Page 61 of The Write Off

I don’t think that he understood how much he’s hurt her, and now that he does, it’s knocked all the fight out of him. I take a seat a few feet from him on the bench.

“Your sister loves you, Josh. It’s pretty obvious that she thinks the world of you. When you’re not being an asshole, anyway.” He gives up a little laugh at this and I continue. “I lost my brother just over a year ago. There were a lot of things I should have told him when I had the chance that I didn’t. I wish we could have had the kind of relationship you and Rilla do.”

I miss Eric. I think I always will. I rarely understood him and often didn’t even like him, but I think I’ll always miss him just the same.

“Can I just say that I really wish I had a sister so that you could be her boyfriend?” Callum tells me, the picture of sincerity. “I’m serious, man. I would let you date the hell out of her. And I’m certain I’d make a much better brother-in-law than Josh.”

“Fuck off,” Josh says tossing his towel at him. “I’m going to be a great brother-in-law. Besides, you’ve practically already got a brother-in-law, or have you forgotten about Maggie’s sister’s husband.”

“Colin is fine, I guess, but I feel like Logan and I could have something really special.”

“Stop trying to steal my potential brother-in-law, Callum.”

They continue to bicker back and forth until I raise my hands and say “You’re both giving me serious doubts about ever joining this family.”

“Too bad, man. You want my sister? You get all of us.”

“And we’re a package deal.” Callum grins, clapping me on the back. “Welcome to family, pal.”

Chapter 30

Rilla

“When I get you upstairs, you’re going to pay for that little stunt.”

“Oh, Pretty Boy Stalker, one woman’s punishment is another woman’s picnic.”

The stunt in question was a stroke of genius on my part. We’d just spent more than an hour at a local bookstore, pointing out books we’ve read and books we want to read, looking for books for his niece. We made desert-island top five lists of books we couldn’t live without. He bought me a copy of his all-time favorite mystery novel, challenging me to figure out the killer before the final reveal. I spent twenty minutes explaining the key differences between the Throne Of Glass and ACOTAR series. We even made out a little against a shelf in the back.

The perfect date.

While at the counter preparing to pay, I managed to slip a book into his pile without him noticing. He was busy making polite conversation with the middle-aged woman at the cash register and I seized the moment like the golden opportunity it was. The look on both of their faces when she scanned Ravished By A Raptor by Dixie Swallows was absolutely priceless.

I look at the book in question as we approach his building. The illustrated cover shows a buxom woman, windswept hair flowing at her side. Holding her from behind is a horny-looking velociraptor, looking like he’s about to devour her in more ways than one.

I had managed to hold it together until we were out of the store, but the moment my feet hit the pavement I laughed so hard I almost peed myself.

“I use that bookstore a lot, Rilla. They know me there.”

“Well, now they know a different side of you.” I rub my midsection that aches from laughing so much. “I was just trying to prove to you that dinosaur erotica is, in fact, a thing.”

“Well, you made your point.”

He holds the door to his building open for me and takes my hand in his as we walk to the elevator. There is another tenant waiting there already and he nods at us. The elevator arrives and when we step in, Logan moves to the right corner, pulling me back against him. His arms encircle me and he rests his chin on the top of my head.

I’ve never been one for prolonged physical contact. I’ve always enjoyed my personal space, that protective bubble that keeps everyone at a respectful distance. But Logan has burst that bubble. Not only do I not shy away from his touch, but when I’m forced to go without it for too long, I start to crave it like a controlled substance.

I’d wound up giving him a watered-down report of the Bryce incident when he came by later that day. Maybe it was because I’d felt better after my heart-to-heart with Betty or maybe I’d decided that it wasn’t worth making myself rehash it again. Perhaps it was because he was still in his gym shorts from basketball when he arrived and awakened an athlete kink I never knew was hiding inside of me.

Whatever the reason, I told him about Bryce’s thoughts on my headshots but left everything else out. Even with the limited details, I could tell Logan was angry. He assured me that I wouldn’t be forced to do anything that made me uncomfortable and offered to address it to his superiors if it came up again. I promised him that it was nothing I couldn’t handle, but I appreciated how ready he was to go to bat for me.

Did I just use a sports reference? This man has really gotten under my skin.

We arrive on his floor and exit the elevator. His apartment is much nicer than mine. Newer building, newer amenities, newer everything. He unlocks and opens the door and as soon as we’ve crossed the entry, his lips are on my neck. We only left his bedroom a couple hours ago, but I’m more than ready to let him take me back there.

However, never one to pass up a chance to rile him up, I slip away from his arms with my new favorite book in hand.

“Why don’t I set the mood by reading aloud from your new book?” I quickly scan the paperback for a saucy scene and it doesn’t take long to find what I’m looking for.

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