Page 103 of Zero Divergence

“I explained how I wanted to move some of Aunt Tipsy’s flowers to our house. She told me it was called transplanting and said fall was usually a good time to do it. She recommended I do some research first before I attempt it or call an arborist.” Royce stopped too and faced him. “Layers, asshole. Remember?”

“That wasn’t what I was thinking, dickhead.” It was precisely what Sawyer had been thinking.

Royce stared at him over the length of the grocery cart, and it reminded Sawyer of the time they squared off on the first day they’d met. “Then what were you thinking?”

“Are you going to tell me what Aunty Tipsy’s real name is?”

Royce threw his head back and laughed. “That information is on a need-to-know basis.”

They both knew Sawyer could easily find the information in the county records by looking at the property transfer or even ask Jace or Holly. Where was the fun in that?

“I have my methods of getting perps to confess.”

Royce smiled wickedly. “Challenge received and accepted, baby.”

Sawyer wanted to shove him up against the bookshelves and ravage his smug mouth.Breathe in. Hold. Release.His yoga breathing only encouraged Royce to taunt him more, but he pushed the cart around him and headed to the checkout.

Once they paid for the groceries and wheeled the cart outside, Royce leaned into him.

“If we hurry, there’s still time to fool around before dinner prep. We can swing by and pick up my white hat and buy a pair of aviator glasses from the drugstore,” Royce said, then started walking faster. He didn’t look over his shoulder to see if Sawyer sped up too, because it was a given.

“Don’t forget that star-spangled Speedo.”

As they neared Sawyer’s car, he passed two elderly gentlemen chatting in the parking lot.

“Can you believe how hot and humid it is for October?” one asked.

“Makes a person want to commit murder,” his friend replied.

Heat, Humidity, and Homicidewould no longer be the title of Sawyer’s autobiography. Not because those things didn’t exist or had ceased to matter to him. Thanks to Royce, those things were part of his life, but they didn’tdefinewho he was. These days, he was all about happily ever after. Sawyer had a new working title for his life’s story.

The Grand Adventures of Dickhead and Asshole.

The End!