Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
BairdMcMillOfficial: That girl is the best thing that’s ever happened to you. Happy for you, mate.
My heavy heart lightened. I loved Baird.
And beneath his comment were some sweet ones from strangers telling Callan he looked so happy and they were glad for him. One person wrote that she wished she could find someone to look at her the way he looked at me. My faith in humanity was a tad restored.
I let myself into Callan’s flat and strolled in to find him reading a book.
Why was that so sexy?
He dropped it, turning to smile at me. “Hi, princess.”
I put my handbag and phone on his island and then strutted toward the bedroom. “Are you coming, Captain?”
Laughter bubbled out of my lips at the sound of him stumbling over the coffee table in his rush to get to me.
“I have an hour break!” I called to him as I shrugged out of my coat. “Make it—” My squeal cut off my words as I found myself picked up and thrown onto the bed.
Callan grinned as he came down over me. “I can do a lot in an hour.”
I already knew that. Stretching my arms above my head and widening my legs, I whispered hotly, “Show me.”
He groaned, arousal darkening his eyes. “Have I mentioned lately that I love you?”
“Aye. But I never tire of hearing it.”
And so he made love to me all the while murmuring sex and love words in my ear as he gave me the best lunch hour I’d ever freaking had.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
CALLAN
Afew weeks passed. The end of November arrived. We were in the top four in the Pro League standings. Beth and I were better than ever. Things were progressing, slowly but surely, on the deal with Braden. And Gavin hadn’t been in touch since the ban.
It lulled me into a false sense of security.
The Friday before our next game with Perth, I’d joined Beth and her family at one of the restaurants Braden had invested in. It was a Scottish seasonal seafood place that had been around for as long as I could remember. Smart casual. Not too posh. But the food was amazing. Luke and his boyfriend couldn’t make it through from Glasgow, but Elle was there, along with Beth’s parents, grandparents, and her aunt Ellie and uncle Adam.
Adam had been the most difficult of Beth’s uncles to convince I was in it for the long game, and even then, I wasn’t sure I fully had.
We were enjoying ourselves, though.
Conversation flowed easily, and it didn’t surprise me the family got off on teasing one another because that’s how Beth was. If she was gently mocking you, it meant she really liked you.
“You can’t say that, Uncle Adam,” Elle cut into the conversation.
“Say what?”
“You can’t say master bedroom anymore. You should know that.”
He’d been talking about a house they were interested in buying in the Highlands as a holiday home.
“I can’t?” He cocked his head in bemusement.
“Nope. It’s primary bedroom now.”
“Did you know this?” Adam asked Braden.
“I did.”
“I can’t keep up with what I’m allowed to say anymore.” He made a face at his wife. “What am I not allowed to say?”
“Scrotum,” she offered blandly, making everyone choke on their food. Beth’s Aunt Ellie’s lips twitched at our reactions. “What? It’s a terrible word.”
“It’s just a part of the male anatomy.” Elle shrugged. “Scrotum. Scrotum.”
“Why?” Elodie gaped at Joss in despair. “Every time we have a family dinner. Every time.”
Joss looked like she was dying to laugh, and Beth and I shared a look and swallowed our laughter as her mum turned to her wee sister. “Don’t say scrotum at the table.”
“Aunt Ellie said it first.”
“Moist is a terrible word too,” Beth added, saving her sister.
“Oh, I hate that word,” her aunt Ellie agreed.
“Engorge. I’ve never liked that word,” Clark offered.
“Clark.” Elodie gaped.
“Pustule,” Braden suggested.
Elodie hissed, “We are eating.”
But everyone looked at me, and I realized they wanted a word. I considered it and then said, “Smegma.”
“Ugh.” Beth made a vomiting sound.
Joss grinned. “Nice.”
“What does it mean?” Elle inquired, brows drawn together.
“We’ll tell you after we’ve eaten,” her dad replied.
“Or not.” Elodie glowered at him. “Maybe she doesn’t need to know.”
Elle shrugged. “I’ll google it.”
It was a silly conversation, but I couldn’t help but smile as the banter continued. When we were kids, I’d been so sure Beth’s family would be pretentious and uptight with all their money and privilege. Aye, they were definitely privileged, but what I liked about them was that they were aware of it. Beth had come to this dinner from her shift at the food bank, and I couldn’t say I’d ever volunteered a day in my life anywhere.
And Beth’s family were not pretentious.
I liked them.
A lot.
But it made sense someone as amazing as my girlfriend would come from a nice family.