Page 25 of The Haunting Plot

“Nope.”

“Then how did you enjoy it?”

His head drops as he chuckles. “You don’t have to read the books to enjoy them, if you catch my drift.”

My eyebrows knit. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Bella reads them. I enjoy the aftereffects.”

“Jesus.”

He plops the book back on my desk. “Why are you reading smut in your office?”

“Well, I can’t read it in the break room. And I don’t think we’re allowed to refer to it as smut.”

“I think you’re right,” Hardy says, dropping into a chair.

I blow out a breath, debating what to share. Hardy’s been part of my crew for almost two years, but he’s one of my best guys. Dependable. Trustworthy. “I’m trying to impress a girl.”

He leans forward in his seat. “Fuck off. Who?”

“Raven… fuck. I don’t even know her last name.”

“Hawthorne. Don’t worry, I won’t tell her. She’s a little intimidating when you first meet her, but she grows on you. Not sure she’s the type to be impressed by the men in those books, though.”

“I have no clue what the fuck I’m doing, man,” I admit, dropping my head onto my forearms on the desk.

“Just be yourself. She appreciates authenticity. And a good dick joke.”

My head lifts in surprise. “Raven?”

Hardy chuckles, crossing his arms as he leans back in the chair. “Don’t let those moms fool you. They have these after-hours PTO meetings, and I’m telling you, they could drink and swear any one of us under the table.”

I look up at him in surprise.

“And if that fails, a well-timed good girl always works for me.”

CHAPTER 8

RAVEN

“You’re mine. This pussy is mine. The rest of your body is mine,” I growled as I leaned in close to her heat. My eyes flicked to hers. “And do you know how I treat something that’s mine?” Pupils blown wide, she waited for my answer. A bead of sweat ran down my spine as I spit on her…

There’s a loud knock at the door, and I groan. Who the hell is interrupting my writing sprint? I’ve already turned in my article to the newspaper, so I have no other responsibilities other than finishing my current work in progress. I’m ovulating. The enemies are about to be lovers. All I want to do is write the filthiest sex scene possible before the kids get home from school.

Another knock raps, more persistent than the last. I sigh and close my laptop. I look down, noticing the crumbs on my chest, and brush myself off as I stand and pull my robe tighter. Whoever is at the door is getting bridge-troll Raven, complete with day-old hair in the sloppiest bun, last night’s makeup I never took off thanks to Jonah’s bedtime meltdown, and no-bra titties that cannot be contained by some barbaric man-made contraption.

I swing the door open right as Sawyer lifts his fist to knock again. “Uhh, sorry,” he stammers as he does a slow once-over of my attire.

Good. Maybe he’ll get it out of his system.

Who the fuck am I kidding? If our disastrous first meeting didn’t scare him off, an unshowered Raven probably won’t either.

He stands there for several heartbeats, still leering. His eyes keep coming back to my chest. Typical. Then I look down and realize that my robe has slipped open, revealing more skin than I’d like, and I’m only wearing panties underneath. I pinch the fabric closed in one hand. “Get your fill?”

“Not nearly enough,” he rasps before shaking his head to clear his thoughts. “Now if you don’t mind, I have work to do.” He takes a step toward me, and I step back, letting him pass.

“What work do you think you’re doing?” I ask his retreating form as he climbs the stairs.