Page 80 of When We Burn

“No.” He pulls away.

“Well, that backfired.” I reach for him, but he won’t let me touch him. “Hey, come back. It’s nothing bad. Don’t withholdyoufrom me, Bridge. I don’t like that.”

“Okay.” He folds me against him, and this is much better. “Sorry, baby. I was playing with you and pushing your buttons. Now I know how far is too far.”

“This is a way better method of getting me to talk.” I nuzzle his chest with my nose. “I have a book club meeting at Billie’s Books tonight. It’s our first one.”

He chuckles, and I can hear it vibrating through his breastbone. “First of all, I need to up my game if you’re ditching dirty talk for book talk. What did you read for this meeting?”

“Beyond the Thistlesby Samantha Young, and it was so good. Sexy with a little suspense, and it’s set in Scotland, which only ups the sexy factor.”

“Spicy books, then, huh?” He kisses the top of my head, and his hands are rubbing circles on my back. Maybe I shouldn’t go to book club tonight.

“You know it. Anyway, it’ll be fun. I probably won’t get home until around nine, though.”

“Just come over here when you’re done. I’ll go get Pickles, and she’ll be here, too.”

I tip my head back and rest my chin on his chest, watching him. “You mean I can have both book clubanddirty talk? I don’t have to choose?”

“I’d never make you choose.” He kisses my nose as the oven timer dings. “Have fun with the girls talking about your smut, and then come home to me. Win-win.”

“I will take you up on that offer.” I kiss his chin before he pulls away to check the cookies in the oven. “I can make dinner before I go. Chicken noodle soup from scratch sounds good, and it’s good for Birdie.”

Bridger’s gaze moves to the rain coming down outside, and he nods. “That actually sounds really good. I won’t say no to that. Thanks.”

“I just have to run home and get the ingredients. I already have everything. I’ll pack an overnight bag and grab Pickles, too, if that’s okay.”

He turns to me, that smile still in place. “That’s more than okay. I’ll help.”

After he transfers the cookies to a rack, he calls down the hallway.

“Hey, peanut?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m gonna help Dani grab some things from her house. I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Okay,” she calls back. “Bring Pickles.”

Bridger shakes his head with a laugh. “Yes, ma’am.”

“You’re destined to be bossed around by women.”

“I have no complaints with that,” he replies as westep out of the house. “As long as it’s outside of the bedroom.”

“Or the garage,” I reply thoughtfully. “Or the kitchen.”

“Point made, kitten.” He takes my hand, leading me across the street. “Come on, let’s get you back to my place, where you belong.”

“My favorite part,” Alex says, holding her hand up like she’s swearing on the stand in a courtroom, “was when Walker was taking Sloane home from work, and she made him pull over, and they did it in the car, and he was likeholy shit, this is the best day ever.”

Alex shimmies her shoulders, making us laugh.

“Walker was delicious, in a very alpha, grumpy, I-want-to-eat-him-up way,” Bee agrees. “I’m so glad you recommended this author, Skyla, because now I have to go back and devour her backlist.”

“You won’t be disappointed,” Skyla replies, that pretty Irish lilt in her voice. She’s in some brown wide-leg denim pants and a green sweater that looks chic and casual at the same time, and her bright red hair is twisted into a long braid. She brought her massive dog, Riley, with her. He’s curled up in a ball at her feet, sleeping soundly. “I’m just honored that you chosemyauthor for the first month’s book.”

“This was a great way to start,” I reply. I’d read thebook before, but I had no issue with reading it again so it would be at the forefront of my mind.

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