Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44622 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
"Seriously, Ridley. Lucy wants both of you here. You're both Lyra and Lexi's godparents. Whatever happened between the two of you was over three years ago, so don't fuck it up. If you hurt my wife's feelings, you'll be removing my boot from your ass."
I crack a smile despite myself. "You sound more like Dad every damn day."
I've lost track of how often he threatens to stick a boot up our asses if we upset our Ma. He's always been there for us, no matter what. But one thing he never tolerates is anyone upsetting her. Oliver is just like him when it comes to Lucy.
"Maybe that's not a bad thing." Oliver pegs me with a significant look. "You could learn a thing or two from him, you know."
I snort, not because he's wrong, but because I don't really want to hear it. Not today. Not with Paisley standing a few yards away, looking like sin and sunshine, the same fucking way she did when she tore my heart out.
I still don't understand why the fuck she did it. Why did she tell me she didn't want us to end, and then run straight into the arms of another man? Why give me her virginity if she wanted someone else?
I've wanted to demand answers a thousand times over the years, but I never did. I didn't trust myself not to fucking beg her for another chance if I saw her again. Or to kill the man she did choose. So I stayed away. I buried myself in getting the vineyard in Italy off the ground and pretended it was enough.
Working the earth didn't heal what she ripped to pieces. Eventually, I had to face the fact that it never would.
I came home a few months ago. A motherfucker can't hide forever. Unfortunately.
"You going to be good?" Oliver asks as she and Lucy turn in our direction.
Paisley's eyes lock with mine, and I'm thrown right back to that night when she was in my arms, whispering that she didn't want us to end. When I was all over her and she was begging for more.
"Yep," I lie as a shiver of desire works its way up my spine, hardening my cock. "I'm good."
I'm in a hell of her making. Funny how she's the one scowling at me like I did something wrong.
"You need sunscreen, baby girl," Oliver murmurs to Lucy, tapping her on the nose as soon as she's within arm's reach. "Your nose is pink."
"Oliver! Your hands are dirty," my sister-in-law grumbles. It doesn't stop her from burrowing into his arms, though.
He chuckles, pressing a kiss to her forehead. I do not want to know what he whispers in her ear that makes her giggle.
Paisley stands a few steps behind her, looking everywhere but at me. I stare at her, eating up the sight of her. Christ, she's gorgeous, a golden goddess with a mahogany halo.
"Hi," she finally mumbles, still not meeting my gaze.
I grunt in response, which gets her attention.
Her head snaps up, her eyes narrowing on my face. Pure malice flows through her expression before she manages to school it. "I didn't realize you were back from Italy," she says, trying like hell to be polite. There's still a bite to her tone that she can't hide.
"Why wouldn't I be?" I quirk a brow at her. "I live here."
"You've been gone for three years."
"Huh. Have I?"
She practically bristles at my grunted response but tries to hide it as she flounders for something else to say. "Did you enjoy it over there?"
"It was better than being here." Sleeping alone in Italy was better than sleeping in my bed, remembering the way you moaned and begged for me in it, Dimples.
Something about that bothers her. She jerks like I slapped her, her face paling. "You are an–"
Lucy coughs, cutting her off mid-sentence.
Paisley immediately snaps her mouth closed, inhaling a deep breath. "It's good to see you again, Ridley," she says, her tone softer this time. Her eyes, though? Those don't lie. They practically shoot fire at me.
"Is it?" It certainly doesn't feel good to me. Nothing about this does. Everything in me wants to snatch her into my arms and never let her go. But she isn't mine. She never was. She's just a beautiful little liar who played me like a fucking drum.
I cut a glance at Oliver and Lucy, who are watching us like this is a ping pong match instead of actual torture. "I've got shit to do," I mutter, already walking away. "See ya."
I don't look back. I fucking can't.
Maybe I should have stayed my ass in Italy.
Paisley is haunting me. She's been on the property for all of a few hours, and she's already all over the fucking place. Like right now. I'm just trying to enjoy a goddamn beer at the bar, and she's seated a few tables away with Lucy.