“That’s what you said the last time.”

“Well this time I mean it!”

He nodded sardonically, rolling his eyes with an exaggerated motion sure to make her laugh. She did. And then grew serious, her smile as level as a near-constant state of bemusement would allow.

“I do mean it. I’m going to stop getting in my own way. I’m going to stop finding distractions so appealing. I’m going to stop letting myself off the hook, and follow through on stuff, starting with those books I said I’d publish back in September.”

“Starting when?”

“Starting right now.”

“Right this second?” His hand slid up the inside of her thigh, the light caress causing her to squirm and sigh in a way that suggested she was having no trouble finding the distraction appealing.

“Maybe not right this second….”