Page 50 of Knot for Me
“How was training with Marco?” That’s definitely not a sexy topic.
“It was so hard.”
She’s trying to kill me.
“Oh?” I ask, voice a little high-pitched from trying to hold in a childishthat’s what she said. I really need to stop watching TV. It’s making me dumb.
“Yeah. I almost threw him to the ground without his help, but Marco is so big.”
She’s not talking about his penis. She’s not talking about his penis. I understand why he got so frustrated in the wine cellar the other night.
“He is strong.” I clear my throat, desperately trying to come up with a topic that won’t lead to her making comments that immediately send my mind to the gutter. “Do you want to read with me for a bit tonight?”
Drying the next item, she stares down at it. I wonder if she’s trying to think of a way to tell me no. Maybe I should tell her it’s okay. I can find something else to do. I started a book before Reagan came into our lives, and this is the first night I have to dive back into it.
“I’d like that,” she says quietly.
Not wanting to spoil the moment or her agreement, I don’t speak while we finish the dishes. By the time the sink has drained, Reagan has already put the leftover food and dishes away.
“Looks good.” I glance around the kitchen, nodding. It’s clean. I can read in peace. I hate reading when I know there’s dirty dishes. I can never focus on the words until everything is cleaned.
Reagan wrinkles her nose. “Do you want me to do anything else?”
“No. It’s perfect. Ready?”
“For more alien smut? Always.”
I grin at her and resist the urge to hold my arm out for her to latch on to. Once we get to the library, we head to the same shelf. She eyes the book I grab. I show her the cover which is a woman in skimpy lingerie and a man grabbing her from behind.
“Wow,” she says, laughing. “Pretty risqué.”
“I like to live dangerously.”
She rolls her eyes. “Is it good?”
“It’s all right. This one is about a stripper who gets kidnapped by a mob boss because the owner of the club she danced at pissed him off. Anyway, she’s been locked in a cage, until she found a way out, only he catches her escaping and things get heated.”
“Interesting.” She takes her book from the shelf. “I think I’ll stick with my alien smut for now.”
I smile and head to one of the comfortable chairs, settling in and picking up where I left off. I can feel Reagan’s gaze on me. I glance at her. She’s still standing next to the loveseat, and she’s looking at me like I’m the alien.
“What?” I ask, closing the book.
“Nothing.” She sits. “I’ve never met a man who likes romance books.”
“What a shame. They’re wonderful.”
“You don’t think they’re dumb?” Her eyebrows bounce up.
“There is nothing stupid about love, Reagan.”
She presses her lips together, swallows, and nods. “You’re right. Men usually don’t feel that way. It’s nice to know that some appreciate romance.”
“I do, and there’s a lot more to the stories than the sexy moments.” I shrug. “It’s this or some boring history or nonfiction book. I’ll take my chances with Xavier and Letty.”
“Xavier, so mysterious,” she muses. Opening her book, she relaxes against the cushions. “Time to see what the tentacles can do.”
I chuckle. “You’d be surprised.”
