Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 64880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
“Nothing.” Tulsi sucked in a breath, the hand covering her mouth falling away as it rushed out. “Everything. I don’t know. I don’t know what to do, Pike. I don’t know what’s right. I just… I want this so badly.” She swiped at her damp eyes, blinking hard. “I’m so tired of fighting to forget. It doesn’t work. I still wake up loving you every morning, no matter how much it hurts.”
“It doesn’t have to hurt anymore, baby,” he said, cradling her face in his hands and pressing a kiss to her forehead as her fingers wrapped around his forearms and held on tight. “Just love me and let me love you. All the hurt can be behind us if we decide it’s time to move on and get back to what we do best.”
“Hot monkey sex?” she said in a teary voice that made the words even funnier.
Pike laughed as he pulled back to look into her eyes, his smile widening when he saw the hope softening her expression. “We are good at hot monkey sex.”
Her lips trembled into a smile. “We really are.”
“But I want to take it slow next time.” He kissed her temple then her cheekbone, heart squeezing in his chest. “I want to drive you crazy and remind you why you don’t want to be with anyone but me.”
“I don’t need reminding.” Her hands slid up his forearms in a sensual caress. “No one has ever made me feel the way you do, and no one ever will.”
“Is that a yes?” he asked opening his hand to reveal the ring sitting in his palm.
Tulsi took a deep breath before reaching out and curling his fingers back around the two-carat princess cut, the biggest stone he could get at the Lonesome Point Mining Company. “I can’t, Pike. No one knows that we have a past and even if they did, we haven’t spoken a word to each other in seven years. If I put that ring on and walk back into camp everyone is going to think we’re out of our minds.”
“I don’t care,” Pike said. “I don’t care what anyone thinks but you.”
Tulsi smiled as she shook her head. “You always were a romantic.”
“Only with you.” Pike drew her into his lap, feeling like the luckiest man in the world when she came eagerly into his arms. “Just put on the ring and we’ll tell everyone else to mind their own damned business.”
“We can’t do that. It’s Mia and Sawyer’s wedding week. It’s their time to be the focus of all the excitement.” She ran her fingers through his hair, even that innocent touch enough to make him want to get her naked. “And I think we should take some time. As beautiful as that ring is, I’d rather wait to put it on until we’re both sure this time is forever.”
“So the second chance is official?” he asked, holding his breath until Tulsi slowly nodded.
“Yes,” she whispered, a smile stretching across her face. “It’s official, but let’s keep it between us, for now. Is that okay?”
“Anything you want, as long as I get to make love to you as soon as humanly possible.”
“I’ll meet you back here after everyone is asleep,” Tulsi said, a twinkle in her eyes. “And this time I’ll bring a sleeping bag so I’ll have something between me and the rocks.”
“Or you could be on top,” Pike said, his hand slipping beneath Tulsi’s shirt to cup her breast. “I love watching you ride me while I touch you like this.” Tulsi’s breath hitched as his thumb brushed back and forth across her nipple, teasing it until it pebbled beneath his touch.
Her fingers fisted in his hair. “I can’t believe this is real. I never thought… I couldn’t even let myself hope.” She trapped her bottom lip between her teeth. “But if you don’t stop that, I won’t be able to wait until tonight and you know someone is going to come looking for us sooner or later.”
Pike reluctantly slid his hand from beneath her shirt, knowing she was right. They’d gotten lucky yesterday, but he didn’t want to risk getting caught with his pants down by his baby sister a second time. “I’ll meet you back here as soon as everyone else is asleep, and by the time we’re done, there’s going to be no doubt in your mind that this is real.”
“All right,” Tulsi whispered, pressing a final kiss to his lips before climbing off his lap and shooing him away. “Now get going. You’ve already watched me pee, you don’t get to watch me brush my teeth until things are official.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Pike stood, adjusting his shorts so, hopefully, the hard-on straining the seams of his briefs wouldn’t be visible when he walked back into camp.
He left Tulsi behind on the riverbank, but as he walked away, he vowed that he would be watching her brush her teeth soon. If he had his way, things were going to be official before he left town, and not long after, he would be bringing Tulsi and Clementine back to Montana so they could all get started on making up for lost time.