Page 45 of Bronco

She laughs. “Well, you’ll have to read it for yourself, won’t you?”

“So, you want me to buddy read?”

“Well, it’s kinda cute that you offered, but I’m totally gonna let you off the hook if you want an out. I’m pretty sure Luna and Jas have both readFifty Shadesand other romance books similar to that, so we could maybe…” She trails off when I pout. “What?”

“I wanted to be your reading buddy.” I try not to burst out laughing because frankly, I don’t really wanna read about hockey players called Tristan, or cucumbers being used as sex toys for that matter. But if it takes her mind off things and causes her less anxiety, then I will. That’s why I’m here and will always be here for her.

She rubs my back soothingly. “Aww. I’m sorry, you still can be. But we have to give our book club a name, those are the rules.”

“Your rules?”

“Exactly.”

I grin, happy again. “Bossy. Okay, how about Sex Books R Us?”

She pinches the bridge of her nose. “Romance books,Bronc,not sex books.”

“Ah.” I hold up a finger. “My bad. Just to clarify, all the books have to have a happily ever after, right? Or they’re not romance books.”

“Someone has been doing their homework,” she teases.

I groan, remembering how I know that. “You click on one fuckin’ author or reader account on TikTok, and all of a sudden you’re gettin’ romance book shit thrown in your face and all over your feed.”

“That’s BookTok,” she announces. “Wow, you really have crossed over to the dark side, haven’t you?”

“Unwillingly, but strangely, I’m okay with it.”

“Can we think of another name, please?”

“I’m sure you’ve got some bright ideas?” I prod. “You know I’m only gonna come up with somethin’ else dirty like Smutty Readers Unite.”

“Please tell me you have a better name than that.”

“How about Kiss And Tell, Swooners After Dark or R-Rated Readers?—”

She whacks my arm. “Will you stop it?”

I chuckle. “Boink My Hole, Bang My Buick, Ass Tales?”

“Oh, my God, you’re insufferable,” she groans.

I clear my throat. “Okay, I’ll be serious, but you need to pick the name.”

“How about The Happy Hangout?”

I rub my chin. “You’re so vanilla,Princess.”

“Well, it’s unsuspecting, and PG when Olive is around.”

“Fine.” I clap my hands together. “So now we have a book club. What’s the name of the book we’re reading?”

She reels it off, then offers to find it on the kindle app on my phone, giving her pause to check out some of the books I have on there. They’re all sci fi or murder mysteries, of course. Typical guy books.

When she finds the book in question with the cartoon cover, I narrow my eyes. “Oh, it’s a series? I didn’t realize.”

“Yes, and you got me books one and two, well played there.”

“I aim to please.” I grin. I like that we have this new thing together. Sure, it’ll be tough explaining it to the guys, but they can mind their own fuckin’ business. Just to see her face light up when she’s talking about her books is enough for me.

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