Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 70628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“I know, baby. I’m just trying to lighten up the situation. No Disney princesses were subjected to the horrors you’ve been subjected to. But none of that negates your beauty, Aspen. You’re even more beautiful than any Disney princess. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
Disney princesses are drawings, but I can’t help but take Buck’s words as a compliment.
Even though I’ve never been beautiful, not in that sense.
But perhaps beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.
No one can say that Buck isn’t beautiful. He is. And yes, men can be beautiful. I could call him handsome, but that’s not quite right. Magnificent, which he is, but it still doesn’t do him justice.
Gorgeous? We’re getting closer. Majestic? Closer still.
But he truly is beautiful. Perfect masculine beauty.
I squeeze his hand. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For loving me. For thinking I’m beautiful. For thinking I look like a Disney princess.”
“You don’t have to thank me for any of that. I can’t help loving you, baby. I didn’t even know I was searching for you until I found you.”
I smile, except it’s more than a smile on my lips. It’s a smile that goes deep inside me, to my heart and my soul. “It’s the same way for me. I didn’t think I would ever love again, didn’t think I’d ever want to be touched again. But you…”
He stops, pulls me toward him, as Edgar flurries around our feet. In a moment, we’re kissing, a deep tongue kiss, and for that one moment, everyone else on the beach?
Even Edgar?
They all disappear.
Buck and I are alone, in a bubble.
A perfect and wonderful and safe bubble.
I melt into his kiss, let it take me somewhere else.
Somewhere where there are no more questions. Only answers.
Only Buck. And only me.
And of course Edgar.
His fur tickles my ankles.
I began laughing, and the kiss breaks.
And I think…
This may just be a perfect day.
33
BUCK
“I got you in,” Luke says the next morning. “You and Aspen can go see Greg Wallace this afternoon at three p.m.”
I’m seated across from Luke in his office. “That was quick.”
It’s not quite noon. Aspen and I have only been up for a few hours.
After a day at the beach, we were both so relaxed that we made love all night and then slept in.
Luke clears his throat. “Actually it wasn’t difficult. The assistant warden at the California State Prison is an old friend of my father’s.”
“So you didn’t have to call in any of your connections?”
“Well, he is a connection. Just one that’s aboveboard. Katelyn will be happy about that.”
I draw in a breath. “I’m happy about that. I would really love for all of this to be aboveboard from here on out.”
“Believe it or not,” Luke says, “so would I. I’m determined to live an honorable life, Buck, whether you believe me or not.”
I do believe him. I just don’t want to give him the satisfaction of telling him that I do.
“For what it’s worth,” I say, “thank you. I really don’t want to do this, but it’s important to Aspen.”
“She’ll come around,” he says. “You can only get so many answers before you decide it’s not worth it anymore.”
“Spoken like a man who knows what he’s talking about.”
“You have no idea,” he says.
“Actually, I think I do.”
“It may surprise you to know that we’re not all that different,” Luke continues. “You may have lived an honorable life in the military, and I lived a dishonorable life underground in the drug trade, but our lives probably weren’t all that different.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Not sure I can agree with you there.”
“I don’t expect you to agree. Let’s just say I know what it’s like to have to leave a fallen man behind.”
I don’t ask him to elaborate, and I know he doesn’t expect me to.
“Do you want to come along? To see Wallace?” I ask when I stand.
“No.” He shakes his head. “I’m done with this. For Katelyn’s sake. It will always live on inside her, and consequently, it will also live inside me. But we’re moving on. We’re going to set a wedding date soon.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, and it goes without saying that we would like to have you and Aspen there.”
“I know Aspen wouldn’t miss it. And neither will I.”
I may have no love for Luke, but I do love Katelyn. And if this makes her happy? I will be there to celebrate with her. With Aspen at my side, and perhaps with a ring on her finger by then.
After surrendering everything in our possession but our firstborn child, Aspen and I are led by a guard into the visitation room.
I’m surprised, actually. I expected to see Wallace behind one of those Plexiglas bulletproof windows talking through a phone receiver.
In the room, we’re led to a table with three chairs.