“The next day she’d examined her red satin sandalsand with a frown said, “I’m thinking about buying twosnakes.”His are you kidding me “Why?” had caused her toshrug.“I’d name them Leftie and Rightie and when theywere big enough, they’d become Mamma’s boots.”

“In me. Come in me. Have me.Livia heard her thoughts echoing in the room and realized she’d said them out loud. His hands gripped her thighs, letting her know this was becoming impossible for him.“Lick, Blake. That’s next.” Livia watched as he growled on his way to her ear.“You’re going to kill me. God, you smell so good.” Blake let his clever tongue find its way on her skin.”

“His thumb went back and forth over the satin, as if he were rubbing her hip as he had when they’d been together, and he moved his leg over so that it was on top of the skirting.It wasn’t the same, though. There was no body underneath, and the fabric smelled like lemons, not her skin. And he was, after all, alone in this room that was not theirs.“God, I miss you,” he said in a voice that cracked. “Every night. Every day…”

“Tears sprang to her eyes as she hid her face in the place between his neck and shoulder and confessed what she’d known for a while now. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”“Good thing,” Romeo choked out, his hold on her tightening to the point that it was almost hard to breathe. “’Cause I know I’m in love with you.”

“The kid pulled a Buck knife out of his pants pocket. "How about giving me your purse, bitch?" Sally hiked up his skirt, reached into his briefs and pulled out a Glock. "How about using that knife to slice off your balls?" Lula whipped a gun out of her red satin purse and Grandma hauled out her .45 long-barrel. "Day my make, punk," Grandma said. "Hey, I don't want any trouble," the kid said. "We were just having some fun." "I want to shoot him," Sally said. "Nobody'll tell, right?" "No fair," Lula said. "I want to shoot him." "Okay," Grandma said. "On the count of three, we'll all shoot him.”

“He tried to remember the feel of her hand when she’d shaken his. “I’m Livia McHugh. It’s nice to meet you.”Smoke poured from the cardboard as he remembered his response. “Blake Hartt. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He’d said his name, but what he’d been thinking was: She touched me. I am someone. I count.”