Page 110 of Love Without Control

I nuzzled into his warm skin and smiled at the memories flooding my heart. “I met Juliette McNamara when I was seven. We both went to a summer camp near Hot Springs, Arkansas, and were assigned as roommates. As soon as I walked into the little cabin, I was surrounded by long arms, a flurry of blonde hair, and the smell of citrus.” Resting my hand on Dane’s hard chest, I said, “I remember thinking she was so pretty and smelled so good.”

Dane’s hand rode gently up and down my back. “What’s the bestie from the nestie thing?”

A giggle escaped my lips. “Everyone at the camp had to name their cabins, and Juli and I decided to call ours The Nest. There was a big robin’s nest on our windowsill, so that’s how we came up with it. By the time dinner rolled around the first night, she informed me that we would be best friends forever, and so we should bebesties from the nestie.”

My husband chuckled. “That’s both sweet and incredibly weird.”

“That’s Juliette. She and I became pen pals—like honest to goodness letters, not emails or texts. We wrote to each other every week and promised to see each other the next summer. My mom wanted to send me to some fancy schmancy camp the next year, but I pitched a hissy fit until my dad said I could go back to the Arkansas camp again.”

“And you went every year after that?” I nodded, cuddling closer to them.

“Until we turned sixteen, and then we were both counselors. At some point, we decided to try and go to the same college. Juli’s dad couldn’t afford out-of-state tuition, so I applied to the same Texas colleges she did. Luckily, she got a full ride to SMU, and I was accepted too, so that’s where we went.” I looked up at Dane, my lips tipping into a smile. “She’s the best friend I’ve ever had. I had lots of friends in high school, but they were more… superficial, I guess. Juli is like my friend soulmate. She and I can talk about anything.”

“I’m sorry you don’t get to see her, but I’m glad you can communicate with her, even though she doesn’t realize it’s you.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “I’ll get started on the soup while you read.”

I knew from reading Juli’s first fifteen chapters four years ago that she was a gifted writer and that this book was going to be great, butdayum. She’d totally upped her game, and I literally couldn’t put it down.

“Soup okay?” Dane asked as I flipped to the next page.

“Uh-huh. Good,” I murmured, my eyes eating up every word. I spooned some soup into my mouth—at least, I tried to, missing my lips and dribbling it down my chin. “Shit.” I swiped at the mess with my napkin but still couldn’t peel my eyes from what was happening on the page. This story was compelling as hell, and I couldn’t wait to see what was next for Colton and Book Evie.

I was vaguely aware of my soup bowl being removed, and I was unsure how I ended up in bed with one of Dane’s T-shirts on. “Here’s a book light,” he said, and I could hear the amusement in his voice when he clipped it on.

“Thanks, babe,” I replied, absently patting his hip when he rolled over and turned off the lamp. With my back against the headboard, I propped the book on my stomach and continued reading. Things were starting to heat up on the page, and I let out a little gasp when Colton rolled on top of Book Evie.Okay, wow.

“What?” Dane asked, shifting to his back.

I spared him a glance and lifted an eyebrow. “Things are starting to getreally good.”

“Somebody getting whacked?” he joked.

“Nope, somebody’s about to get licked.”

That got his attention, and he scooted closer, resting his cheek on my shoulder so he could read along with me. I heard his breathing hitch as his eyes moved over the spicy scene, and then he slid one big hand down my body and directly into my panties like he owned my pussy. The wetness he found there was evident in his low groan.

“Hmm, this book is turning you on, isn’t it?”

“Maybe,” I demurred teasingly.

“I thought that was my job. Should I be jealous of this…” He focused on the page and sneered, “Colton?”

“Definitely. He’s got a very talented tongue.”

My husband growled at my smirking face before jerking the covers back and hooking his fingers onto the sides of my panties and working them down my legs.

“Dane!” I exclaimed. “What are you—”

Shoving my legs apart, he fitted his broad shoulders between my legs and demanded, “Read it to me.”

“Oh, I don’t think so,” I said with a nervous giggle, pushing playfully at him with my foot.

He grabbed my leg and kissed my ankle before settling my foot on his shoulder and then doing the same with the other one. Reaching up and tapping the top of the book, he said, “Read it to me, and I’ll do whatever it says on that page.” He gave me a challenging look, and I bit my bottom lip, shoring up my nerves.

“Okay, fine.”

Dane narrowed his eyes. “But don’t fucking sayhisname.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh my god. Are you jealous of a fictional character?”

---