Page 103 of Tender Heart
“What if we won’t be here Monday?” the skinny guy in the cap says, and I swear something like annoyance lines his words.
I step forward. “Then you miss out, buddy.”
Evie huffs a strained breath.
He stares at me, his pasty skin and thin lips making him look like some kind of nerd villain. After he’s taken his time sizing me up, he turns on his heels and marches from the library.
Sherry slithers up by Evie’s side. “Thank you so much for doing this for us, Eve.”
“It’s no trouble. I didn’t realize you had so many copies of my books here.”
“Actually, we got a surprise donation a few weeks ago. We don’t have shelving space for an entire carton, so we decided to sell the extras, just a little bonus for the library.”
“Hold up, doesn’t Evie get a cut of those sales?” I grind out.
“Um, usually. But we?—”
Evie holds up a hand. “It’s fine. Keep it. Maybe we can arrange a commission next time.”
“Thanks, sure,” Sherry chokes.
She had no intention of doing any such thing. Fucking hell.
Evie yawns again as she leans into my side and glances up. “I think home is next on the book tour.”
Sherry waves us off as I guide Evie from the library. Iris waits outside, her hands clasped together.
“You scared us, sweetheart. But I’m so excited to see you in action!”
Evie chuckles. “Sorry, I should have texted. Sherry was relentless.”
“I bet,” Iris says, beaming. “Take her home, Cal.”
“Aye aye.” I wrap an arm around Evie’s shoulders, and she rests her head on mine. We wander back to the marina where Em waits for us, his face pulled into a frown. The boat is ransacked, cupboards open, the radio pulled out, everything floating in the water.
“Oh no!” Evie gasps.
Fuck. “She still seaworthy, Em?”
He passes me a handheld radio. “Yeah, starts and runs fine. Probably just some kids pranking the first boat they found. I’ll check the security cameras tomorrow. But you’re good to go.”
I board and wait for Eve to follow. After checking she’s safe and sound in the cabin, I fire up the old girl and we head home under the clear, star-riddled night sky.
Twenty-Eight
EVIE
Iwake up to Callum wrapped around me. And in this moment, I’m content. Happy. If the world stopped turning right now, things frozen in time, I would be good right here. I run my hand over his roped forearm, sliding my fingers through his where they’re draped over my stomach.
Rolling over, I trace the angles of his face and the brush of his beard and wait for his blue eyes to open and find me looking, longing.
Maybe we shouldn’t have let things go this far?
How could this be wrong? I mean, I almost have a full manuscript done. I’ve written more words in the last nine months than I have in six whole years. Deciding that Callum can only be a good thing, I press a kiss to his jaw. A low, raw noise rumbles from his chest as I rise to all fours, planting kiss after kiss over his face and down his neck as my lips meander over his shoulder.
This man isperfect.
With only the sheet lying over the lower half of his body, he puts even the most incredible book boyfriend to shame.
