Page 130 of Off Limits

“How about we leave the storytelling to the author instead of giving his boyfriend a mini-heart attack thinking that you mugged an old lady at Asa’s signing,” Jamie suggested.

I glanced over my shoulder at Dex. “Did you go into panic mode?”

“Panic and damage control mode,” he confirmed with a nod. “I’ve learned to not discount anything Isaac says, no matter how crazy it sounds.”

“That’s smart.” Isaac tapped the pile of books. “Chop-chop, famous author guy. These aren’t going to sign themselves.”

“Is Isaac being annoying?” Jesse asked, giving Isaac a little hip check as he came to stand on his other side.

“I’m being a supportive friend.” Isaac hip checked Jesse back.

“Children, do I need to separate you two?” Zander asked, looking up from the book he was flipping through.

“Sorry, Daddy.” Isaac batted his eyelashes at him. “We’ll be good.”

Luka snort-laughed. “Sure you will.”

“Do you really want me to sign these?” I asked Isaac.

His expression went serious. “Yeah. I know I joke around a lot when I say stuff like this, but I’m really proud of you, and I’m amazed at how talented you are. I haven’t read a book since I dropped out of college, but I read all of these, and they were amazing.”

“You read them?”

He nodded. “Yeah, and like I said, they were amazing. I ordered your other series last night, and I’m going to start it as soon as it arrives.”

My throat tightened, and my eyes went a little misty. Everyone at work had made a point to read my books after I started publishing, and it meant the world that they were so supportive.

“How do you want me to sign them?” I asked, my voice thick with emotion, and picked up my pen.

“However you want.” He pushed the stack closer to me.

I opened the top book and wrote out a short message, then added my real signature, not the one I’d made for my pen name.

When I was done signing them, Isaac picked up the stack and balanced them in his arms. “How about I put these in our car, then we all go out and celebrate?” He glanced around at the group.

“I’m in,” Jesse said.

“Us too,” Luka added.

I glanced at Dex. He was smiling at me with so much love and affection my chest squeezed.

“Yeah,” I choked out. “That would be great.”

“Awesome.” Isaac turned to Jamie. “Go put these in the car for me?”

Jamie shot Isaac an amused grin and took them. “I’ll be right back.”

“So where are we going?” Isaac asked.

“How about we let the man of the hour decide?” Jesse suggested.

“Um,” I said when everyone swung the gazes to me. “Maybe Ralph’s?”

Dex put his hand on the small of my back. “Too bad the hot bartender doesn’t work there anymore. I miss trying to mess with the timeline.”

I snickered and pressed back against his touch. “I still regret telling you about him.”

“No you don’t.” He pecked a kiss against my cheek. “You loved having both of us to stare at whenever we went there.”

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