Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 111676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 558(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 558(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
“You tryna’ steal my heifers?” a man who sounded like he’d smoked two packs of cigarettes a day for forty years shouted. “I got a shotgun. You best git outta here, or I’ll shoot yer raggedy asses!” Footsteps came from somewhere in the barn.
Jade’s hand latched onto mine. “What if he comes up here?” Panic laced her hushed voice.
“He won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Have I ever let anything happen to you, Jade?” I whispered.
“No.”
The footsteps outside grew louder, then stopped. A beam of light shone into the barn, and Jade’s grip on my hand tightened.
“Damn kids.” The light moved around the inside of the barn for a few more seconds, and I held my breath. “I’m gonna find your asses.” His footsteps retreated seconds before the deafening blast of a shotgun rang out.
Jade jumped, letting out a slight yelp.
If this were how I went out, from trying to steal a tractor, I would be sorely disappointed. Thankfully, a few seconds later, a car door slammed shut, the engine revved, and then disappeared into the distance.
Jade blew out a breath. “My life has been so quiet without you. Chased by police, almost shot at…”
“You do realize you getting chased by the police had nothing to do with me?”
“The only times I’m threatened with death involve you. Like that time at Crooked Tree, when Hobo Jim shot your taillight out for trespassing, and—” she froze.
“What?”
“Squeaking and rustling…” Her attention snapped toward the dark hay bales across the barn. “Oh my God, it’s a rat.”
Between her and Rogue… But before I could make fun of her, a high-pitch squeak came from beside me. Jade launched her body on top of me like I was a rock in a game of “the floor is lava.”
“Now, who’s the sacrificial lamb?” I grunted, grabbing her hips to adjust her weight on me—which I should not have done. That subtle movement had my dick swelling.
A spot of moonlight touched her face when she pushed up enough to meet my gaze. And damn, if that ethereal glow on the most gorgeous girl I’d ever laid eyes on didn’t get to me. The thing that made it all the worse for my stupid heart was that there was so much more to her than that face, than the perfect body held tight in my grip. I knew her. I knew that her favorite sandwich was ham with BBQ sauce and parmesan. Knew that seven times out of ten, she’d pick rock in rock, paper, scissors; that she couldn’t sleep without a TV show playing in the background. I knew more about her than I ever wanted to know about another girl. Because when she’d been mine, she’d been mine. The girl had actually fucked me up, and there I was, losing myself in the fantasy of her again.
Her attention dropped from my eyes to my mouth, her teeth working over her bottom lip as she stared at me.
“You’re the sacrificial buffet,” she breathed. “Martyred to rabies.”
I’d martyr myself to the devil if she asked me to. My grip on her tightened as I tried my damndest to ignore how good her weight felt on top of me, the way she was looking at me. “I’ll be your martyr, Jade. Don’t worry.” Pretty sure my idiot heart was already tied to the stake when it came to her…
A beat of silence passed between us, one in which I became all too aware of every inch of her pressed against me. Her gaze flicked to my mouth once more, her lips parting on a sharp inhale. I knew it was coming. Although I’d kissed her countless times before, nerves knotted my stomach when she leaned in and brushed her lips against mine. I had no business with her anymore, but like a masochistic dick, I gave in to that damn kiss with everything I had.
I gripped the back of her neck and banded an arm around her waist, deepening the kiss like it would be my last. Two years of pent-up tension grew with each swipe of my tongue, each desperate handful of tit and ass. I wanted more. Wanted everything I could take at that moment, telling myself I’d worry about the consequences tomorrow.
I needed her. I always had.
With one swift movement, I rolled her onto her back on the hay and pinned her underneath me. She looked perfect, spread out beneath me, chest heaving, eyes full of lust.
“Fuck.” I swept a hand over her cheek. “I’ve missed you.” Then I put my mouth right back on hers, swallowing her, “I need you.”
I fumbled with her zipper, and with one quick tug, I had her shorts around her ankles. Every bit of man inside me was screaming to fuck her right then. The only thing that stopped me was knowing that the second I felt her wrapped around me, I’d be more than fucked. I shouldn’t have been doing any of this, but I couldn’t help myself. I needed just one taste… I kissed from her calf to her thigh, then sank between her legs. I kissed down her body before settling between her bare thighs. They clamped around my head when my mouth landed on her pussy. Goddamn, I’d missed this. I’d missed everything about her.