Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
“Is everything okay, Ty?” I asked, unsure of why he would want to speak with me alone.
“Yes, of course. Let me get right to it, sweetheart. I overheard you speaking to Lincoln last night at dinner about finding a place to rent until you close on the Covey ranch and can move in.”
I nodded. “Yes, it looks like it could be a few weeks still, even with how fast everything is moving. They mentioned something about a possible hiccup.”
He smiled, and I was hit by how much his younger son looked like him. The same smile. The same dimple. The same stunning, pale blue eyes.
“Well, I want you to know that you’re welcome to stay here. You’re family now, Timberlynn, and this is your home. Plus, I’d hate to think how Tanner would react if he knew you were leaving the house. With how smitten he is with you and all.”
With a chuckle, I replied, “Smitten?”
He nodded. “Well, I’m sure he’s more than simply smitten, but I’ll just leave it at that. Because he is a Shaw after all, I need you to know that he’ll most likely…to put it bluntly…fuck up something at some point without meaning to do it.”
I brought my hand up to my mouth to keep from laughing.
“It’s true. He’s going to say or do something he thinks is the right thing, and it won’t be, and you’ll most likely want to walk away or kick him where it counts.”
I couldn’t help but laugh now. If he only knew that we had already both done exactly that.
“I’m simply saying to give the boy a chance. That’s all I ask, if you have the same feelings. And by the way you light up when my son walks into the room, I’m going to go with my hunch on this one and say you do.”
I dropped my hand and stared at the floor for a moment before I lifted my gaze back to his. “Thank you for letting me stay with y’all. This is all really new to me. This environment with a loving family,” I said, motioning around the room. “I had loving parents until my mother died and my father…well, he sort of slipped away. Spending time with your family has truly been a blessing.”
Ty Senior leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. “It’s been a blessing for us to have you here, Timberlynn.”
“First Dirk, then Blayze, and now you, Dad?”
The sound of Tanner’s voice made my entire body come to attention and buzz with excitement.
Tanner’s father winked at me, and then looked at Tanner. “Nothing to worry about here, son. I am very much in love with the woman in the other room. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I best go help her with breakfast before all the gang gets here.
I laughed, as did Tanner before he said, “Mom said Brock called—they’ll be over shortly. Ty and Kaylee said they’d be here soon as well.”
As Ty Senior walked into the kitchen, Tanner reached for me and pulled me into his arms.
My teeth dug into my bottom lip. My stomach flipped when Tanner reached up and gently set it free. “I’ve been dying to kiss you again,” Tanner said.
I lifted up onto my toes and grinned. “Then, kiss me.”
His hands went to both sides of my face while I grabbed onto his T-shirt to keep my balance as he kissed me. We both moaned softly, and something jerked in my chest when he deepened the kiss.
This was how I wanted to start every day of my life. Kissing this man.
I pulled back when I figured we both needed a breath. Tanner’s chest rose and fell nearly as fast as mine. “Wow, that was…”
“Amazing,” Tanner finished.
Chuckling, I added, “So amazing.”
“I want to do that a lot more.”
The feeling of heat in my cheeks made me smile up at him. “I want you to do that a lot more as well.”
He leaned down, and once more bridged the distance between us with another heart-pounding kiss.
“Well, I see someone got his Christmas wish,” Brock called out with a bark of laughter.
I couldn’t help but smile against Tanner’s mouth as we drew apart slowly.
“When do you close on your house?” he asked in a hushed voice, ignoring Brock.
“Soon. A few weeks, maybe.”
He closed his eyes and groaned. “A few weeks, that’s too long!”
Brock walked by Tanner and slapped him on the shoulder, causing him to lose his balance some. I tried not to laugh, but I couldn’t help it.
“Trust me, it’s going to feel like forever,” he said, glaring at Brock.
I tried to give him my best sexy smirk as I whispered, “We could find lots of ways of being alone, ya know.”
His eyes went dark, and then he called out. “Chop! Chop! Time to open presents!”
“Okay!” Blayze said with a huge smile. I hit Tanner on the chest and shook my head.