“Darlin’, don’t take this the wrong way. But do you maybe mind not looking directly at me like that?” He tried to keep the request light, but the desperation he felt, the primal need to drag her into the nearest dark alley, was overwhelming everything his mamas had ever taught him.

“Oh,” she said. “Oh.” He didn’t have to see her face to know exactly where she was looking. “Can you walk like that?” she asked, sounding both fascinated and amused.

“I can do a lot of things like this,” he growled. “Sorry. Just need a few seconds.”

Maybe a month. A month of icy swims in the river. That sounded about right.

“I realize you have a lot going on right now,” Maggie said, gesturing in the general direction of his crotch. “But I hope you don’t think this is getting you out of ice cream.”

“No, ma’am,” he promised. Then swore when his phone vibrated three times in rapid succession.

It was his siblings. All of them. In the group he’d only just been admitted to after promising to only respond in GIFs for one week to prove his fealty to technology.

Taylor: I heard from Maxine Fulsom that Big Brother Silas is making out with a stranger on Lake Street.

She’d included one of those GIFs with a couple kissing.

Michael: Bet he’s going to date her and break up with her 47 times before they end up common law married.

It was followed with three diamond ring emojis.

Nirina: Silas Wright, if that’s the Old Campbell Place owner whose throat you’ve got your tongue shoved down and you don’t bring that girl into this shop in the next 24 hours, you are dead to me. Dead. To. Me.

God only knew where his half-sister had found the dancing-skeleton-in-the-cemetery GIF.

“Mags, I know I just kissed the hell out of you on a public street and all, but if you could do a guy a favor and help me find a middle finger on this keyboard thing, I’ll buy you two scoops,” he begged.

She took the phone and unashamedly read through the messages. Then laughed. “I’ve got a better one,” she said, then handed the phone back.

“New phone, who dis?” Silas read out loud.

He hit send, and within seconds, his phone was vibrating. “Now you’ve gotta stay. My whole family just fell in love with you.”

14

14

Silas talked Maggie into swinging by his place to pick up the dog. It hadn’t been hard to convince her, since her brain was a stew of lust hormones. Besides, Kevin would be mortally offended if he knew Silas went for ice cream without him.

Maggie didn’t like disappointing anyone—humans or dogs—if she could avoid it.