Page 98 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
He chuckled in that low, sexy way she loved. “Funny. No, I was talking about outdoor activities like running and other competitive sports, putting bad guys behind bars, and shooting the breeze with my family. Lily, Tim, and Sheila were right to handcuff me to you. Youareperfect for me, and whenever I look at the handcuffs she’s delivering, I’m going to think about that. Hell, I might even frame them.”
She was turning gooey on the inside until he got to the part about using handcuffs as a decoration motif. “You are so not. If you do, I’m going to decorate our house with inspirational sayings likeLove Lives HereandThe Road Is Easier Because of You.”
His baby blues turned downright frosty. “You wouldn’t.”
“Would,” she practically sang.
He huffed out an aggrieved breath before nodding. “Fine. I won’t frame them. We’ll put them in a nice drawer—”
“I prefer a lockbox,” she said, poking a finger into his chest. “I wouldn’t put it past one of your brothers to go looking for them and bring them out for show-and-tell.”
His face bunched up like he’d eaten something sour. “You’re right. They’re totally ruthless.”
A knock sounded.
“Like your partner.” He kissed her quickly before going to the door. “Ready?”
She set her weight, preparing herself for the inevitable. “Open it.”
Cracking it mere inches, Robbie leaned down and picked up the pink gift bag before letting the door close behind him.
“Don’t think I don’t see that roguish smile on your face,” she accused, pointing her finger at him. “Normally I’d think it’s sexy, but I’m still processing the handcuffs thing.”
He wiped his face clean of emotion. “Sorry. Here. Your partner. Your gift.”
“I think she means it for both of us.” She flopped back onto the edge of the bed. “You open it. Since you’re the one who took her handcuffs quiz. God! Do I even want to know?”
He grimaced. “All I can say is that I took one for the team.” Ruffling through the tissue paper, he spurted out a laugh. And then another louder one before silencing himself.
She leaned forward, her stomach jumping. “How bad is it?” she asked, staring at the bag as if it were a ticking time bomb.
He walked over to the bed, obviously fighting a smile. “I’m in new territory here. I’m not sure how to describe it. See for yourself.”
Lily took a courageous breath and reached into the gift bag after he handed it to her. Her eyes widened as she took the cuffs out and dangled them from her hand. “They have pink fur with sparkles!”
“So I see.” Robbie’s mouth was twitching. “I believe there’s a card inside the bag.”
“Oh, you are no help.” She pulled out the note.“To Lily and Robbie. The perfect pair. Like these handcuffs. I got these so no one would get hurt. They’re mark-free! How cool is that? Love, Sheila.”
“It was really nice of her to pick ones that don’t leave marks.” Robbie came and sat next to her on the bed, nudging her shock-filled body. “I won’t feel guilty about using these. I worried about marking you the first time we were cuffed together.”
She turned to face him fully and held up the cuffs. “You seriously want to use these? In all their sparkly pink glory?”
He stood and pulled off his shirt, tossing it aside. “You bet I do.”
Her mouth went dry at the sight of his rock-hard body. “But I thought you hated having them used on you.”
He commandeered the cuffs and dangled them in the air, making the sparkles wink. “Do these look like regulation cuffs to you? Plus, they’re adjustable and key free, so we don’t need to worry about getting locked—”
“So they’re practically childproof?” she asked as he tossed them into the center of the bed.
“I wouldn’t use that term.” He unzipped his slacks and peeled them down with his underwear, dispensing with his socks. “In fact, I’m going to be a real gentleman here since you look like a deer in the headlights. You can cuff me to the bed first.”
Her eyes bugged. “Robbie O’Connor, you have got to be kidding! We’re professionals. Law enforcement officials. We do not use furry pink handcuffs with sparkles.”
He laid himself out on the bed, one gorgeous buffet of male splendor. “You are so cute when you’re embarrassed. I kinda like this side of you. It’s no wonder the sweet girl-next-door cover works so well for you. You’re totally her to the core.”
She couldn’t argue that point. “Fine. I’m going to put these on you, but I’m not entirely sold on the idea. Just because Sheila gets a wild thought in her head—”
