It started with her giggling. Real quiet, under her breath — but I noticed. Course I did. We’ve been married a few years now, there’s not much I miss when it comes to her.

She was curled up in bed, hair all tucked messy behind her ear, book pressed open like she’d been eating it alive for the past hour. I didn’t pay much mind at first — she’s always reading something before bed, some new romance, some sappy plot about a man who just can’t resist his girl.

But the giggle? That was new.

I shifted closer, shoulder nudging hers. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” She kept reading, but her lips twitched like she was trying so hard not to grin.

So of course I peeked. Leaned just enough to read the words over her shoulder. And Jesus Christ.

“What— what the fuck are you reading?”

She squeaked, snapped the book shut — but too late. I caught just enough: his hand slid up her thigh, mouth pressed to her ear, voice all filthy and desperate—

I stared at her. “You’re reading porn.”

She groaned, burying her face in the blanket. “It’s not porn. It’s a romance book!”

“Romance book, my hole,” I laughed. “He had her up against the locker two pages ago, I seen it! You’re in here getting your jollies before bed, is that it?”

“I’m not—!” She tossed a pillow at me. “It’s the story!”

“Yeah? The story, is it? What’s the plot then? Go on, tell me. Explain the deep meaning of yer man with the ‘taut muscles and thick, veiny—’”

“Conor!” she shrieked, flushed all to hell, and I was howling.

“You’re gas,” I chuckled, tossing the pillow back at her. “Here I was thinking you were reading some sweet love story and you’re in here reading smut before bed.”

“Shut up.” She was laughing now too, trying to push me away.

I grinned, lacing our fingers together to pull her close. “You could’ve just asked me for a bit of excitement before bed, Mrs. Kavanagh. Don’t need your dirty books for that.”

She rolled her eyes, still pink-cheeked. “I hate you.”

“Liar,” I kissed her temple, smug. “But seriously. Next time you’re reading filth, read it out loud. Give us both a laugh, yeah?”

She groaned, but I didn’t miss the way she smiled. My dirty bookworm.