“This is a one-time only thing,” Knox said, and we laughed.
“Which desk do you want?” Tonio asked.
“You pick first,” she said.
“No, you,” he insisted. “We did this for you.”
She blinked back a stray tear, a smile still on her face. “I’d like the one by the bookcases. For inspiration.”
There weren’t that many books on the shelves, but if she wanted it, she got it. “Go get your laptop and see if this helps you get your scene right.”
Emma beamed. “I really think it will.”
“Hey there,” Emma whispered as I climbed into bed next to her that night. It was nearly three, and I was surprised she was awake. Usually, she murmured and snuggled next to me when I slid in beside her, but didn’t fully waken.
“Can’t sleep?”
“I was waiting for you.”
She pulled the cover back from my side of the bed and I lay down next to her. She turned toward me and put a hand on my bare chest, laying her head on my arm. God, it felt good to have her warm little body snuggled next to mine. She had on a t-shirt, and I had on boxer shorts, but still, a lot of her smooth, bare skin was pressed up next to mine.
“You smell good,” she said, inhaling deeply.
“After a night at the club, a shower is definitely a requirement.”
Her hand rubbed along my stomach, making my blood stir. Her leg wrapped around mine, and I almost moaned. She had no idea how good it felt to have her pressed up against me. “What’s with you tonight?”
“I don’t know.” Her voice was quiet in the dark room. “I’m just feeling…”
Please let her say horny. I sent up a little prayer before realizing that wasn’t the kind of thing people should ask a higher power for.
“Grateful,” she concluded. “I’m really grateful for the room you set up.”
Part of me was happy to take the praise, but I didn’t deserve all of it. “That was from all of us.”
“But it was your idea, right? I mean, you said the other day that it was a shame I had to keep seeking out places to write and that I couldn’t get into a routine.”
“It was my idea, yes. But Tonio found the desks and Knox and Austin cleared out all the crap in there.”
“I never even noticed. When did you guys do that?”
“When you were at the grocery store. And that one day you went to the library. Did you get much writing done there?”
“Some, but I think I’ll do better in the study you set up. I can’t thank you enough.” Her voice was quiet and sweet, so close to my ear. “And for encouraging me to finish my book.” She laughed. “Well, forcing me to.”
I chuckled too. “Never underestimate the power of Truth or Dare.”
“I won’t. Not anymore.” Suddenly, she smacked my abs with the back of her hand. “I can’t believe you all thought I was dashing up here to… to… play with myself!”
“Wishful thinking perhaps,” I teased. “But you have to admit, it did look that way. Your face would flush and your breathing sped up. It was a logical conclusion.”
The heat from her face radiated across my chest. To my disappointment, she changed topics. “I’m really scared about showing my story to Tonio’s sister. What if she doesn’t like it?”
“Ronnie’s cool.” I glanced down and saw confusion on Emma’s face. “That’s what she goes by. Only Tonio calls her Veronica, and she in turn calls him Antonio.”
Emma giggled. “That seems like something Tonio would do.”
“But seriously, his sister isn’t going to judge. She’s just going to help. She’s published some things, and she’s got a lot of connections. She can help you out more than we can.”
“You guys have helped a lot.”
I nodded. “Too bad we didn’t think about clearing out that room earlier.”
“Not just with that. With… inspiration.”
I grinned. She was so damn cute when she was embarrassed. “Am I in your story?”
She hesitated. “Not exactly.”
“Tonio? Knox? Please don’t tell me Austin is.”
“The, um, hero has some traits from all of you. I mean, I haven’t copied you. It’s just… you guys do sometimes get me a bit, well, excited, and then when I write, I try to capture the way you all make me feel. I want the heroine of my story to feel the same way about her man.”
Leaning toward her, I ran my free hand lightly across her hip and down to her thigh. “How am I making you feel right now?”
“Warm,” she said after a moment.
“Anything else?” my voice was a husky whisper in her ear.
“Um… turned on,” she admitted.
For a moment we were silent as she snuggled against my chest, my hand still idly stroking her leg. “Do you want me to turn you on more?”
Emma was silent for so long that I half wondered if she’d fallen asleep. And then, “Yes.”