Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 114284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Such a shame carbs were so delicious.
“Are you sure you grew up in the South?” I had to ask. “Have you not heard of cheese-filled potato skins, French fries, and mashed potatoes drenched in butter?”
He smirked wolfishly around a mouthful of food. “How the fuck do you stay fit on that diet?”
I shrugged and cut into my steak. I’d never really thought about it. I’d focused my worry on Dean. He was diabetic and had a big sweet tooth—but, thankfully, he also had self-discipline. Macklin had worried about me instead. Soon as I’d hit forty, he’d read a bunch of stuff about blood pressure and saturated fats, and that’d been the end of unhealthy snacks for me.
Ty shook his head. “To be honest, I can’t handle too much processed food anymore. After I left the service, I stopped being on the move regularly, and my mood tanked. I lived in a grumpy fog for a couple years, but then Marina started makin’ some changes to the grocery list, and I felt better. She’d get all cheeky and say, if it’s white, it ain’t right. If it’s green, it’ll keep you clean. Obviously, I’d bitch at her and point out that white meat was better than red—or so some dumb doctors keep insisting—and she’d turn into a mini Savannah and wave her fist at me.”
I laughed softly. It was easy to picture them even though I had never met Marina. Countless photos on the walls were enough to give me a sense of their relationship.
“Kiddin’ aside, it’s about keepin’ it simple too,” Ty went on. “One of the reasons I love Florida so much is that I can just head out on the boat and catch my own dinner. I’ll throw a fish or two on the grill, Marina will prepare some greens and bake a loaf of bread, and we’re set.”
I smiled. “I like that. I tried to teach Macklin to fish once. Zero patience.”
“Ah—” Ty laughed and clutched his heart. “That’s the beauty of it, dammit. You can just sit back and relax.” He wagged his fork at me. “You just let me know when you’re ready for a weekend down south. I can buy a plane ticket when-the-fuck-ever. Be sure to let the boys know too. I don’t care about dynamics and kink for that either.”
Duly noted—and something I would take advantage of. While I’d always appreciated weekend getaways, I hadn’t allowed much time for them. And that had changed. I wasn’t chasing the next promotion or a higher salary anymore. I wanted to have a good time and enjoy the benefit of being able to work from anywhere. I had my scouts these days, for when I had to have a Westwater representative on site.
“It’s incredibly easy to imagine the four of us escaping DC together here and there,” I admitted.
He nodded once and sobered. “It is. And to get ahead of myself.”
Fuck. Yeah, that was tough. I needed to rein it in too. Macklin and I weren’t out of the woods yet. Far from it.
“I think—excuse me.” I was interrupted by my phone chiming in my pocket, and Macklin was one of those few with a signal. Sure enough, it was a message from him.
Okay, I’m uncomfortable, Master. I don’t feel good. Is there any possibility I can see you tonight? I’m sorry. I know you’re with Ty. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
A rock of guilt crushed every good feeling I had in my body as I read his apologies. I didn’t want him to fucking apologize. My sweet, sweet boy. He had no reason to feel bad about asking to see me. About needing me.
“Macklin needs me,” I said.
Ty inclined his head—and then he reached across the table and stole the rest of my steak. “Don’t look at me like that. Perks of the secondary partner—I’ll finish your food in front of the TV. Go get him.”
A startled laugh slipped out, and I felt entirely screwed in the head by the sudden change of plans. But I had to go. And Ty was gonna eat my food.
I hurried out of my seat and closed the distance between us. I kissed him hard and earned myself a sexy grin from him. “I’ll text you later.” And we’d see each other at the event tomorrow. “Today was everything.”
“To me too. Go.”
So I went. But I stopped abruptly in the doorway when an idea struck. “By the way, have you heard of an insect called the green orchid bee?”
Ty furrowed his brow. “Sure.”
Sure.
Let’s pretend that was a given.
“If you want to throw Lane some bait, text him an article about the green orchid bee establishing a home in Florida,” I told him.
That, however, was apparently confusing to Ty. “I think that happened back in 2013 or somethin’.”
Why did people know these things?