“Whore-ish?”

“No! Collin, stop.” A smile teases her lips and her eyes, well—those are gazing at me all wide and sparkly. Laughing. Fucking intense is what those gorgeous eyes are, and they’re directed at me. “It’s… it’s…”

“Literotica?”

This stops her train of thought and she looks at me, her face twisted up in obvious confusion. “Wait. What?”

“What? You’ve never heard of Literotica and you write it?” She shakes her head slowly. “Don’t worry, I hadn’t either. It popped up in the search results when I Googled your pen name.”

I pick up the water glass and calmly slurp through the straw. The sound makes Tabitha scowl. “Anyway, it’s basically written to turn people on. Like porn. But you know—in writing.”

“I was going to say that my writing is risqué.” Tabitha rolls her eyes; they appear even bluer on her blushing, bright red face. “My book is not erotica. That’s not what it’s about and you know it. Stop making fun of me. It has an actual plot, and a storyline, and a climax.”

A snort escapes my nose.

“Without trying to get myself into deeper trouble, can I just point something out?” I lift the menu again to study the entrées, casually perusing it before coolly pointing out the obvious. “You just said climax.”

Her arms go up in defeat. “See? This is why I can’t tell my family! Put that menu down!”

Holding the menu higher, I block out the glacial stare I know is being directed my way. Her exasperated voice drifts over the top with a huff, and she gives the plastic menu a poke with her finger to regain my attention.

“Would you put down that menu? Collin Keller, we are not staying for dinner.”

Shit. I kind of like it when she says my name like that, all pissed off and agitated. Collin Keller, we are not staying for dinner! So fucking cute.

I put down the menu and pretend to be confused. “But it’s dinner time. Aren’t you hungry?”

She rolls those gorgeous, baby blues again. “I had a late lunch. On purpose.”

What a fiery little hothead she is.

I like it.

My fingers drum the tabletop in thought. “So I’ve been thinking, I know you said you don’t consider this a date, but—”

“Hold it right there.” Her palm goes up to stop me from finishing my sentence. “This is not a date. A date is getting dressed up, going somewhere nice, and getting to know someone.”

“Kind of like what we’re doing right now?”

“That is not what we’re doing right now. Right now we are making an exchange.”

I disagree and it shows on my face. “What do I get in return?”

“Nothing. I get my book and you get nothing.”

“Well, gee, when you put it that way… my end of the deal sounds shitty.”

We’re interrupted at that moment by the waiter, who steps forward with his pad of paper, pen hovering at the ready. “Have you decided on anything yet, or do you need a few minutes?”

I expect Tabitha to grab her messenger bag and slide her sexy self out of the booth, but instead, she surprises me by grabbing her menu with a resigned huff, scanning it briefly, and saying, “I’ll have the black angus cheeseburger, medium rare, with a side of fries. Extra pickles. Oh, and an iced tea please.”

She sighs and hands the waiter back his menu. “You made me come here. This is what you get in exchange.”

“A non-date date?”

She folds her arms across her fantastic breasts. “Exactly. I’m just not sure dating you would be a good decision for either of us.”

I watch her the entire time I give my order to the waiter. “Double cheeseburger medium rare, cheese curds, ranch on the side.” I hand the menu over, Tabitha’s earlier agitation making me chuckle. “Why isn’t dating me a good decision? And why do you have to say it with that look of disgust on your face. I’m kind of insulted.”

“Several reasons, and I’ll gladly list them off for you. First, you’re Greyson’s brother—you don’t think that’s weird?”

“I refuse to discuss it. Next.” I watch the kitchen’s service door swing back and forth, willing the food to come out though we just placed our orders.

I’m fucking starving.

And not just for food.

Tabitha prattles on across from me. “Second, we got off on the wrong foot. I freaked out at the coffee shop, and now this dating thing could be awkward for us.”

“Quit bringing that shit up. Trust, me, you’ll get over it. I did. Next.”

Now she’s ticking items off on her fingers, bobbing her cute little head as she counts. “Third, you just moved back into the area. Don’t you want to see what’s on the market? There are a lot of attractive women in this city.”

“Been there, done that. Next!” Shit, maybe I said that one a little too loudly—the couple at the neighboring table crane their necks in our direction.

“You’re really annoying.”

I ignore her complaining. “Are you looking forward to dinner? I’m ravenous.” I chuckle, delighted with my own wit. “How’s that for smut romance lingo?”

“Meh.” She gives me a flirty little wink. “Not bad.”

I take that as a good sign. “How bout a glass of wine?”

She sighs, defeated. “I guess I could use some alcohol to calm my nerves, but wine doesn’t really go with a burger. How ‘bout a beer?” Tabitha reaches for her water, taking a dainty sip before continuing. “You don’t want to play the field? Casually date?”

“What am I, nineteen? No.” I reach for her hand across the table and pull it towards me. She lets me. “Look, we could do this all night, Tabitha. But I’d rather just enjoy your company.” She bites down on her plump lower lip. It’s driving me crazy. “God, I can’t even look at you without wanting to put my mouth on you.”

“Oh my god, you can’t just say things like that!” she hisses, mortified.

“You’re kidding me, right? You write sex books for a living.”

“Shh! No one is supposed to know that.” Her hand settles into mine and her thumb begins distractedly stroking my palm. “And that’s not what I do for a living.”

“But that is what you want to be doing, right?”

She frowns. “What I want and what’s best for me are two totally different things. I can’t leave my dad’s business until Cal is ready to take on more responsibility.”

“Is that what your parents told you?”

“Well, no—”

“And you don’t think they want you to be happy, Tabitha?”

When I say her name, she looks up from our joined hands. “Have you always just done what you wanted? As if it were easy?”

“Honestly? Yes.”

She bites down on her lip again and gives her head a gloomy little shake. “I thought working for my parents was what I always wanted. It’s the only thing I knew.” She scoffs. “Hell, my degree is in Business with an emphasis on Construction Management, for crying out loud. It’s the only thing I’m qualified for. How sad is that?”

“You’re incredible. I am actually in awe of you right now.”

“Collin, stop.” She tugs her hand out of my grip and sets it in her lap.

“Why should I? You need to hear it.”

“I do hear it. My family tells me they love me all the time.”

I disagree. Being told you’re loved and being given the chance to make your own choices are not the same thing, but I keep that opinion to myself, choosing my next words wisely. “Then why are you hiding yourself from them?”

For a while, I don’t think she’s going to respond. Instead, her forlorn frown studies her hands, where she’s clasped them in her lap. Opening her palms, she spreads them wide, appearing, for the first time since I met her, young and vulnerable. “It’s because I’m scared.”

“Of what?” My words come out above a whisper.

“Of everything.”

I pause. “Well, that’s horseshit.”

Surprised laughter bursts from her lips. “You’re ridiculous,” she says, shaking her blonde hair. “And kind of an ass.”