Page 75 of Delay of Game

Her wide eyes meet mine and she blushes. Hard. I didn’t mean anything by my comment, but a smirk still plays on my lips. I like where her mind is at.

“I just mean—it’s a king-sized bed, we can all fit. And Val’s crib is portable.”

“Right, of course. That would be good,” she says, nodding and trying to convince herself.

She tucks Katie and Lory in on one side of the bed and we place Val by my side, so we can easily reach her if she wakes up. I bring in her laptop and book and she takes them both with a shy smile.

I don’t have time to wonder what she’s thinking about because she makes herself comfortable in the middle of the bed, getting back to her screen and sitting up against the headboard.

Reluctantly, I slide in next to her and mirror her position, scrolling on my phone and looking at some team reports. The room is quiet except for the sound of the girls’ breathing and Alice’s fingers flying across the keyboard.

I wonder what she’s writing. I’m dying to know what her book is about and if she’d ever let me read it. Taking a shot in the dark, I whisper, “Is that your book you’re working on?”

“No, I’m putting some finishing touches on the story for my parents for Christmas.”

I smile, happy that they still have that tradition. “What genre is it this year?”

Alice slowly turns her head to look at me and grins. “Two words: murder mystery,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows.

I bite my lip, looking down at her. She smells so good, I want to wrap her up in my arms and get drunk on her coconut shampoo.

“This is my book, by the way,” she says shyly, tapping a manicured finger on the pink book sitting between us.

I gasp, startling her. “You mean, I could have been reading it this whole time?”

“I never said you could read it,” she says, but I can tell she’s just teasing.

“You won’t have a choice. Once it’s published, I’ll buy a whole case of them,” I whisper back.

“Better put your money where your mouth is, hotshot.”

“You know I will,” I say, my gaze dipping to her lips and the curve of her smile.

“We’ll see.” That’s all she says as she gets back to her typing.

When I look over at her again, her head is slumped against her chest and her arms have gone slack. I put her computer to sleep and place it on my nightstand and I grab her book, planning to do the same.

Except I don’t. Instead, I read the back of it, and then I read the dedication, the author’s note, and the prologue. And by the time my eyelids are closing shut, I’m halfway through the book. I’m dying to know what happens to the characters and if they get their happy ending, but sleep wins over this time.

When I lie down after turning the light off, Alice stirs and drifts closer to me, her head finding the spot between my shoulder and chest. I curve my arm around her and pull her closer, letting my fingers tangle in her hair.

I fall asleep inhaling her sweet scent and muttering, “I hope we get our happy ending.”

CHAPTER 28

December

Alice

I’ve been workingon my next novel and even though the story will end up being quite emotional, all I can think of at the moment is:SMUT.

I really need to get laid.

Seeing Jordan the other day in nothing but his boxers sent me into a horny frenzy. Why does he have to be so damn good-looking?

The frustration builds and I delete another paragraph. Nothing makes sense for this character. I’ve tried writing her into a hookup scene, I’ve tried the one bed trope, but the chemistry just isn’t there. It needsmore.She’s sexy and strong and she wouldn’t just have sex with the first guy she meets. But maybe … maybe she could reconnect with her older brother’s best friend.

Ugh, this again?

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