Today's First Chapter Friday is from my very spicy MFM alien romance, SEXY SUITORS FROM SPACE. I originally wrote this story under the penname Paisley Brown, but found it difficult to handle multiple social media accounts on one platform for my books. So, I don't do that anymore. Anyway, this story is about a woman who is fresh out of a breakup, the gift her grandmother granted her, and the erotic adventure she has. It's 99¢ USD and available wide.

Some vacation. Nothing but snow for miles. I might as well have been visiting the North Pole with all the layers of clothing I had on. And, somehow, the cold wind still managed to find the small amount of face I didn’t have covered, stinging the skin around my eyes.

“Are we almost there?” I could barely see five feet in front of me, only the mountain of a man directly ahead. If he slowed down for one second, I’d grab his coat with one hand and cover the rest of my face with my free arm. But if I didn’t keep up, I’d get lost in the blizzard. “Seriously, is the place I’m staying anywhere nearby?” Every other hotel I’d stayed at had the check-in desk within the building. Apparently not this one.

The man didn’t respond, kept walking, guiding me, hopefully, to the glass igloo where my grandmother held a timeshare.

“Get away for a few days, Heather,” she’d said, handing me the plane ticket to Finland and shoving me out the door. “You’ll have a lot of fun and forget about your scum of a cheating fiancé. It’s been a year since you kicked him out. Time to move on. Show off your new curves.”

Sure, curves that I’d gained from spending a week eating nothing but ice cream. Not only had I gained ten pounds, but I’d started crying Ben & Jerry’s. It still hadn’t helped my pain. I’d loved Todd and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Unfortunately, my love hadn’t been returned. But, a trip wouldn’t make me forget what I’d walked in on two days before Christmas.

I’d tried to return the tickets. “Snow and cold really aren’t my thing, Grandma.” Give me a tropical beach somewhere with tanned, muscled men, and I’d at least try to get over Todd.

Refusing to take them back, she’d only patted my hands. “You’ll be surprised how much fun it is in Lapland. I would go, but I’m getting too old to enjoy the...amenities. It’s your turn now.” She winked and shut the door behind her.

And there I was, trekking through the knee-deep snow north of the Arctic Circle, dreading the blanket of white and cold I expected to last my entire vacation.

As if a brick wall had jumped in front of me, I smacked into something solid. My guide. He’d finally stopped. If not for all of the extra layers I wore, the collision would have left a few bruises.

“We’re here.” He fiddled with some contraption—I assumed the lock—while I peeled myself off him.

I peeked around him to get a view of my accommodations for the next week. Shit! A real glass igloo, not some extravagant hotel with a dome-shaped glass roof that looked like an igloo. Last time I ever trust Grandma to know what’s best for me. The woman might have raised me, but she was so out of touch with what I needed as an adult.

Opening the door, the man grabbed me under the armpits to pluck me from the snow and ushered me inside the igloo, a space no bigger than my kitchen. This was where I’d be trapped, alone, for one week with nothing to do but remember the night I’d walked into my house to find my fiancé fucking some floozy. And Todd hadn’t even bothered to hide the fact he lived with another woman from her. If he hadn’t raced out of the house, I swear I would have cut his balls off.

“Would you fancy me to return this evening to escort you to dinner? It will be served at six.”

I spun around, my guide’s baritone voice warming me from the inside out. He’d barely spoken more than two words since we’d met. He stood closer than expected, and I nearly slammed into him again, wobbling in my boots. Gripping my arms, he steadied me.

“Um....” All ability to breathe and speak flew out the door. I stared into his crystal-blue eyes, surprised by the stranger yet again. He’d removed his scarf and hood, revealing Thor-like features. My clit pulsed, alive for the first time in months. The doppelganger of the only superhero who’d ever turned me on stood less than a foot away, holding my upper arms. I’d give anything to run my hands through his wavy blond hair, kiss along the firm jaw covered with golden stubble, nip at his full lips.

Fuck being the good girl. That had only left me with a broken heart. This was my vacation, and I planned to have some fun, get what I wanted. A sexcation. I’d deal with reality when I returned home.

I sighed as my inner vixen decided to come out and play. “I’d much rather keep you here. We can warm each other up.” And I couldn’t blame the vixen. Who’d want to let this hunk go?

Todd who?

Thor dropped his hands and smiled, but the upturn of his lips didn’t travel all the way to his eyes. Flattered, but not interested. Probably married, too.

With a groan of disappointment, I stepped away and unzipped my parka. Might as well get comfortable, even if I do have to spend all of my time alone. “Fine, then. Yes, I would appreciate an escort to dinner.” If I didn’t have one, I’d likely get lost in the snowstorm, not able to tell up from down.

After a quick nod, he lifted his hood and left. A cold breeze rushed in during the quick moment the door stood open and a chill ran through me. Shivering, I considered zipping up again, but decided to dive under the covers of the double bed. Or maybe a hot shower would be better.

Shucking off the bulky layers, I headed for the bathroom, desperately needing something to warm me up. After opening the door, I wanted to slam it shut again.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

No shower. Just a damn toilet and sink. No tub, I could understand, but was it too much to expect at least a tiny stall to wash up in? This is turning out to be the worst vacation ever.

I rushed to the bed, not worrying if anyone spotted me naked. It wasn’t as if anyone could see anything with the snow flying around. Diving under the covers, I yanked them up to my chin, willing a way to stop the shakes tormenting me.

The usual haunting vision of Todd fucking another woman crept into my mind, but I shoved it aside. I didn’t need him making this trip worse. Besides, I had fresh fodder from my guide to fantasize with. Interested or not, he couldn’t stop me from imagining him licking my pussy or pounding into me with what was sure to be a gloriously large cock. Liquid fire rushed through my veins, forcing away the chill.

I drew a finger along my slick folds, picturing my guide between my legs, his tongue darting in and out of me while he rubbed my clit with his thumb. Pleasure I’d craved for so long.

Reaching over the side of the bed, I tugged open the nightstand drawer, hoping for something cock-shaped to fill me. I gasped when I saw a long box with my name on it. Who’d left it, I had no idea. Slipping off the lid, I found a silver bullet vibrator and a huge dildo beside it, labeled Goliath. A strange gift. But with my growing desire, I didn’t care. The object would fill every inch of my pussy as I’m sure my guide would have.

After a quick trip to the bathroom to wash the items, I dropped the bullet into the larger toy and scurried into bed.

Imagining the weight of my own personal Thor on top of me, his lips sending me into a dizzying frenzy of lust, I shoved Goliath inside. My hips shot off the bed, and I cried out. Holy shit!

On his knees, he pounds in and slides out again, ready for the next attack. Over and over, each plunge ramps up the electric tension, filling me with nothing but need. I grab his thighs and thrust toward him, meeting him halfway. There is no slowing the pace, no relenting, just a mad rush for release. His grunts grow louder and he rams into my pussy, the force and the swell of his cock sending me over the edge.

My body twitches. The orgasm rips through me in shock waves and I draw him back down on me. In between raspy breaths, he melds his lips to mine, taking all I have to offer with his demanding kiss. Our tongues battle in an erotic war, neither one of us retreating. He rocks inside me, gearing up for another round. And I am ready.

​More, give me more.

Today's First Chapter Friday is from my eight 1Night Stand story that I wrote as part of a special call for all authors attending the Romancing the Capital conference in 2015. In this story, the romance author is attending the conference, too, and winds up on a blind date with someone she hasn't seen for a while.

Melinda Rose tossed a quarter into the gleaming-white marble fountain near the porte cochère. I wish to find my soul mate, the man I’m going to marry, in the next year. She’d waited long enough, dated men of all ages and races, but had yet to come across her forever man.

Her friends leaned forward and stared at her, Michelle bobbing her head up and down as if waiting for her to say something.

Tara bumped Melinda’s hip, almost knocking her into Michelle. “So…? What did you wish for?”

“A billion dollars.” No way would she tell them all she wanted was a guy to settle down with. According to her online friends, she reigned as queen of single women, the one who tossed men away like she held her own “guy card” and then wrote books about them the way composers wrote music about their relationships.

She could tell when a man wanted her for nothing but sex. They offered effusive compliments, and sneaked quick peeks at other women in case someone younger or skinnier came along. Often, she didn’t object to a night or two of raw, dirty sex—her stories needed some fresh inspiration—but she grew tired of the game. How long did she have to wait to locate her future husband, her very own hero? At thirty-five, she hadn’t even had a nibble on her line, not a single relationship with any promise. Yet, a couple of her friends already enjoyed life with their second and third husbands. She only asked for one.

“So you can travel the world and sleep with a man from every country?” Amber’s eyes lit up at the thought, the poor thing having lost her husband in a motorcycle accident less than a year before.

Melinda cringed inside. She didn’t want to be the friend her peers lived their fantasies vicariously through. Why couldn’t she unearth a guy to spend the rest of her life with? “Sure. I’ll definitely have to stock up on condoms before I go on that trip.” Though, if her wish came true, she could bring a man, the man, with her. She just had to stumble upon him first.

Sabrina, Tara, Michelle, and Lauren all tossed coins into the fountain. What wishes did they make? As a child, Melinda never would have guessed she’d be sharing her hopes and dreams with readers in stories. If only one of them would come true.

Melinda shrugged off her woes, ready to enjoy her first romance conference of the year. “Okay, are we all ready to check in?” Though, after driving four hours to meet her friends, some she’d never met except online, she yearned for the chance to crash on her bed for a few minutes of rest before the event began.

“Yes! Let’s get this party started!” Sabrina sashayed through the entrance of the hotel as if leading a parade.

Thank goodness she’d roomed with Lauren again. Melinda didn’t know if she could handle Sabrina’s excess energy for an entire weekend. Sure, she enjoyed the social aspects of conferences, meeting readers in person as well as other authors she’d connected with online and connecting with new ones, too, but she liked her downtime.

At the check-in desk, Lauren—her ideal roommate and closest friend in the industry—sidled up beside her. “You ready for another?”

Melinda nodded, filled with a sudden excitement. “Always.” She’d met Lauren online through another author five years earlier, and while they lived hours away from each other, Melinda tried to meet up with her at least once a year at a conference.

After presenting her credit card, Melinda received key cards, passed one to Lauren, and headed toward the conference registration table, leaving her friends with their multitude of suitcases behind. She’d left her own in the car until she took care of all the registration details—the advantage of a con so close to home. After returning the valet cart to the lobby, she walked into her room and saw Lauren already rooting through her goodie bag on the other bed. Melinda removed her shoes and hung up her coat in the closet, already half-full with her roommate’s stuff.

“Hey, have you heard of 1Night Stand?” Lauren pointed to her laptop. “It’s a dating service run by someone named Madame Eve. I hear several authors attending the conference have dates using them this weekend.”

Melinda scoffed, tucking her luggage beside her bed. “Romance authors using a dating service? Seems weird, doesn’t it?”

Lauren shrugged. “Makes sense, though. Everyone here believes in soul mates and happily-ever-afters, right? Want to sign up?”

“Wait, what?” Lauren knew the type of guy she wanted and had been there to commiserate with Melinda through all her bad experiences with matchmaking sites in the past.

“C’mon. Sign up for a 1Night Stand. It’ll be fun.”

“No.” Melinda shook her head with vigor. “No way. I’ve had enough one-night stands in my life. You know that. I don’t need or want another. Ever.” She flopped back on the bed, trying to forget the sting of rejection at being kicked out of a warm bed at three o’clock in the morning and making the walk of shame to her car, or waking up alone. Worse yet, the guy who woke up beside her and didn’t even remember her name. She was done with it all. Done.

“But this is different.” Her friend tossed the paper at her. “It’s more like a blind date. The owner of the company chooses the guy you’ll go out with. No profiles to look at and no obscene messages from creeps.”

“Sounds too good to be true, if you ask me.” She’d been burned too many times trying new ways to meet men.

“Read the testimonials. From couples still together, many of them married shortly after their date.”

Melinda rolled her eyes. “Okay, so she got a few right, but how many mismatches did this woman make along the way? How many of her clients will tell you they ended up with an asshole? I don’t want to be an Oops, I got it wrong case.”

“C’mon, Mel, take a chance. I swear, if you don’t do this, I’ll do it for you. I’ve already started filling out my own application. I’m going to do yours next.”

With a sigh, Melinda read the testimonials on Lauren’s screen then reached down to grab her laptop case. Too good to be true, maybe, but Madame Eve did have a high success rate and had set up some very high-profile couples. “Fine, I’ll do it.” Besides, if she refused, Lauren would sign her up. She noted the cost of a 1Night Stand and didn’t want to be someone’s charity case, no matter how close they were.

Filling in the never-ending online form, she told almost truths, though she may have left a few pounds off her weight. And her height may have included her high heels. When asked to describe her ideal man, she paused. In every story she wrote, her hero came from outer space, as she didn’t believe any good single men still existed on Earth. Women who already knew what they wanted in life had snatched them up in their twenties without exception. If only she’d been ready to get hitched at that age.

A sexy, hard-working man from another planet.

There! Let Madame Eve find her a man who fit her bizarre description. She tabbed to the next question before she could delete her words.

Melinda rushed through the rest of the questions and submitted her application. She glanced over at Lauren. “You done yet?”

“Yep.” Her friend bounced on the bed, releasing a high-pitched squeal. “I can’t wait to meet the guy Madame Eve sets me up with.”

“Me, too,” she lied. Though she had no doubt extraterrestrials existed somewhere in the wide expanse of the universe, they didn’t live on Earth and, therefore, could not be found for a 1Night Stand. Especially at such short notice. Her application would be rejected, leaving her worry free about another blind date. No money out of her pocket, and Lauren wouldn’t be hounding her all weekend about applying.

Melinda’s email tab blinked to show a new message. Her stomach rolled when she read the sender. She clicked over and opened an email from the owner of the matchmaking service. “I got a confirmation of receipt. Did you?”

Lauren sighed. “Yes. I thought she had arranged a date for me already, but I guess I was hoping for a lot, eh?”

“Considering she probably has several applications come in each day with all of those high-profile testimonials, I doubt we’ll hear anything until after the weekend.” Hopefully never, in her case.

While logged in, Melinda checked the rest of her inbox, deleting row after row of unimportant emails, nothing to take her mind off the numerous possible creeps she might be set up with. If, in fact, the woman found her a date. Maybe Madame Eve would set her up with a man who believed he came from another planet, one obsessed with space, the kind of guy her parents thought she wanted. They’d sweetly bought her a ticket for Fan Expo in Toronto last August, encouraging her to meet one. Epic fail. Dressed as Agent Carter, she’d had a guy claiming to be Captain America, wearing a beer case around his chest, stalk her the entire day.

In her other social media, a fan had mentioned being excited to meet her, a big squee in front with plenty of exclamation points. Such messages brightened her mood. Reader excitement fed her own and kept her muse’s ego soothed. She sent a quick reply. @LindaReads Looking forward to meeting you. I’ll be a Mad Hatter tonight. Be sure to find me. About to log off, Melinda noticed another message appear in her inbox. From Madame Eve again.

“Hey, did you receive a second confirmation?”

Lauren turned toward her, the side of her face scrunched in confusion. “No, did you?”

“I…I think so. Maybe.” Though the subjects were different. Your 1Night Stand the subject of the second said rather than Confirmation of receipt of 1Night Stand application.

“Let me see.” Lauren leaped from her bed to Melinda’s, not touching the floor on the way over.

Melinda waved her fingers over the touch pad. “There’s no way she could have found me a match already, or even read through everything I wrote. Should I click on it? I mean, what if it’s spam or a virus—I would lose all my stories.”

“Open it!” Lauren perched behind her, peering over her shoulder. “You backed up all your work before you left home, remember? Maybe Madame Eve predicted your application would come in today and is a speed reader. Who knows? Please don’t keep me waiting any longer.”

Hand vibrating from nerves, Melinda brought the pointer to the message, clicked, and read.

Bonjour Melinda,
I’ve been waiting a great deal of time for your application. I’ve had the perfect man for you all along. You will meet him at seven tonight in room 316 for dinner and an evening filled with whatever activities you choose. I have attached his photograph so you will know who you are meeting.
Affectuesement,
Madame Eve

Melinda’s lunch threatened to make a reappearance. This is all wrong. Her date had to be someone who believed himself an alien. No one else would match the description of her ideal man. Thank goodness she had a reason to cancel. “It’s not going to work tonight. I am having dinner with all of you, with my readers. I spent a lot of money on my Mad Hatter costume.”

Gripping her shoulder, Lauren squeezed. “Yes, I know, but you are going to skip it. No way I’m letting you pass on this opportunity. Besides, I’m sure your fans would love to read about how you met your happily-ever-after guy at a conference.” She clicked on the attachment. “Let’s see what this guy looks like.”

As the picture popped up on screen, they gasped, Melinda in pure shock.

“He’s hot.” Lauren leaned closer to the computer. “Look at those muscles. And such a strong jaw…. Wow! I’m so jealous. Can I pretend I’m you tonight?”

Melinda squinted at the screen, a headache developing in her temples. He wasn’t at all the man she’d expected to be matched up with. Not even a guy she’d expected to see again. “I know him. He’s my…. Oh God, I know him.”

Today's First Chapter Friday is from BUNNY OMEGA ON THE RUN. It is the first book in my Shifter Towers series, and the first of 9 MPreg stories that I have written thus far. I have always loved tigers, and I have had many rabbits as pets, so it was fun to have them interacting together as shifters in this story. This story also deals with class differences, celebrity life, and finding your fated mate. It's available for 99¢ USD at Amazon as the series starter and is in Kindle Unlimited. I hope you'll check it out!

Kish

I eyed the barrel of the 9mm pointed at my face. Clutching my hands behind me, I tried to hide the excessive shaking throughout my body. “It’s okay. You can pay me later. I’ll...I’ll just be going.” Anything to get away from there alive.

The lanky, bald man in the black suit clicked the safety off. “There won’t be another time.”

Without waiting for a shot to be fired, I spun around and bolted down the street. I had no time to shift. I simply ran. Over fences. Through yards. Down one alley after another. I didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. My mom and siblings depended on me. I couldn’t help them if I was dead.

After what felt like forever, my thighs burned and chest ached. I had to stop. Or at least slow down. But I didn’t know if I was still being pursued. I dared a glance behind me. No one. Thank fuck! It was time to slow down. Shift and find a place to hide.

Smack!

I slammed into something hard. Someone hard. Liquid terror filled my veins. Somehow the guy in the suit had outsmarted me. I was dead. Gone. No chance to say goodbye to my family. My knees gave out, and I crumpled toward the ground. But strong arms caught me, lifted me back up. Did the man want to stare in my face when he killed me?

“Whoa, whoa. It’s okay, little omega. I won’t hurt you.” The man pulled me closer. Tight into his broad chest.

And that’s when I smelled the wild, rugged scent. A predator. Not the human who had been chasing me, but a tiger. I was in the arms of one of the most dangerous types of shifters in the world. But when I dared a glance up into his eyes, I only saw a concerned alpha. One whom I instantly recognized. TK. The pop star dominating all of the music charts. I’d had no idea he wasn’t human.

Filled with a new fear, I slowly backed away. Being anywhere near the star, I’d have more than one man with a gun after me. If he didn’t take me out, someone else would.

But TK didn’t let go so easily. He cupped my elbows, keeping me steady. “What were you running from?”

I didn’t answer. Behind TK, men in black suits—not cheap knockoffs like my pursuer had worn, but actual designer brands—eyed me, waiting for me to do something stupid.

Needing to prove I offered no harm, I shifted. In my shifted form, there was no way I could harm their charge.

I expected to fall to the ground and hop away. But TK didn’t let go of me. He held my scruff. “Oh my! You are the most gorgeous bunny I have ever seen. Just as beautiful as when you were in your human form.” He released his grip and stroked behind my shoulders. Then in between my ears. “You are just adorable with one ear up and one ear down.”

More like disfigured. My rabbit was a lop, supposed to have both ears down. But what did a tiger know about bunnies except how to eat them? Maybe he was buttering me up to do that later.

“TK! What are you doing? We’re filming here, remember?”

At the stern voice, I pushed up on my hind feet and rested my front paws on TK’s shoulder. Glancing behind him, I saw another man storming toward us. Not just any man. He was a shifter, too. A wolf. Their scent was pungently strong. And they often weren’t far from their pack. Were the guards, the betas and omegas to the alpha, getting closer and closer?

“I’m just relaxing with my bunny friend here.” He grabbed my scruff again and turned me onto my back.

“The only thing those rodents are good for is a meal for my wolf,” the other man growled as he kicked my clothes to the side.

Not if I had anything to do with it. TK smacked the other guy and, while he was distracted, I leaped to the ground. As soon as I had solid footing, I scrambled for the closest dark space. Under a dumpster. I thought about continuing out the other side and dashing far away, but I was still tired from my previous escape.

“Hey!” Another voice. One I recognized from only a short time ago. The guy with the gun. “Have either of you seen a little punk in a black hoodie run through here?”

I peered out from under the dumpster, ready to run again.

TK shoved the wolf shifter back then rounded on the guy with the gun. “First of all, don’t you dare show up on my music video set waving a gun around.”

The man instantly tucked his gun into his belt. “S-sorry, sir.” He bowed and backed up. “I’m simply looking for a young kid who wronged me in a deal. Have you seen him come through here?”

Wronged him? The only person wronged in the deal was me. They got their package delivered and the other half of the money I was promised upon delivery. But I wasn’t about to come out of hiding to say so.

“I did.” TK glared at the man. “He ran right into me then ran that way.” When TK pointed to the alley across the street, the man took off immediately.

But the wolf shifter shook his head. “Why did you send that guy in the wrong direction? That punk did him wrong. Plus, he shed all over your outfit. You should have let the dumb bunny suffer.”

“I don’t think so.” TK glanced toward the dumpster as if looking for me. “He was running for his life, not because he cheated someone. Plus, he was kind of cute.”

The wolf shifter rolled his eyes. “Shit, TK. It’s comments like that that make me wonder why I put up with you.”

“It’s because I make you a lot of money, Conn.” TK shoved past him and away from me. “Don’t forget that.”

Interesting. TK really did think I was cute, and had just saved my life. I’d never really listened to his music before, preferring alternative rock over his genre-bending pop. Though when I managed to get home, I was going to buy all his songs. Actually, I’d have to wait until I got paid from my real job next since today’s side deal went bad. But I would buy them. I had to pay him back for helping me.

My stomach rumbled. I was hungry. Needed to eat. But there were too many production people around to make a clean escape. I couldn’t risk it. Even though TK didn’t hand me over, one of them might.

Front paws outstretched, I rested my chin on them and watched the production happen. TK strolled down the street looking like a runway god, lip-syncing while his music played around him. It was a slow ballad, this time, and his soulful voice dug deep inside me as he sung about the sacrifices people make for love. Sacrifices I knew about. Not the romantic type, but for my family. Though I didn’t live at home anymore, I still helped my mother to pay her bills. My dad left us long ago, but with ten brothers and sisters, my mom couldn’t do it on her own. She worked three jobs while my oldest sister, Fleur, took care of the younger ones. I worked for a delivery service, but, on the side, I did some deliveries of not-so-legal goods that couldn’t leave an electronic trail. I had an unregistered phone for them, and no names were ever given. No texts, either. Just a quick phone call with an address and a dollar amount. As the oldest child, I had to help my mom somehow. And though she never asked how I got the money, she always told me how much she appreciated my help.

I returned my attention to the street. This time, TK wasn’t alone. And instead of walking, he was running. Toward a woman. When he reached her, he held her close, the way he’d held me, and kissed her. Not a quick peck, but much deeper. More intimate. Loving. A kiss that I only ever saw in movies. Ones my coworkers made me watch when we had our monthly movie night, because I would never watch such crap on my own. I preferred explosions, shootouts, and running for one’s life. But on screen. Not when I was part of it.

The kiss happened again. As if it wasn’t enough the first time. My chest suddenly exploded in pain. I flopped onto my side, trying to get it to end. Tears of agony streamed from my eyes. Was I dying? Rabbits didn’t live that long. Had my time finally come? I tried to move, get out from beneath the dumpster so I could shift back to my human form. But the strain was too much. So I just lay there, waiting for death to take me away. Today I wouldn’t die from a gunshot, but simply from being an old rabbit.

I didn’t die. Eventually the pain subsided. And my stomach decided to remind me how hungry I was once again. I peeked out from under the dumpster. TK was still on the street. This time in a long trench coat with tall, black leather boots. A look I liked even more than the previous burnt-orange dress shirt and pleated black pants. And the woman was gone. Somehow that made me relieved. But I couldn’t stay and watch anymore. I needed nourishment. A package of ramen noodles waited for me at home. Not much, but enough to satisfy my growling belly.

I hopped to the other side of the dumpster, made sure I had a clear path to the next street over then dashed away. Once I reached the adjacent alley, I shifted back to my human form then raced for home. Tomorrow I had to work a fourteen-hour shift at my legal job, so I needed to sleep after I ate and had a shower. Running into TK was nice, but it wasn’t as if I ever would again.