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“Today. May twenty-third.”

“What! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Age is just a number, baby. Haven’t we already decided that?”

“Yeah, but your birthday is special, no matter how old you are, or how young. It’s supposed to be a celebration of you, of the person you are now and of the day you debuted in the world. It means somethin’.”

He hummed. “I like that.”

“I’m glad you were born, Ryder Graves. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you were born too, in October, ain’t that right?”

“Yes, how…? Never mind.” I smiled again, thinking of the book I carried at the store that talked about compatibility between zodiac signs; Libras and Geminis were said to be extremely compatible. Not that I believed in all that crap…

“I also like that I got to ring in my thirty-fifth year inside you.”

He couldn’t see it, but I blushed so hard. “So what would you like for your birthday?” I asked to distract him. His filthy mouth was going to change my skin to a ruddy red color permanently.

I had already started making a list in my Notes app: books about regenerative farming, the cowboy coffee he’d told me he loved. And maybe I’d be brave and order some kind of sex toy or, like, edible panties.

“You,” he said. “I want you on a big, round cake plate. Gargantuan sized. And I wanna eat you and giveyouapple-pie orgasms till you’re nothin’ but a moanin’, pantin’ mess with a warm, gooey center.”

It seemed my birthday gift list was spot on.

“Be serious,” I scolded.

“Fine. For my birthday, I’d like you to come out to the house tonight for dinner. My mama makes a big spread and a tres leches cake that’ll make your head spin. It’s delish.”

“Tonight? Won’t you be passed out by then?”

“No time for sleepin’, lil’ lady. There’s work to be done.” He yawned again. “Please? I miss you already, and we can flaunt our date in my parents’ faces. It’ll be the first real test.”

“If it’s fake, just an arrangement, why’d you stay the night? Not that I’m complainin’.”

“Mm, ’cause I like to keep a good eye on my investments,” he said. “Besides, we barely slept, and I know when I’ve struck gold. And when a man strikes gold, he don’t love it and leave it. He keeps it close.”

Silence greetedme when I walked into book club after my first ever railing—during which, and with Rye’s giant-sized dick inside me, I’d spoken to my friend, the fucking sheriff! Who wasalso a lesbian. She was probably still icked out. I’d already texted her to apologize for my rude behavior on the phone last night, and for the moaning she’d no doubt heard.

Abey at least had decorum, and she took her job seriously, and since she’d called while on duty, I felt pretty sure she wouldn’t rat me out, but everybody knew already anyway. Of course they did, just like I knew every other piece of gossip that happened in this town, if not when it was happening, five minutes after.

Someone cleared their throat.

Standing behind my usual chair, I rolled my eyes and braced myself. “Just get it over with.”

Chaos ensued, wherein people jumped out of their chairs. Some giggled. Some squealed. One of them slapped my ass. I had a feeling it was Billie, but I was too busy being hugged by at least six women to know for sure, and after they’d taken their seats again, all ten of them grinned up at me, buzzing in their chairs, waiting for more information. I heard a few, “Mm-hm, girl”s, and Phil said she was “pleased” I’d had “a nice time.”

“Jeez. Y’all act like I was a virgin before the weekend and Rye came down from on high to bless me with his golden dick. This isn’t the ‘magical-cock trope’ in real life. You do know I’m a mother to two children, right?”

Billie snorted, and Cal tsked her disapproval.

“Alright, here’s the deal. Yes, I had sex. No, I’m not gonna regale you with the tale. It’s private and you should know better.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Sam said. “Shame on us. Now, let’s get to our new book.” She held up a paperback copy of a pale blue book, and on the cover next to an illustrated couple standing on a train track and wearing cowboy hats, the hot-pink title read,Railed by the Cowboy.

“Abey!” I accused and glared at her.

She held up her hands. “I swear it wasn’t me. I didn’t say a word.”