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“I’m an independent woman who can reach her own dog bones.” That came out weird.

Cooper’s tail bangs against the floor while Carson helps me down.

“Who’s a good boy?” I toss him a bone.

“Sometimes I can’t tell if you’re talking to me or the dog.”

I scratch Carson’s head. “You’re a good boy, too.”

He growls at me playfully.

I growl right back.

“You got a package.”

“Oh yeah?” I grope his dick through his jeans. “Is it the same package you delivered to me this morning, Big Boy?”

“Stop it, you animal.” He swats my hand away.

Snatching the box from the table, I have no clue what this could be or how on earth it was delivered here. We’ve been dating for over a year, and I live a little closer to him now, which is convenient. I spend most nights here with him, and my lease is coming up for renewal soon, so I’m gearing up to have a talk with him about moving in.

“What is this?” I rattle it. “It feels like a book.”

“How can that feel like a book? It didn’t even jiggle.”

“Bookworms know what books feel like. It’s instinct.” I narrow my gaze suspiciously at him. “I know you know what this is. I can see it on your face.”

He continues pretending he has no clue.

Stabbing the box seam with kitchen shears, I tear it open and—

“Oh my God.” I carefully pluck out the hardback staring up at me. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my GOOOODDDDDDD!”

Carson starts laughing. “Pretty good, huh?”

I feel like I’m floating off the floor. The book, with my face on the cover, has me utterly speechless. And it takes a lot to make me lose my ability to talk.

It’s the cover for that fantasy book Carson had me take a bath in his studio for. I never asked about it beyond that day, because I didn’t want to get my hopes up and then be bummed if the author didn’t like the shots Carson took.

“Say something.” He stands behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, kissing my neck.

“I… I…” Lifting the book up like it’s Simba being presented to the animal kingdom, I can’t find the words to express what this does to my little book loving heart. “Am I really this pretty or did Trey have to photoshop the fuck out of it?”

“He didn’t touch a damn thing on you. Just tweaked the color of the water to make it more teal and added some weird flowers in the spaces that needed it.”

I look like a mystical goddess. “Wow,” I whisper. “This is amazing.”

He spanks my ass. “You’re amazing.”

“Trey’s amazing, too. This cover is gonna blow up on social media.”

“You can tell him so at dinner next week. I made us reservations for next Friday.”

“Will Erin be there, too?”

“Of course. And Glitch. And Ara.”

Yay! I really like Carson’s friends and we don’t get to see them very often. It sucks, but that’s what video games are for, right? Every week Carson gets on and blasts his conversations so I can join in while curled up on his sofa with a new book and hot tea. And we go out for hot wings with Leah often too. It’s the perfect life.

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