Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
He glided his other hand up Royal’s back, treasuring the lean muscles of his body—Royal fit him perfectly—the heat of his skin through his sweater.
Stone tilted his head, and with his hand still on Royal’s jaw, he coaxed him in the other direction ready to take their tender exploration to the next level when—
“My, my, my, we did not mean to interrupt,” a female voice cut in before Stone could taste Royal’s true flavor.
You gotta be fuckin kidding me.
Royal pulled back but he couldn’t go far wedged between Stone and the huge cabinet.
Stone turned and tried his best not to give the town’s two official queens of gossip an evil glare.
“Aimee, Edna, what are you doing here?” Stone asked around a clenched jaw.
“Oh, well, I wanted to come by and pick up my order.” Aimee giggled, her dark eyes twinkling with mischief, indicating how eager she was to share the scene she’d just interrupted with the town.
She was wearing her usual loud floral print pants suit and high-heeled, white boots—that were terribly out of season but were all she owned—mirrored her lively personality.
Her ever-loyal accomplice, Edna, was the town’s historian, but she never told stories of the founding families or when their city hall was built, not unless something scandalous was attached to it.
Stone gritted his teeth. “You just put the order in last week, Aimee. You thought I finished a coffee table in eight days. Besides, you said it wanted it the week after New Years.”
“Of course not,” Edna piped up, “What she meant to say was, she’s checking on it, not picking up.”
Edna didn’t stand out as much in her basic white blouse, dark red corduroy pants, and sensible black snow boats, but her sharp wit and keen observation kept the gossip mill turning.
The two were an inseparable, incorrigible pair whose laughter echoed through the streets as they swapped entertaining stories about their neighbors, town events, and oh yes…tourists.
Stone stood in front of Royal, blocking him from view, but Aimee wasn’t having that.
“Um, Royal, is that you back there, honey?” she cooed.
Royal cleared his throat and inched to the side to step out of Stone’s shadow. Stone had an instant urge to grab him, tuck him back under his arm, and holler, ‘No! He’s mine!’
“Good afternoon.”
Royal’s cheeks were tinged red as if he’d been hit in the face with a couple snowballs.
“Hi,” Aimee and Edna sang in unison.
“I guess this was poor timing on our part.” Aimee winked.
Mmhmm. Stone knew they’d timed it perfectly.
There was no judgement in their stares, only the excitement of new, juicy gossip. And since it involved him, they’d hype it up as if they had the scoop of the decade.
“We’ve only gotten glimpses of you in town but haven’t had the chance to chat with ya.” Edna extended her hand. “It’s a pleasure to have you in Windeville. Must be a far cry from…Manhattan, is it?”
Stone was sure they knew all this already.
Royal nodded. “Um, yes, it’s different, but in a good way.”
Aimee beamed, all bright white veneers. “So when you plan on heading back?”
Stone’s heart speed up to a pace that had to be medically dangerous. If Royal was planning on leaving any time soon, he didn’t want to hear it.
“Edna, Aimee, you know I’m closed on Sundays.” Stone began to usher them back towards the door. “I’ll be sure to send you an email when your order is ready,” he ground out, “like I always have for the last twenty years.”
“But wait,” Edna stuttered. “I want to invite Royal to dinner next Saturday night.”
“He already has plans.” Stone muttered then closed his door on their protest.
“But it’s spaghetti and meatballs night!” she hollered through the heavy wood.
He could hear their annoying cackles as they walked away. If those two hadn’t been his mother’s best friends, he would’ve given them a piece of his mind.
Stone pushed his fingers into his throbbing temples as he leaned back against the door.
Royal walked towards him, not stopping until they were joined again.
“They were harmless,” he whispered, brushing his satiny cheek alongside his beard.
It felt so damn good he wanted to groan. His beard had always been one of his most sensitive areas.
Stone closed his eyes and enjoyed it.
“Harmless is the last thing they are,” he rumbled, gripping Royal’s lean hips and pulling him tighter to him. “Don’t be surprised if a description of our kiss makes the front page of the Windeville Observer.”
Royal chuckled. “I don’t mind if you don’t.”
“I don’t.” Stone said with seriousness.
Royal hummed, his smile fading as he tilted his head higher, begging silently.
Stone gave him what he wanted, what they both wanted.
He slanted his mouth over Royal’s and delved inside, feeling a preamble was no longer needed. Their kiss was urgent but still so tender, their mouths fitting into place like two pieces of a puzzle.