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“Make love,” I correct, walking back to my chair.
Millie and Ruthanne and everyone else’s hands shoot into the air, making it the clear winner.
Ruthanne smirks at me. “I guess we’ll be reading the scene in which the Duke finally grows some balls and makes a proper move on our lovelorn heroine.”
Tabs snorts and glances at her notes. “Now, let me see who’s reading tonight.”
“I was reading for the Duke.” Sylvie crosses her arms in front of her and glares at me. “But I’d like to postpone reading the lead until next month.”
“In that case, I think,” Ruthanne winks at me, “we should let this young man read the Duke’s part.”
I lean away from the book on the table in front of me so quickly I almost push myself off my chair. Suddenly, I feel like being Ruthanne’s full-time tech support would be better than having to read aloud from my own book.
Yes, I know authors do live readings… but I never have. And this is different. Reading this scene in front of Tabs would feel like making love for the first time with an audience.
“You know,” I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans, “since I didn’t make an effort to dress the part, I think I should just be a fly on the wall. Don’t you agree, Sylvie?”
“Actually, no. Flies are annoying, and I don’t have my swatter.”
Millie mutters something under her breath, and I catch the word “spank” a split second before everyone in the room starts talking all at once.
“Ladies,” Tabs snaps, sounding every inch the librarian. I’m surprised she doesn’t shush the group, and am really glad I’m not the recipient of the chastising look she’s sharing with each woman in turn. “What is the number one rule of book club?” She takes off her cat-eye glasses and puts a hand on her hip.
Several heads drop. Apparently the wood grain of the table has become quite interesting, so Tabs continues.
“That we welcome everyone and respect each other’s opinions and boundaries. If Cam isn’t comfortable reading, we won’t force him simply because he has quite a lovely deep voice and, I’m sure as the hero of a Regency novel, would melt the corset off any young lady.”
I know she’s only kidding, but a blush creeps up my cheeks. Now I have that delicious image in my mind… along with the sudden desire to read every steamy scene from my books to her in private. Including a few I haven’t published yet.
“Oh, look,” Ruthanne drawls, “he’s already acting the role of our feckless hero, stroking the back of his neck just the way the Duke does when he’s uncomfortable.”
My hand drops so quickly it hits the table with a loud thud. Shit. “Since it’s my first time?—”
“You mean the Duke’s first time!” Ruthanne interjects.
And like the idiot I am, I argue, “It’s not the Duke’s first time. Obviously, he has experience in the bedroom. Just because…” I stop mid-sentence.
At the rate I’m going, everyone’s going to figure out I wrote The Duke’s Treasure. And if they do, Tabs will never speak to me again. She hates secrets, and I’ve kept my career from her for nearly a decade. There’s no coming back from that.
Not to mention I’ll be in violation of my contract with the publisher and risk a horrifying lawsuit. It’ll probably make the news, too, and the last thing I want is my face all over the news as the real Abigail Cameron.
If the truth comes out, I’ll be forced to move to some remote town and live the rest of my life alone.
CAM
Tabs’s eyes twinkle as they meet mine. “It really sounds like it’s the Duke’s first time. I mean, he’s soooo slooow.” She lengthens the words to emphasize her opinion.
I jump to my feet. “I should go.” Before I ruin everything.
“No, stay,” Tabs grabs my arm and pulls me back down into my seat. “Having an actual guy’s opinion is going to be fun since the scene was written by a woman.” She sighs and rests her other hand against her ribs, pushing her breasts higher in her dress. “Corset malfunction.”
The combination of her touch and that view force the pounding blood out of my ears and into my groin. My body reacts the same way as the Duke’s—and I’m relieved the table hides my big reveal.
“I’ll read the Duke,” Tabs adds.
“But, Tabitha, you’d make a perfect Gabriella,” Ruthanne croons.
The penny drops and I realize exactly what Ruthanne is doing. She knows I wrote Gabriella with Tabs in mind—and myself as her Duke—and after a decade of keeping my secret, she’s decided to publicly out me for reasons unknown. Or make very obvious hints about it, at the very least.
