Page 30 of Truly, Madly, Deeply

“Given what I know about you?” Colin’s eyes raked over her, appraising in a way that made her squirm inside. “Killing a man, obviously.”

“You realize blue balls aren’t lethal, don’t you?”

The look he gave her was gratifying, narrowed eyes glinting in the glow of the ring light his sister had left on, lips thinned like he was struggling not to laugh. “You’re not at all what I expected, St. James.”

If anything was criminal, it was the way he said her name, emphasis on saint. Teasing her with her own name, a name she’d chosen, a name that sounded sacrilegious rolling off his tongue. The way he made her feel with a single look?

Truly was no saint.

She disguised her shiver with a long sip of iced coffee. “You’re... maybe not what I expected, either, Colin McCrory.”

“Oh yeah?” He grinned. “Realizing I’m not so bad after all, huh?”

“No,” she deadpanned. “You’re worse.”

His tongue clicked against the back of his teeth. “Just when we were starting to get along. So?”

“So, what?”

“Where are you from?”

Oh, right. “I grew up in Laurelhurst.”

“And I already know your parents are still together.”

Her heart shrunk and sank inside her chest.

“Um, no. They’re separated, actually.” She stabbed at the ice in her cup, sending milky coffee splattering against the lid. “It’s—it’s new.”

Air hissed between his teeth, his grimace sharp. “I’m sorry. That’s... damn.”

“Yeah. Damn.” An awkward laugh escaped her. “But you see couples separate all the time, so I’m sure it’s nothing new for you.”

He could stop looking at her like that, eyes gentle like he could tell how—how hopeless she felt. How heartbroken.

“How are you coping? Do you have someone to talk to? What about your friend? The, uh, scary one?”

“Who? Lulu?” She laughed. “Don’t let her hear you call her that. Her ego doesn’t need inflating.”

“Neither does my dick, for the record.”

That was the wrong moment to take a drink, iced coffee burning in the inside of her nose. Colin pressed a wad of tissues into her hand, and she blotted her face. “That’s nice?”

“I meant because Lulu tried to sell me a penis pump the other day and I said I wasn’t in the market for one, not because I already have one, but because I’m not in need of, you know”—Colin cleared his throat—“help with the, uh, inflating? Engorgement?” He made a vague downward gesture. “Not that there’s any shame in needing assistance! But I don’t. And I’m going to stop talking right now. In three, two...”

Colin mimed zipping his lips.

She hid her smile behind her napkin. “Good to know all your systems are a go, McCrory.”

He groaned. “Can we please forget I said that?”

“And hamper my joy?” She tutted. “You’re delusional.”

“So glad you find my humiliation amusing.”

“I really, truly do,” she said. “But don’t worry. We can keep this strictly confidential. Just between you and me.”

“Oh good. For a second there I was worried you’d immortalize my shame in the pages of one of your books.”

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