Page 96 of Burning Daylight

“I assure you,” I murmur, leaning just a little closer, “sex can be absolutelyfilthy. I’m more than happy to show you, if you’d like.”

She cocks her head. “Wow. How selfless of you. Do you always offer personal demonstrations to your friends?”

I grin. “Only thereallyspecial ones.”

“That’s not even the kind of stuff I write.”

“Oh no?” I tap the table, eyes locked on her mouth. “I’m not sure I believe you.”

“Idon’t.”

Her cheeks bloom that pink, and my pulse stutters.

I point at her. “You’re blushing. That’s proof of your guilt.”

She glares at me.

“You know,” I continue, lowering my voice. “I think you’d better let me read them—that way, I’d know for sure.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Come on,” I tease, resting my hand on my chin. “It’s only fair. I’ve just bared my soul to you. Not to mention my generous offer of lessons in smut, to further your literary prowess. I’m really putting myself on the line here.”

“No,” she repeats.

“Fine.” I relent, watching her. “Should we have a secret handshake?”

She blinks. “What?”

I lift a shoulder. “Seems like something friends would do. You know, seeing as how we’restrictly platonicand all.”

She scrunches her nose. “We’re not making up a handshake.”

“Why not?” I smirk. “Scared it might be too intimate?”

Her eyes narrow. “Are you ever serious?”

I put my hand over my heart. “I’m seriously promising I won’t be mad when I read about all the ways you want to take advantage of me.”

“Oh myGod,” she groans and covers her mouth, but not before I catch the smile breaking through.

Andthatright there is why I’m doing what I am. There’s nothing good in my life…except when I make Juliette Calloway smile.

Under the table, I nudge the tip of her shoe with mine. “Relax. I’m just fucking with you.”

She lets the smile land fully now, and the breeze kicks up, catching a piece of her hair and sweeping it across her face. She brushes it behind her ear, and I think watching her is my new favorite pastime.

“I brought it with me because I didn’t know if you’d show up, and I wanted to be able to write somewhere I wouldn’t have to look over my shoulder.” She fingers the pages of her notebook. “If I had known you’d be giving me such a hard time about it, I would have left it in my car.”

“Why do you have to look over your shoulder?”

“My family doesn’t—well, they don’t really get the whole writing thing…so I thought if you didn’t show, at least I could find some time to do it in private.”

And just like that, I don’t want to piss her off anymore. In fact, it pissesmeoff that the people who claim to love her don’t let her do what she enjoys around them.

I nod and tap the top of my black book. “I brought mine, too. You know, just in case. I’m fine with hanging out and spending time together so you can write.”

“You are?” She looks at me from beneath her long lashes.