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“And so are you.”
    “Happy birthday, Reece.” A teasing whisper and a low laugh vibrated her throat. “I hope you enjoyed it.” Playfully she tugged on the waistband of my jeans, drew me closer.
    “Like you have to ask?” I kissed her, a light peck on the lips, and there was the faintest response, the merest hint of don’t let your next kiss end so quickly . “Are you sure we can’t persuade you?”
    “Dirty bastard.”
    “That’s me all over,” I murmured against her lips before kissing her properly this time, snaking my tongue over hers, twisting my fingers in the still-damp hair at the back of her neck.
    “Hey, that’s enough of that nonsense, you couple of perverts.” Georgia leaned against the kitchen doorway trying—and failing—to look cross.
    Daniel. Daniel Cross is his name.
    “Damn it, she’s caught us,” I whispered in Sarah’s ear, trying not to think of someone who wasn’t here.
    “Oops.” She giggled, looked at Georgia. “How long will they be?”
    “The guy I spoke to said about ten minutes.”
    “Better get my things together then. I’ll grab my coat.”
    While Sarah slipped into the hall to gather her belongings, Georgia sidled over to me and took my hand. “I hope you’re not completely tired out,” she said in a low voice, conspiratorially, as if she didn’t want Sarah to hear. This was just between us.
    “And why is that?”
    “Because I am nowhere near finished tonight. You better not be either.”
    “Jesus, Lawrence. Where do you get your energy from?”
    “I have absolutely no idea. Maybe I should blame it on you leading me astray?”
    “Sure, sure. It’s all my fault.”
    “Listen, why don’t we order Chinese? I know it’s late, but I’m hungry. That way you get a chance to gather your senses and prepare for round two.”
    “Round two? You mean that”—I nodded in the direction of the bedroom—“was just a warm-up? Woman, you’ll kill me. Keep going at this rate and I’ll need to bring in—”
    “Hey, guys.” Sarah interrupted what I’d been about to say, and my heart skipped.
    Just in the nick of time.
    “The taxi will be here soon, so you better see me to the door.”
    “So quickly? Damn, just as we were all getting along so well,” I joked.
    “I’ll give you a quick buzz when I get back so you know I’m home safe,” Sarah said, and we gathered by the front door to say our good-byes. I gave her a last long, lingering kiss, and so did Georgia.
    The night was far from over. Calling for takeout and having a shower was never going to be a full stop after the evening’s activities. More like a comma. A pause before the next round.
    Georgia called in the order while I was in the bathroom, and she showered while I paid for it. Nice timing, Lawrence.
    “You started without me?” She padded across the carpet in her bare feet, cocooned in a huge robe, towel wrapped round her hair, and sat beside me on the floor.
    I sat with my back against the settee, picking at the various packets and cartons with a fork. Chinese food it may have been, but I wasn’t too clever with chopsticks, so traditional cutlery it was.
    “I’m damn hungry,” I said, pointing out, “I’ve worked up a huge appetite.”
    “Yeah, you have.” She grinned, kissed me on the cheek, and leaned against the settee. “Rice, rice, where’s the rice, Reece?”
    “Here. I already started on it, but don’t worry. I left you some.”
    “Thanks.” As unable to master chopsticks as I, she spooned some into her mouth. “God, that’s good,” she mumbled through a mouthful of food. “I’m starving .”
    “We’ve both had a long evening.”
    “And a good time, I hope?”
    Rolling my shoulders, I winced as something popped back into place, then laughed. “You need to ask?”
    “Glad you liked it. I thought it was shit hot too.”
    “Anytime you want to repeat it…”
    “Oh.” She gulped back more rice and grinned. “I knew you were going to say that.”
    “Psychic