Page 129 of That Rush

“Cows don’t have digitally printed edges?”

“They refuse to discuss them.”

I laugh, the sound sharp enough to ease the tightness in my throat. Aiden crosses the room and stops close enough that his thigh brushes my knee.

“You said this one was your favorite.”

“It is.”

“I read it.”

“You have a troubling obsession with fictional men.”

“This one was less useless than the others.”

“High praise.”

“He still spent too much time deciding what she needed.”

My smile fades. “You noticed that too.”

“I’m learning.”

His fingers trace the gold skyline without taking the book from me. “I also found the pages you marked.”

Heat blooms low in my stomach. “The tabs were extremely subtle.”

“They were yellow.”

“They coordinated with the cover.”

“They led directly to the only scene where the bastard followed instructions.”

“The scene has other qualities.”

Aiden’s gaze pins me in place. “What can he do that I can’t?”

“Own a hotel.”

“I own land.”

“People cannot order room service to a pasture.”

“I’ll work on it.”

Aiden waits.

I close the hardcover and rest it on my lap. “You bought me a book. You don’t have to challenge the hero to defend your position.”

“I’m not defending anything.” He settles one hand on the mattress beside my hip. “Tell me one thing you’ve read and wanted but never asked for.”

My pulse stutters in my throat. “Kidnapping by a duke seems logistically difficult.”

“One honest answer, Paige.”

“What if I don’t want to answer?”

“Then we open the wine and read the bonus epilogue.”