Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Everyone laughs and it eggs Floyd on. “Lord have mercy, let me tell you folks… if Sam writes like this about all his characters, I can only imagine what sweet talk he’s whisperin’ in real life.”
Floyd’s gaze flicks pointedly between me and Penny, while the grin on his face says he’s enjoying shining the spotlight on our relationship.
I glance at Penny who ducks her head with a knowing smile.
Morri snaps his fingers by his shoulder. “If this man wrote about me, I’d never leave my house,” he calls, and someone in back hollers, “Amen!”
Laughter comes in waves and my shoulders relax. These are my people. Not perfect. Not quiet. But mine. Penny’s fingers intertwine with mine for a second.
Squeeze. I squeeze back, and the touch answers something she doesn’t say out loud.
I’m here.
“All right,” Floyd crows, “we’re gonna let the man read his own words before I ruin ’em any further.”
“Jesus,” I mutter so only Penny can hear. “No telling what passage he picked.”
I take my book, look with trepidation at the scene, and then do a quick scan. Okay, not too spicy at all.
“Quick warning,” I say. “There’s kissing in this book that leads to other things, but there are also swords and fae—”
“What’s a fae?” someone yells.
“Read it and find out,” I call back, and Floyd snickers. “My books are also about people making choices that scare ’em. If you’re allergic to any of that, the exits are behind you and Pap will refund your… actually, Pap will not refund anything.”
Pap points at the tip jar. “No refunds.”
The room laughs. I glance at Penny and she nods with confidence shining in her expression. I look down at the page and let the words do what they’re meant to.
I clear my throat and take a breath. “She’s fighting it—just barely—but I can see the surrender starting behind her eyes before I feel it in the way her body softens in my grip. If I lifted her now, she wouldn’t resist. She’d melt into me, quiet and sure, like she’s been waiting for me to take control.
“But Zora never gives freely outside the sheets, and I’m greedy enough to take what I can. I draw her in until our breath mixes and tilt her chin so she can’t look anywhere but at me.
“‘Say it,’ I tell her quietly. ‘Say you want this.’
“Her mouth parts and for a long moment, the air between us feels too thick to breathe.
“Then, finally, soft and certain, ‘You already know.’
“It’s not the confession I asked for, but it’s the one I’ll take. I claim her mouth in answer, one arm sliding beneath her, the other at her back. The glass in her hand vanishes before it hits the floor—maybe magic, maybe luck—but either way, it’s gone, and all that’s left is the sound of her breath and the weight of her body as I carry her toward the bed without hurry. Distance can bend but time cannot. Not when she’s wrapped around me like this.”
“Oh my word,” Morri breathes out, and several murmurs ripple through the crowd as I look up, closing the book.
It’s dead silent for a few painful heartbeats, and then the bar erupts in a chorus of cheers that hurt my ears.
Penny claps and Floyd grabs my shoulders, giving me an affectionate shake of pride. People swarm Floyd’s table and money starts flying. I sit down and sign books, one after the other, until we run out. I drink a Romance Mule and then another.
At some point, Derek storms in like he’s outrunning a rabid coyote. Sleeves rolled, hair mutinous, phone welded to his hand. He looks like he might need CPR.
“What’s up?” I ask as he comes to a skidding halt before me and Penny.
He grabs my elbow and drops his voice. Curiosity might be Whynot’s official pastime because half the bar leans our way.
“Our announcement clip went viral,” Derek says, eyes bright enough to start a brush fire. “You’re trending. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook—everywhere. The ‘romance country boy’ reveal has half a million views. Good Morning America wants you on their show. Late night’s circling. Your book pre-order just cracked Amazon’s top ten. I’m feeling practically drunk on the power of it all.”
I blink. “You’re kidding.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding? My left eye is twitching.” He scans the room, then adds, “This looks like it went well.”
Before I can tell him about it, Pap puts his hands around his mouth and yells out, “Attention, everyone. Sam has gone viral and is going to be on Good Morning America.”
The bar detonates again and I just shake my head. There are no secrets in this town.
Floyd lifts his Romance Mule like the Statue of Liberty. “To Whynot’s most eligible author! May his verbs stay strong and his adverbs stay few!”
“Floyd, you’re insufferable,” Mary-Margaret says, dabbing at suspicious moisture. “And correct.”