Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 131916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Theo sighed. “Only thing River could do. And it’s behind us now. We need to look toward what’s coming up in front of us.”
Everyone looked to Cash at that.
He blew out a sigh. “Got a hit last night. This one is going to be complicated. And really fucking dangerous.”
And with that, all their eyes slanted to him.
FORTY-FOUR
CHARLEIGH
“You’d better get up and get dressed.” He squeezed my bare thigh in his meaty palm. My only response was a groggy giggle since I seemed to be at a complete loss of all my faculties, nothing but a pile of mush in my bed.
Wrapped up in him. Giant arms locked around me where we lay on our sides, my front plastered to the strength of his massive chest.
Our breaths had slowed, but our hearts were still thudding harder than normal, or maybe I could just feel the way his had met with mine, and now mine would forever beat differently.
“Do I have to?” I mumbled at the skin of his neck. The stubble that had begun to sprout prickled over my lips.
I loved the way it felt.
Rough and raw like the man.
But the truth was, I liked every raw thing about him. The way he’d touched me. Taken me. Spoken to me.
I loved him hard and I loved him soft. Loved him gruff and loved when his words went tender.
I gulped around the realization of what I really felt, and I wondered if it was possible he truly had changed everything. If he’d shifted the trajectory. Diverted my course.
If, when we’d collided, he’d broken this cycle that I’d believed I would spiral in forever.
Running. Running. Running.
He leaned in closer and rumbled at my ear, “As much as I like you naked and intend to keep you that way as much as possible, not sure anyone else needs to see my girl like that on the back of my bike. Though now that I mentioned it, pretty sure I’m going to have to have my way with you on it and soon.”
Desire rolled in the tranquil waters where we floated.
I edged back so I could stare at the rugged lines of his handsome face. “You want me naked on your bike?”
It was half astounded. Half a tease.
“Want you naked everywhere, though it’s not going to be with an audience. Not the kind of guy who likes to share.” He pecked a swift kiss to my lips. “Now get that sweet ass out of bed. Nolan’s going to be waiting on us.”
He slipped off the bed and started gathering his clothes from the floor. Sitting up, I brushed back my hair from my face as I contemplated what he’d said.
“What?” he asked, taking in my uncertainty when he turned to face me as he shrugged into his jeans. My breath punched from my lungs again. I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to seeing him this way.
“You want me to go back with you? To your place?”
He breathed out a sigh, and he shifted, climbing up from the end of the bed until he had one side of my face in the power of his hand. “I want you wherever I am. As close to me as I can get you.” Then he grinned. “How else am I going to get into this tight little body whenever I want to?”
He brushed his fingers between my legs.
I gasped, though somehow I managed to remain playful. “Maybe I just want you to come to me.”
His hand slipped up my torso then he curled his hand around the side of my neck. Gripping on. “I would follow you to the ends of the earth, Charleigh, if that’s what you wanted. But right now, there’s a little boy at my house who I’m pretty sure is eager to see us both. He about had a fit when he found out you’d left last night without saying goodbye to him.”
My heart squeezed. Expanded and pulsed. The affection I had for him was so intense I didn’t think there was room for it within the confines of my chest.
“Well, I guess I’d better go and apologize, then, hadn’t I?”
“Pack some things while you’re at it. Want you to stay with me for a while.”
And still I wavered, unsure. “Don’t you think we’re taking this a little fast?”
His thumb brushed the angle of my cheek. “How could it be too fast if I’ve been waiting on you my entire life?”
We rode through Moonlit Ridge along the two-lane road that ran beside the lake, the air cool on my face as I clung to the man in front of me. His big body vibrated as he held onto the handlebars. The roar of the engine clouded out all other sound but heightened the rest of my senses.
The scent that clung to him. Leather and ink and wickedness.