Page 18 of Gone for You

“Livvy Loo,” I mumble.

He grins. “Why are you embarrassed? That’s cute.”

“Because they’ve called me it since I was a baby so it makes me feel like a child.”

“At least you weren’t referred to as an alien.”

“Huh?”

He twirls his thumb around mine, fiddles with my nail. I glance down, his hands are working man’s hands. They’re not perfectly manicured but they’re well-kept. His nails are trimmed but I notice a few scars on his fingers, one on the back of his hand. “My middle name is Thomas. E.T. Get it?” I giggle and nod. “See? It could have been worse.”

“But E.T. was so cute!”

He looks horrified. “Wrong. He was scary.”

“Uh, what? You were scared of E.T.?”

“Don’t distract me when I’m trying to find out more about you.”

“Who said it was all about me? Last night wasn’t exactly my normal, either. Nor is this morning.”

“Ordering enough food for a family of six isn’t your norm?”

“Shut up! I was nervous!”

He chuckles, sipping on his coffee. We’ve already been here for almost two hours, had enough coffee that I’m pretty sure we’ll be wired for days.

“So, Livvy Loo, how’d you get started writing articles about vagina nicknames?”

Our server drops off the check and trips as she’s walking away from the table. I’m sure she heard him and hadn’t expected him to say anything like that.

“Oh, same way anyone gets into a job, I suppose.”

“If you say experience, I’m gonna have to call bullshit. No one hasnaming vaginason their resume.”

“Ha! Uh, no. Definitely not that kind of experience, anyway. I’ve always liked writing. Even as a kid. When I was in high school I was a member of the yearbook and school newspaper. After I graduated, that’s all I wanted to do so I went to school for journalism and took a ton of creative writing classes. I’ve actually been writing novels for a few years, I just haven’t found the courage to publish them yet.”

“What kind of novels do you write?”

“Romance.” He grins and I narrow my eyes. “If you ask me if I write smut or mommy porn, I’ll have to karate chop you.”

“You take karate?”

“No. But I’d learn. I’m a quick learner.”

He smirks. “I bet you are. But no, that’s not what I was going to ask. I actually have read a few romance books and not just for the sex scenes, though, I do have to admit that they’re an added benefit.”

My jaw drops as my mouth gapes. “You have?”

He nods and shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Yeah. I’ve always liked to read. I typically read a little more suspense and mystery, though.”

I stare at him a moment, trying to see if he’s leading me a line of bullshit but I don’t see anything in his eyes that tells me he’s lying. “Huh. I don’t think I’ve ever met a guy who likes to read.”

His slow wink is damn near seductive. “Maybe you were meeting the wrong guys.”

Definitely. “Maybe.”

“Would you let me read any of your books?”

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