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A few claps from the staff group.
“Well, there’s your answer,” Chris said. “Whoever challenges and supports Theo the most. Which means in the end, it’ll be Theo and Mochi, together forever.”
Laughter, and the young woman looked at Daphne. “That is a good answer, and it means it’s going to be Atticus.”
Daphne only smiled, and Chris reached under the table to squeeze her hand. It was a good answer. A really good answer. Also, he was totally rooting for Atticus. Did authors’ boyfriends get to ask for series spoilers? He was going to find out.
The author’s boyfriend. Daphne’s boyfriend. He liked the sound of that. He also liked lover, partner, fiancé…
Whoa. Slow down there.
He smiled. He wouldn’t rush it, but there was nothing wrong with knowing where he’d like to end up.
He signed the book and said a few words. While he’d joked about speed-signing, there was a limit to how fast he could go without making people feel like he had somewhere better to be. Which he did, but that was no insult to the readers. Right now, he couldn’t imagine anything that would be fair competition to his late-evening plans.
As Sakura herded the staff away, Chris laid his hand on Daphne’s thigh, hidden under the long tablecloth. Then he played with the hem of her skirt, letting his fingers slide along the inside of her thigh, keeping them low. Nothing too risqué but it still made her lips part.
“Was I fast enough?” he whispered.
“Very fast.”
“And that’s the last time you’re going to say that tonight.”
A stifled laugh. Then she leaned his way. “Is that a promise?”
“It’s a guarantee. That’s the only reason you haven’t had a midnight knock on your door. I am an expert at self-control.”
“Are you now?” She leaned closer, her own hand sliding up his thigh. “That sounds like a challenge.”
“It is absolutely a—”
“Zane?” Sakura called. When he looked over, she waved. “Come for a staff photo.”
He started to rise, and then sat quickly.
“Everything okay?” Daphne whispered.
He looked down.
She followed his gaze. “Ah. I see. Well, no. To properly see it, I’d need to reach over and unzip your—”
“Not helping,” he said, through his teeth.
“Just hold a copy of the book over your crotch,” she said.
“Distract them, please, while I recite a few formulas.”
“Will you do it out loud?” she whispered. “Math is so sexy.”
He shot her a glare. She reached across him and grabbed a book.
“Just a sec!” she called. “He doesn’t want to forget to sign these.”
There were a few books at his elbow that had been bought by people who hadn’t been able to make it. Daphne pulled the small stack over.
“Actually, that’s better,” Sakura said. “Everyone get behind the table with Zane!”
He pulled in his chair so fast that Daphne snickered. As the staff came over, she tried to step aside but Sakura said “No, no, stay there,” which Chris appreciated. Daphne should be in the photo. He gave her a book to hold, which would be even better—once the truth came out, the store would still have pictures of the actual author with the book.
