eyes focus on his mouth.

And then hands come to my shoulders and press me back.

“Wha—” I stammer as the reality slowly seeps in.

“I think I’ll be a gentleman this time.”