Meet and Greet
Chapter 12

Finally he found what he wanted and pulled out two thick books,trade paperbacks she didn't recognize.As Darryl came back to the bed,she exchanged a look with Scott,who covered his mouth with the blankets to hide his grin.Interested in spite of herself,she sat up,letting the covers fall to expose her bare breasts as she reached for the books.

"What is this?" she asked,taking one of them.A glance at thecovers showed they were the same book,but it wasn't anything she'd published.It was way too long,for starters,too thick and too large.It was a perfect bound paperback,probably self-published,with a glossy cover and tight trimming.

There, on the cover,was her name and the title.Deny Nothing her first fan fiction story,the longest thing she'd ever written.She usually added"to date" whenever she said that whenever a reader asked, but who was she kidding?What had Darryl said?Over nine hundred pages in print?

Damn.

He'd mentioned he made a copy for himself no,Scott had it made,a touching gesture. But Darryl had failed to add that a second copy was printed, because there were two books here,onein his hands and another in hers. When she looked up at him,questioning,his smile said it all."I had that one made for you," he told her."I never said anything in our emails because...well,I hoped to give it to you myself one day.Sort ofas a...I don't know,a thank you for all the hours of enjoyment you've given me."

From behind her on the bed, Scott teased, "The sex didn't last that long."

Darryl slapped an arm in his direction to hush him up."I mean all your writing—"

"I know what you mean,"Kimmy assured him.Setting the book aside,she covered his hand with both of hers and smiled up at him."Listen, and I'm serious about this, but I really couldn't have kept doing it all these years without knowing you were out there wanting to read the next part of my story.So I want to thank you,too.This book's the best thing anyone's ever given me."

Picking up a pen from the bedside table, he held it out to her.“Can you sign my copy?I don't want to wait until Sunday in case someone sees it and wants to know where it came from or how to buy it,or something like that." "Sure."

She took the pen and opened the book to inscribe it as Darryl crawled back into bed behind her.He set his chin on her shoulder to read along as she wrote.To my biggest fan and TruBLeighVR-she knew he'd get the reference to her former screen name under which she'd written the story in the first place and, sure enough,he snickered and wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her back against him. Thank your husband forour free pass, though really he should be thanking me.I'll keep writing as long as you keep reading.From your girl crush,Kimbra Leigh.

Closing the book,she set it gently on the bedside table and placed her copy on top of it.Then she let Darryl draw her back beneath the covers of the bed,where she and he and Scott were soon lost in each other's touches and kisses again.