Page 62 of Phoenix

I stare up into his eyes and weigh my options.

On one hand, he’s right. We do get along perfectly and enjoy spending time together. We also click amazingly well on a physical level.

On the other hand, he’s so...him. Intense and all consuming. A cop. Just like my dad was.

But I’ve had casual relationships before with men who were light-years worse than Case. If anything, this is a safer fling than any other I’ve had in my life.

Sounds logical to me.

Right?

Yes.

Let’s do it.

“Okay.” I smile. “On one condition.”

“Fine. I won’t ask for anal.”

I laugh out loud, even snorting a little.

“Did you just snort?” he asks, smiling wide.

“Maybe a little.” I take a breath to stop laughing. “My condition isn’t lack of anal. My condition is: this stays between us.”

“So does that mean there’s a chance for anal?” He dodges before I can playfully swat him. “I won’t say a thing.”

“Good. Amelia already asks me constantly to move here, and this would only give her false hope. I have to go home in two weeks. I have to get back to my job.”

A job I don’t even love, but I have to tell myself over and over it’s what Mom wanted.

“Two weeks. Fair enough.”

He dips down for another kiss when we are interrupted by the clear and very obvious sound of a headboard hitting the wall behind us, followed by very loud moans.

“Oh. My. God.” I cover my mouth and smile behind my hand. “Holy shit.”

Amelia and Grayson are having intense sex four feet from us. Again.

“Surely she’s faking it, right?” he asks. “I mean, he can’t be that talented.”

“From what she tells me, he has the size and the gusto,” I tease.

“Not bigger than me though, right? I’m a man. I have to know these things.”

“I think the words ‘size of my arm’ were used,” I joke. “So I think you’re in second place. Sorry, officer.”

He quickly pins both arms above my head in one hand and hovers his other hand over my ribcage, threatening to tickle me.

“Take it back,” he says.

“Make me,” I counter, and he does. He tickles me until I’m laughing hysterically.

“Okay, okay, okay! I take it back! Stop, stop, stop.”

He stops his assault and kisses the tip of my nose.

“Make it better,” he warns.

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