Page 88 of Full Service

He probably enjoys seeing me blush.

“Aw, what are you doing instead? Can I come?”

“Absolutely not,” I mutter. “You are forbidden from coming anywhere near it.”

I will not have Everly see me on stage waggling ribbons around my head. That is too unhinged and so damn mortifying. I will never live it down.

“Why not?” he asks, leaning up on his elbows and staring down at me as we lie in bed. He positively glows in the dim light of my room. Or maybe that’s the body glitter he can’t ever quite scrape off his skin after a night of pulling his clothes off for a living.

Can’t say I disapprove though. I quite like how shimmery he is.

“Why not? Well, for one, it’s embarrassing.”

His eyes widen. “Is that so? Well, now I want to go even more.”

I roll my eyes and pull him down for a kiss, hoping to distract him long enough for him to forget about this damn thing. But of course, he doesn’t. He brings it back up again minutes later, causing me to sigh.

“Fine, I’ll tell you what it is, but I won’t tell you where it will be. I won’t have you showing up and witnessing it.”

“I mean, this only makes me more intrigued. And I have been known to stalk people I’m interested in.”

“Since when?”

“Since I met you.”

I feel my chest constrict, and I pull him in for another kiss. Can’t help it when it comes to this man, apparently. I’m a weak soul.

Everly sighs and then nuzzles into me. It’s addicting. I love how cuddly he is. “Now tell me your dirty little secret, Professor. I need to know or I will die.”

I hold my breath for a moment and then blurt, “Fine. I was roped into a ribbon dance with LoveJoy.”

His head comes up, and he eyes me. “A ribbon dance? With AlmondJoy. Why is this the first I’m hearing of it?”

“It’s not something I like to advertise. This entire thing is the bane of my existence. Every time I think of it I want to die.”

“And how is AlmondJoy involved?”

“He is directing this horrific dance that he created while high in the woods. So I’m not dancing with him, but I’m doing some kind of coordinated ribbon thing with an older man I met at the grocery store. Don’t ask me more. I can’t cope with the reality of this. I really can’t.”

His lips twitch, his eyes alight with something I don’t recognize.

“An older man? Should I be jealous?”

“God no. No. He could be your grandfather.”

“Ah, so if he’s a grandpa, why doesn’t he ask his family to do it?”

“Well, they flaked, so it was left to me.”

“Hm, they sound like real assholes.”

“Probably are, to be honest. And to think…”

I cut my train of thought off, but it only makes Everly more curious.

“What? You can’t end a sentence like that.”

Everly continues to gaze at me, and I sigh. “Fine, he has a grandson he wants to set me up with. He’s always harping on about it, but don’t worry, I always refuse.” Everly’s eyes narrow, and I press a hand to his chest. “Really, Everly, I won’t be seeing Junior no matter how much Lee begs me to.”

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