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Her eyes are twinkling with happiness when she says, “For taking me here. I can’t wait to meet him and learn more about your life, Frosty.”

In a blink, she’s on the sidewalk, and the car door is shut. I want to both squeeze her and spank the fuck out of her ass. Maybe even both at the same time. This woman is my wildest dream.

I meet her on the sidewalk and struggle and fail to keep my hands to myself. The roads are empty the way they always are here, and I take advantage of it.

Daisy squeals when I spin and back her into the brick wall of the shop, her eyes wide, blue-edged with black. Her back arches,pushing her chest up and against mine. Satisfaction thrums beneath my skin, and I pinch her chin with my thumb and forefinger before lifting it.

“If you’re going to kiss me, baby, do it properly,” I murmur.

For someone so innocent, Daisy has a devious streak that I can’t seem to get enough of. It’s such a turn-on coaxing it out of her and seeing just how brave she’s willing to be to get what she wants.

“It was supposed to be a peck. A thankful gesture,” she explains coyly, enjoying every moment of getting under my skin.

“Not good enough. I have a minimum of at least three minutes per kiss.”

“Exactly three minutes? How do you expect that to work in public?”

I lean in, and our lips almost touch. “Do you have a problem with kissing me in public, Daisy? Because we’ll have to work on that.”

“Did you ever consider that maybe I just like making you work for my public kisses?” she coos, inching closer.

“Have I earned one yet?”

Her mouth slanting over mine in a full, hard kiss answers my question. This time, I don’t hesitate to tease the seam of her soft lips with my tongue, coaxing them open before delving deep and tasting her without restrictions.

My hand cups the back of her head, guiding it back as I push forward and slip the control from her hands to mine. She might be too aware of how deep her claws go inside of me, but when it comes to these moments, I’m more than ready to sink mine into her.

Daisy keeps her touch light, a tease when I want something harder. Her fingers glide down my neck and throat, then sneak down to trace the neckline of my shirt, a nail dipping beneath the material like she’s about to?—

“Public indecency is a crime, you know?”

Daisy freezes, eyes opening wide in panic. I massage the back of her head and turn mine in the direction of the voice.

“If this town cared about shit like that, they’d have locked you up years ago, Shade. You’ve already scared my girl, and she hasn’t even seen your ugly mug yet.”

My mentor and friend tips his head back and laughs loud enough for it to echo down the street. It’s the kind of roared belly laugh that makes you jump the first time you hear it because your brain hasn’t quite recognized it as a happy sound.

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve been back here, and he’s let his hair grow out since then. It’s as black as mine, long enough to curl at his neck and behind his ears, and has been swooped back out of his face with gel-slicked fingers.

There’s a new piece on the side of his throat, the skin still raised and raw: a spiderweb tucked behind his ear with a fat, round spider dangling from it.

Hands tucked into his black jeans, he leans a giant shoulder against the brick wall and smirks. “Don’t be cruel. I’d bet that Daisy here doesn’t think I’m ugly, do you, baby girl?”

I glare at him, ready to tell him to fuck off, when Daisy urges me back a step with a hand on my arm. She gives him an obvious up-and-down examination.

“I’ve seen worse,Shane.”

I slide an arm around her shoulder and plant a kiss on the side of her head as my laugh slips out. Shade lifts both of his eyebrows and pushes off the wall, stretching to his full height of six-four.

“Bryce sold you short. I’m impressed. How about you two come inside so I can give the gorgeous girl a tour of my space?”

“Stop with the fucking compliments,” I warn.

Daisy reaches up to cover the hand I’ve got holding her shoulder and flashes him a sympathetic smile. “Playboys don’t do anything for me, I’m afraid.”

“I’d be more than willing to let you try me out first before coming to that conclusion.”

He falls directly into the trap she’s laid for him. I’ve told him about Daisy more than a few times over the course of our friendship, but I’ve never mentioned her sexuality before. He knows I’m bisexual, but Daisy wasn’t his business.