Was he saying I ate his muffins?

“I ate your muffins?”

“Yep.”

“Reese, not every lemon poppyseed muffin is yours,” Sadie thankfully cut in. “Sloane, this is my husband, Reese. He’s a little crazy about my muffins.”

Cole’s face split into a huge smile that could be described as naughty.

“Yeah, Reese, we all know how much you love her muffins.”

My eyes were bouncing back and forth between Reese and Cole when the other man introduced himself.

“I’m Rhode. Nice to meet you.”

So this was Dulles. I could totally see why Brooklyn would be up for a no-names-one-night-stand.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Sloane.”

Rhode’s lips twisted into a smirk and I was damn happy I was still sitting.

“Don’t worry, girl,” Letty started. “We were the same way when they rolled into town. But trust me, their looks wear off. And you’re left with a group of men who behave like boys.”

“Tell me about it,” I griped. “You tell one story about busting a nut and they take it and run straight to the gutter.”

The room erupted into laughter, and as the volume rose, I felt the piercing pain of more stitches. I felt a warmth come over me that reminded me just how cold I’d been.

“Is there another way to bust a nut? I—”

Before Rhode could finish his sentence, Cole stepped in. “I wouldn’t ask that. Asher gets touchy about his woman talking about nut-busting.”

“Maybe we should stop talking about this,” Asher suggested.

“Why? You’re the one who taught me how to bust a nut,” I countered. “If you like talking about nuts busting you should’ve called it something different, like scrotum smashing or testicle traumatization.”

“I like her,” Reese announced. “I’ve decided to share my muff—”

“No one’s sharing a damn thing with my woman.”

At Asher’s outburst, I looked back at the girls. “Asher doesn’t like to share. As in, ever, not at all. But in this case, he’s gonna have to learn because those muffins are at the top of my Reasons To Stay In Idaho list.”

“Seriously?” Asher groaned. “A muffin is above me?”

“My woman makes damn good muffins, brother.”

After everyone settled down from a second round of laughter, Asher pulled me up from my chair and told me to say goodbye. Which I did, coupled with hugs for the girls and a promise I’d text everyone later with my temporary number. Asher damn near dragged me out of the bookstore, ignoring his friends’ comments about him being in a hurry. Truth be told, I was in a hurry, too. As much as I’d needed some girl time, I wanted time with Asher alone. No sex club. No Cole and Wilson. No Lorenzo. No investigation.

Just us.

The cold air smacked me in the face just as Asher spun me around to face him.

“Muffins are above me?” he growled.

“Well, so far you’ve made some pretty lofty promises you’ve yet to make good on, so, yes,” I teased.