Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
She moans, and the sound goes straight to my cock, where it throbs behind the zipper of my shorts. It also pulls me out of the fog she has me in, and I slow the kiss and release her. “Missed you,” I tell her, pressing my lips to her temple before picking up the discarded bags and once again tossing them over my shoulder. “You have everything you need?”
Wearing a dazed expression, she nods and takes my offered hand, allowing me to lead her out to my truck. Once she’s inside, I wait for her to buckle up. Just as I’m about to close the door to toss her bags in the back seat, she speaks.
“I missed you too.”
That earns her another kiss, just a quick one before I close the door, and open the back to place her bags inside. I love that there are two and that I know for certain she’ll be in my bed and in my arms later tonight. I love spending time with my family, but suddenly, I’m ready for this day to be over so I can have her all to myself.
Today has been nice. We’re all at Deacon and Ramsey’s, swimming in their pool. We all chipped in to order pizza so no one had to cook, and we all brought drinks to share. My nieces and nephews are having the time of their lives. Well, all except for the twins. Ryan is currently snoozing away in Courtney’s arms, while Lacey is doing the same in Scarlett’s. They’re the only two here without kids of their own and latched onto the twins immediately. Scarlett is expecting her first with my brother Archer. She’s still early in her pregnancy, but she’s already glowing.
“Your girl looks pretty good holding my son,” Maverick tells me.
He and I are lounging on the back side of the pool, just watching everyone. Well, I’m watching Courtney, and if I had to guess, Maverick has been keeping his eye on his wife, Stella, and their daughter Ada, all while checking back with Courtney and Scarlett, who are holding the twins. He’s a papa bear through and through. Not that I expected anything less from my twin. He’s a goofball, but he’s also one of the best men I know.
“She does,” I finally answer my brother.
“Well damn,” he muses. “I didn’t expect you to agree with me.”
“She’s... pretty fucking incredible,” I admit.
“Something's changed. I got this feeling on the way over here. Everything okay with the two of you?”
I huff out a laugh. “Yeah, you know, it was just me thinking in my head that I’m in love with her right before I knocked on her front door to pick her up.”
“Freaky twin shit,” we say at the same time as we laugh about it.
It really is freaky as hell, but by this point, we’re used to it. “We’re still pretending.”
“Are you, though?”
Exhaling, I rub my hands over my face. “I don’t know.”
“Yes. You do know. Now tell me, Mer, are you still pretending?”
“No. I don’t have to. Not with her. Fuck, Mav, everything is easy. We get along well. We enjoy each other’s company. I can’t stop kissing her and touching her and holding her. I’m losing it.”
Maverick reaches over and places his hand on my shoulder. “There isn’t anything wrong with any of that. You’re not losing it, brother, you love her. Big difference.”
Warmth fills my chest as his words take root. “But is she pretending?”
“No way.” Maverick shakes his head. “Not a chance in hell any of her actions are pretend. Her eyes tell you everything you need to know. Take it from me. You have to look at what’s going on around you as an outsider. Stella was—is my best friend, and I could have lost her because I was ignoring how I felt, and keeping her at arm's length.”
“We could all see it clearly,” I remind him.
“Pot meet kettle.”
“Fuck,” I mutter, and he roars with laughter.
“It’s scary. I get it. Falling in love and giving the most vulnerable piece of you to another to hold in the palm of their hands is a big deal. However, the reward far exceeds the risk with the right person.”
“How do you know it’s the right person?” I keep my voice low, not wanting anyone to hear us. We’re sitting over here by ourselves, but you never know when someone might walk up on you.
“I’m going to ask you a few questions. Don’t tell me the answers out loud. You don’t have to. I already know what they are. I need you to admit that to yourself.”
“Get on with it,” I grumble. I hate being vulnerable like this. But if I’m going to be this open with anyone, it’s going to be Maverick. I love all my brothers, but our connection is different. Kind of like my connection with Courtney.