Excerpt of Banking On Temperance by Becky Lower

Basil led a weaving Temperance into the small bedroom and pulled back the cover before he sat her on the bed. She still had that sappy, drunken smile on her face. With a sigh, he put his hand over her face and pushed her lightly down onto the mattress. He leaned over and untied her shoes, slipping them off her feet. Then he swung her legs up on the bed and covered her with the blanket.

“Good night, Temptress,” he whispered as he reaced over and took the other pillow off the bed. She had already fallen asleep. He picked up the extra blanket kept at the foot of the bed and backed out of the room, denying himself the kiss he so ardently wanted to take from her.

He pulled two chairs into the corner near the wood stove, and arranged them so they faced one another. He sat in one and propped his feet up in the other. He spread the blanket over himself and blew out the candle, plunging the room into darkness.

This was going to be a long night. Not only was he cold as a stone, he was hard as a rock.