Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
The sting sliced across my heart anytime I thought about her, but with far less intensity than was normal. I watched Slade’s hand absently rub across his heart. He immediately shook his head, but I lifted a palm before he spoke, stopping him from saying more. The leaps and bounds that my mental health had taken over the last month was stretched to its outer limits.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now. When’re you thinkin’ about goin’ to their place?”
“Monday,” he answered, sorrow in his tone. “If that works for you.”
“Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday are good for me. The bar’s closed for a semi-annual super deep clean. August and January are our slowest months. I could go if you agree to go as friends. Honestly, it’s better than being the mule carrying everything in and out of the bar to be cleaned.”
“Agreed. I’ll schedule it.” His brilliant smile was my reward.
=♥=
Slade
As rapidly as Mace tanked while answering the question about the eggs was as fast as he recovered, easily agreeing when that would never have happened even a week ago. I snatched up my phone to text Austin before Mace changed his mind.
“We’re good to go. We’ll leave here Monday morning, if that’s good,” I texted.
It took Austin only seconds to respond.
“Yeah, great. See you, Monday.”
I’d only left Mace moments ago, and found him in the same place, arms crossed, leaning against the rail, chin to chest. When I got into reach, he shot out an arm, drawing me back into him, exactly where I wanted to be.
My hand cupped his jaw with the pad of my thumb swiping a caress over his cheek. “You’re a good guy, Mace. The way you take care of your family and business, it’s inspiring.” His instant grin was alluring, drawing me in for another press of the lips. I scanned his face, memorizing his new look.
“You keep sayin’ nice things to me. You’re gonna give me the big head,” he teased.
I continued to stare at him. My feelings were so strong. My cock grew harder as his hand went to my hip, bringing us together there too.
“You make me feel like I can do anything,” Mace said quietly. “If we move forward with the sanctuary, maybe I can use the eggs. It’d be great to see glimpses of Wildflower.”
My heart smiled at the simple pleasure those words gave Mace. His grin became my grin.
“What does Austin want to talk to you about?” he asked.
“He’s been on me for a while. I haven’t looked closely at what he wants, but he’s started a pretty successful production company. They have a lot of land to work with. I assume he wants to talk with me about a role. Depending on the deal he gives me, I’ll probably do it.”
“So you’ll be around here more often?” Mace asked, and the way his expression changed to excitement gave me hope.
“Want me to be?” I teased and willed him to say something positive about us. Of course, I understood that he was becoming a permanent fixture around here, but I still didn’t know if he saw himself here with me.
The pause was extensive. His expression changed over and over until I gave him a break.
“We’ll table that and come back to it.” I threaded our fingers together and drew him back inside the house with me. “I enjoy being here. I’ve begun planning a swimming pool just beyond the deck. Lots of seating and misting features. The ability to have you swimming naked with me helped the final decision.”
“When would you build?” he asked, ignoring the skinny-dipping suggestion.
“January. Ready by next summer.”
Mace went through the door before me. I let my hand caress over the globe of his ass, another regular move for me.
“I have time off during the holidays. I can easily spend it here. Also, long weekends. I plan to look closer at my schedule to free up time.”
Mace tossed a skeptical glance over his shoulder as if he were doubting me.
“Bedroom or livin’ room?” he asked.
“Living room. I have my movies ready to go. I need to impress you with my work because not much else has helped,” I explained, chuckling as I moved around my guy, taking the lead to the living room. The room was pre-set with everything needed to get through the movies. Wine chilled, two crystal glasses were nearby, and a bottle of lube if I somehow got lucky before going to bed. Oh yeah, and popcorn. “My agent received a call about a possible James Bond remake, me playing Bond.” I shrugged, playing it off as if it weren’t the honor of my career so far.
“I’ve never seen a James Bond movie,” Mace confessed, easily falling back against the sofa that absorbed his weight like he was meant to be there. I was shit to do anything more than take the seat next to him.