Page 92 of Holding Penalty

Feeling like some high school kid, I slyly slide my phone out of my pocket and try to look down without making it obvious.

PIPER

I’ve been stupidly horny all day. You better have a lot of energy when I get home from the bakery this evening

I clench my chest to keep from groaning right in the middle of this meeting.

I’m already enjoying living this way with Piper entirely too much.

I know that I’ve bought myself a one-way ticket to disaster when it ends, but for now, I’m just going to let myself enjoy it. I’ll worry about picking up the pieces of my heart when they’re scattered on the ground, and not before.

43

PIPER

ME

Can capybaras eat chocolate? Or other sweets?

NASH

No. Definitely not

ME

Awww. I have a bunch of stuff I’m bringing home today. It would’ve been cute to see Cheesecake munch on a cookie or something

ME

Isn’t it kind of cruel? To name her after something she can’t eat?

NASH

I think she’d appreciate it if she understood the situation. She seems to have an ironic sense of humor

Ilaugh in the bakery kitchen.

ME

That’s true

ME

See you soon

The heart react Nash leaves on my last message shouldn’t make me feel as good as it does.

I was confident that I’d be able to compartmentalize my feelings for my fake husband. That we’d be able to sleep together without things getting emotionally complicated and messy.

I’m starting to doubt that confidence.

But I’m damn sure not regretting my decision. Because I’m fairly convinced that Nash’s dick is literally magic, and the possibility of a messier-than-expected parting when this fake marriage finally ends will be a small price to pay for all the orgasms I’m going to have in the meantime.

I hope.

On a day when the bakery closes early, I get the urge to visit Nash at the arena. He’s scheduled to spend a long day because of some kind of media event they have planned in the evening.

I’m not in the mood to drive home to an empty house. I want to surprise my husband at work.