Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81718 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
“Are you ready?” he asks.
I hesitate, then nod. My hands are shaking, and I’m glad I’m sitting because I’m sure my knees would have buckled by now.
Forrest leans in and presses his lips to mine. He slides his large, calloused hand behind the base of my neck and holds me close. His other hand wraps around me and pulls me into his chest. I feel his hard length and I gasp. He takes that as his opening to slide his tongue past my lips. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I meet him stroke for stroke, hoping I’m not making a fool of myself. He’s got years of experience on me, and me, well, I’ve got a few fumbling events that led up to that night.
Shaking out of my thoughts, I can’t think about that. Not right now. This is my moment. My time with him. And even though I don’t know if this is going to be more than this, I’m savoring every second.
When he pulls away, we’re both breathing heavily. He rests his forehead against mine. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I need to get the girls home and in bed. Brogan is next door.”
“Fine. Let’s get the girls in the car.” He gives me one more peck on the lips before lifting me from the counter and leading me to the living room.
The girls are sound asleep. He takes Rayne and I take River, and we walk them to my car and get them strapped in. “I need to go get Brogan and say goodbye to the girls.”
“I’ll wait here with them.” He snags an arm around my waist and kisses me again before I force myself to pull away and make my way back into the house.
“Thank you for having us,” I tell Emerson. “Forrest is at the car with the girls, so we need to go.”
“This was fun,” Brogan says, standing and hugging Maggie, Monroe, and Emerson. I do the same, and with a final wave, we’re out the door.
“Brogan, good to see you.”
“You, too, Forrest.” My sister climbs into the passenger seat and shuts the door.
“Call me when you get home.”
“It’s late.”
“Fine. At least text me and let me know you made it home, okay.”
“I can do that.”
“Thank you. Night, beautiful.”
“Night, Forrest.”
One more kiss and I’m climbing behind the wheel and pulling out of the driveway.
Brogan reaches over and places her hand on my arm. “Baby steps, sister, but I have a good feeling about that man.”
“Yeah,” I tell her. All my fears aside, I do too. I just hope neither of us are wrong.
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
Forrest
“Next weekend, we’re having a party,” Emerson announces. We’re at her place having Sunday dinner.
“Not that I don’t love a good party,” Lachlan comments, “but what’s the occasion?”
“It’s Briar and Brogan’s birthday.”
“What?” I sit up straighter in my chair. “It’s her birthday?”
“Their birthday, yes,” my sister corrects me.
“Why didn’t I know that?” I scowl.
Emerson laughs. “Why does it matter? She’s my friend.”
“Mine too,” Monroe adds.
“She’s my—” Fuck me, I don’t know what she is, but I should have known it was her birthday. Why didn’t she tell me? We’re trying this, right? Whatever this is? Dammit. I should have told her that whatever this back and forth is, it’s exclusive. Would she have told me then?
Son of a bitch.
“My place,” I tell my sister.
“What?”
“The party. It’s at my place.”
“I have a house to host a birthday party for my friends.”
“Emerson.” My voice carries a warning that I never, ever use on my little sister.
Emerson tilts her head to the side to study me. “She’s a single mom.”
“I fucking know that,” I grit out.
“I don’t know what, but she’s been through something.”
“I know that too.”
“What are your intentions with my friend, Forrest Huntley?”
I watch as my sister places her hands on her hips, ready to go to battle for Briar, and even though it should piss me off that she’s doubting me and my intentions, it doesn’t. It makes me smile that she’s in Briar’s corner. Something tells me my girl, her daughters, and her sister haven’t had many people in their corner lately, if at all. I know very little, but I know she lost her mom, and then her dad. I know the girls’ dad isn’t in the picture. She hasn’t flat-out told me that, but my gut tells me that I’m right.
She needs Emerson, Monroe, and Maggie too. I want her to have a tribe to stand beside her. I just want her to let me be a part of that as well. I want to stand with her in whatever she faces, past, present, or future.
“I want her.”
“She’s not a plaything!” Emerson stomps her foot. Her hands are still braced on her hips.
I’m aware that our family is watching us, and I’m certain every person in this room, well, aside from baby Lilly, is wondering what my intentions are.