Page 25 of Awakening Veronica

“What? You can tell us anything and we won’t think ill of you.”

“I can’t imagine what it would be like to know that kind of love with one man, much less with three men. They’re utterly, hopelessly in love with her and I wonder what that must feel like—” She leaned back in her chair. “What–what I mean is the ménage dynamic fascinates me.” Her backpedaling didn’t fool him at all. She wasn’t just approaching this event from a clinical viewpoint. She saw something she wanted. She could deny it but it was in her eyes.

On her other side, Hank reached out and stroked her thigh. “I can imagine a man—or men—would find themselves as smitten by you as Maizy’s men are with her.” Her eyes grew wide as Hank continued. “You should ask her men to tell you about how they met her. It’s the stuff romance novels are written about, I’m sure.”

Veronica sipped at her wine, and Travis imagined she was trying to borrow some courage from the liquid.

She looked into Hank’s eyes and asked, “Have you ever read a romance novel?”

“No. But I plan to read one of yours soon.”

She put her glass down. “I know that many men view what I write as drivel that sets their women up with impossibly high standards. I’m actually surprised that you’re not a little amused or condescending about what I write.”

Travis said, “I think that Hank and I have more than a few surprises up our sleeves where you’re concerned. Now, which of your books would you recommend?” He pulled out his phone and tapped the app for a popular e-book retailer and typed her name into the search engine.

She gasped and put her hand out to stop him. “Tell you what. I have a good friend who writes books similar to mine. She’s better than me. I’d much rather you read one of hers. She’s wonderful.”

Why was she being so evasive? “But she’s not you. I’d rather read one of yours.”

“Yeah,” Hank said as he pulled his smartphone out, too, and started typing. “I’m very interested.”

“Oh boy,” she moaned as she lifted her wine glass to her lips. Then she giggled. “I need more wine if we’re going to continue this conversation. Once I confess though, you’re going to have to help me with my research.” She gestured around the room.

Travis beat Hank out of his chair, lifting her glass from her hand. “Be right back.” As he sauntered to the bar, an idea formed in his mind as he recalled her words about them helping with research. He didn’t intend to get Veronica drunk, but he did plan to make a proposal that he hoped she might take interest in.

When he returned, Veronica thanked him and took another sip, as though bolstering her courage.

“You said you had a confession to make. Why in the world would you feel that way with us?”

Veronica took Travis’s phone from him and moved her fingertips nimbly over the screen then handed the phone back to him. “That’s why. That’s my first book, written about six years ago.”

“The Game Warden Traps a Wife?”

“Uh-huh,” she murmured into her glass as she averted her gaze and took another sip. “You inspired me.”

Travis blinked as he enlarged the cover, which featured a totally ripped, tan model with muscles that practically burst out of his green game warden’s uniform, embracing a woman who looked enthralled by his gaze. He’d inspired one of her books?

“Well, hot damn.” He handed the phone to Hank and Veronica looked ready to pass out from embarrassment.

He stroked her upper arm and said, “I’m honored, Veronica. Did you think I’d be mad?”

“Not so much mad as embarrassed. It got pretty good reviews for a debut novel.”

“I’ll bet it did, or you wouldn’t still be writing. So that’s supposed to be me, huh?”

Veronica giggled behind her hand. “I provided a description of the main characters and that’s what they came up with. Readers loved that cover, though.”

Hank chuckled and said, “Not many men could live up to that image.”

Veronica said, “It’s all part of the fantasy, gentlemen, and don’t sell yourselves short. I think you’re both cover-worthy.” Veronica gaped as he touched the screen. “Did you just buy it?”

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