Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
With such heavy emotion wrapped in those three little words, I lean back to look into his eyes. “I love you, too.” I’m not sure what’s come over him, but maybe some things are on his mind while driving. “Is everything okay?”
He spins me out and pulls me gently back in against him. “I think we need to talk, Pris.”
That’s not good. Every breakup in history started with those very words. I stop dancing, feeling sick to my stomach. Although our hands are still attached, I take a step back. “That statement never ends well for the receiver.”
“No, it’s not like that. It’s the opposite. I don’t want to be apart from you anymore.”
I move back in, closing the space so as much of us can touch as possible. I don’t even mean to bat my eyelashes, but they flutter for this man. “I like that. Go on.”
He chuckles, but it’s caught in the thoughts warring to slip off his tongue. “I can’t move without Beckett.”
“I would never ask you to.”
“I know, but I want you to ask me. I want you to need me as much as I do you.”
Oblivious to how much I had fallen into pretending we weren’t a thing, I’d forgotten to make sure he knew we were. I reach up to caress his cheek, and whisper, “I don’t just want you. I need you, Tagger. I don’t want to be sneaking around in barns to be with you. I want to share a bed with you every night and wake in your arms in the morning.” Holding a finger in the air, I add, “An aside, but preferably in that amazing bed of yours.”
“I can get a bed of our own, but where will we put it?”
Wrapping my arms around his middle, I rest my cheek on his chest. “I have no idea, but . . .” I look up again. “This stuff can be worked out. Just know, I want you so much, not the fantasy of you that I had in my head. I want you, the man who’s made me fall madly in love with him. And I adore your son, so however we need to work this out, we’ll do what’s best for him.”
Cupping my face, he kisses me long and slow, and says, “I didn’t know I needed an angel until you came along. Now there’s no living without you.” I’m kissed again, and as we walk our way to the mattress with tongues dancing and our heartbeats racing, we fall like we fell in love—together and all at once.
We make love, then we kiss and love each other all over again. It’s just gone ten when we kiss goodbye at the opening of the barn doors. His arms are strong and hold me so tight I’m not sure I’m getting away tonight. I freaking love it, just like him.
I lift on my bare toes with my boots in one hand and kiss him once more before he leaves. His arm comes around me, and he rubs my back while the other hand finds my ass and gives it a good squeeze.
“What the fuck?”
Our lips part before I realize what’s happening. I lower back down and look over my shoulder. The little remaining air I had in my lungs is ripped from them. “Baylor?”
CHAPTER 35
Tagger
Pris stands in front of me like she’ll be able to stop the power of a charging bull, also known as her brother. She throws her hands in front just as he reaches me. My girl is braver than most.
Baylor shows no sign of slowing and pushes against her. “Move it, Pris,” he yells in her face when she pushes back. That’s enough incentive to beat his ass.
Fuck that. “Don’t you fucking yell or touch her!”
Grabbing her arms, he shifts in one quick move to the side and is in my face. “What are you gonna do about it?” He shoves his chest against me, out of fucking control and taking this bullshit too far.
I shove his ass back, not intimidated in the least. I don’t want to kick my best friend’s ass, but I won’t hesitate to throw the first punch. “You’re such a fucking asshole, Baylor. She’s a grown woman.”
He recovers from the push and stupidly comes back for more. The veins in his neck start protruding, and I can tell he’s going to take this too far. “She’s my baby sister, you fucker.”
“Oh my God, Baylor!” She entangles herself between us. Shooting me a dirty look over her shoulder, she then pokes him in the chest. That’s going to leave a mark. “I can have sex with whoever I please, and it pleases me very much to have sex with Tagger.”
Fairly certain that’s not helping the situation.
His ire reaches his eyes, turning his blue eyes dark with anger. Staring at me from over her shoulder, he says, “I’m going to fucking kill you, Grange.”