Page 220 of Boyfriend of the Hour

I sighed. Sothiswas what it felt like to be with someone who didn’t care what anyone else thought. A man who didn’t care about hiding his emotions, who just said what he thought, who loved you well.

I liked it. Ilovedit. A lot.

“You’ll pick me up at the airport?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Any chance we could find an empty field someplace?”

There was a bit of a pause. “Why?”

I smirked. “Because I’ve always had a fantasy of screwing my boyfriend in the driver’s seat, and I don’t want us to run off the road.”

Another long pause. “I’m sure we could find a way to make that happen.”

“Then it’s a sex date, Dr. Hunt. Right when I get back.” Then I grew serious. “I love you, you know. Like so,somuch. More than maybe anyone.”

Nathan waited a long time to answer, but I knew it was because he was processing the information, not because he didn’t like what I’d said.

Finally, he responded. “I think that’s the first time you’ve ever said it before I did.”

I nodded in agreement, though he couldn’t see me. “I feel it, though. All the time.”

“You should say it, then,” he said.

I smiled. “Rule Number Five applies to me too?”

“Rule Number Five applies to everyone.”

“Well, then, I love you like crazy, and I can’t wait to see you again and maybe one day get married and have your babies and do all the other things people who love each other do.”

The words came out in a rush—words I’d never come close to feeling for anyone else, words that might freak him out, but words I wanted to say.

Because Rule Number Five was the most important of all.

There was one final pause. Then, “I’m sure we could make that happen too.”

My entire being glowed.

“Sounds good,” I said softly.

“Good night, Joni.”

“Good night, babe,” I said, then put my phone away.

“Good night, Sunshine.”

I stopped at the sound of a voice that erased all the warmth in my body.

I turned to find Shawn Vamos walking down the street, looking tired with dark, shadowed eyes and an unshaven face.

He leered. “Where you been, baby? I’ve been looking for you.”

His voice slithered over me like a snake, making every part of my body recoil.

I backed away, keenly aware of what had happened the last time he cornered me in this exact spot. And this time, I didn’t have Nathan on his way down to rescue me. “I don’t know what you want, but you need to leave. My boyfriend is on his way down again.”

“Your boyfriend is in Virginia,” Shawn spat back. “You’re a shitty fuckin’ liar, Sunshine. Always were.”