Page 150 of Foreplay on Words

We walked quickly down the sidewalk and quietly snuck in behind the crowd while Chase was reading up at the podium. I sat behind a broad man wearing a baseball cap in the back corner. A few quiet murmurs started as people looked over and recognized me.

“She’s killing it,” Kelly whispered into my ear. “I like her. Your girlfriend is a fox.”

“Shhh,” I scolded, wiping my sweaty palms on my shirt.

As Diana opened the floor to questions, I caught Sam doing a double take as he saw me. Kristine’s question was good, but I was dying to ask Chase one or two of my own. My hand shot up when they moved on, and Diana pointed at me, smiling from ear to ear.

“I’ve got a question for you.”

Chase’s eyes widened when she heard my voice. I saw her hand tighten on the sheet of paper she was holding on the podium.

“Go ahead,” she nodded as I stood up from my seat and came into her line of sight.

“I’ve heard that while writing this book, you spent a lot of time with your writing partner.”

She nodded, and a smile pulled at her amazingly sexy lips. “I did.”

“Was that something you’d like to repeat with another collaboration? Maybe on a more permanent basis?” I asked, willing my voice not to crack.

“With him or...?” she teased.

My pulse was racing as I could see most of the room looking back and forth between the two of us.

“With me. Would you like to live with me in a more permanent arrangement?” And marry me and have my babies.

“Hmmm. I’m not sure,” she teased as she laughed and stepped down from the podium.

“Go get her, stud,” my sister laughed as she stood and pushed me forward.

I walked quickly behind the crowd, and Chase appeared at the top of the aisle of chairs as I rounded the end of them. Two quick steps and I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck. Her arms encircled my waist, and we took possession of each other’s mouths in a crowded room full of people.

The noise of my sister whistling and Kristine telling us to get a room was lost as I finally had Chase back in my arms.

We separated, and I leaned my forehead down to hers as she framed my face with her hands.

“I missed you,” she whispered, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

“Does that mean yes?” I smiled.

“Hmm. What’s in it for me?” Her eyes narrowed, and I pulled her closer to me.

“Just me,” I assured her quietly. “You’ll get me.”

“Sold. You’re all I need.”

Chase

Chicago

“When did you get here?” I whispered as I cuddled into his side. I hadn’t realized how much comfort his physical presence gave me.

After the spectacle of our reunion, the two of us returned to the podium to answer more questions. I couldn’t believe he’d shown up—and in leather pants, no less.

We were currently sitting on a couch toward the back of the bookstore. Diana had given us ten minutes to take a breather before we needed to return for the book signing. I felt bad that we’d made the readers wait, but I wasn’t sorry for the time alone with Evan.

“My flight arrived at 2:00. My sister drove me straight here.”

“Kelly’s here?” I was nervous about meeting her, but she sounded hilarious from the stories he’d told me.

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