Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 135955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
My heart sinks a little, but it makes sense he’d rather watch hockey and drink than hang with a sickly pregnant woman.
“Wipe it from your mind,” he orders, coming to me. “I’d much rather be in here, but your mom needs you as much as you need her.” He leans in to kiss my forehead again, and I tip my head to meet his lips. He pulls back immediately.
“Baby, I’ve been drinking beer. The last thing I want is for my kiss to send you back to the bathroom.”
“Oh,” I pout, “this sucks.”
“I’ll shower and clean up before coming to bed.”
“Ummm…” I glance at my mom, who has a sudden laser focus on the television. “My dad won’t let you stay in here with me. He’s old-fashioned,” I whisper.
One side of his lip curves. “He won’t have a problem with it.”
“Major—“
“Seriously, Jewls. This won’t be an issue.”
“When he points to a guest room, take the one at the end of the hall. It has the best bed.”
The light in his eyes transforms into a brilliant inky shade, and he full-out smiles. “See you in a while.” He bends to kiss my cheek this time.
I miss him the instant the door closes.
“He’s right, Gill won’t keep Major from you. It’s your brothers and cousins you need to worry about. Sure hope he can hold his alcohol.”
No matter how quiet our conversation, Mom has always had eagle ears. “Why would you say that?”
“Remember what happened to poor Red when Ruthie brought him home the first time?”
I groan at the memory. Red is my cousin Ruthie’s husband. The first visit to meet our family, the guys got him so trashed he had alcohol poisoning for three days.
“Red is a college professor who’s spent half his life in academics. Major is a six-four, two-hundred-forty pound badass who fights enemies, takes down drug cartels, and was at the gym a month after being shot.”
“Point taken.”
Just to be sure, I type out a quick text to him.
No matter what they do—Don’t drink the moonshine.
“Maybe I should go back out there.”
“Jewls, lay down, drink your tea, and rest.”
I sigh, crawling on top of my quilt and propping myself up on the headboard in the same position as her.
“You want to talk about it?”
“Yes, no, I don’t know. Mama, outside of Major, you are the first person who came to mind when I found out. But everything got crazy, and then it was easier to be lost in my thoughts.”
“That’s understandable. It also sheds light on why you’ve been hiding out up here.”
I want to deny hiding and push the issue of Daddy. But ever since he came home, that’s exactly what my motives have been.
“Maybe you should talk to Major first. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
“Thanks.” My nose stings and throat clogs. “Can you give me a timeline of when these emotions will balance?”
She shoots me a crazed look, then bursts into laughter. “Oh, sweet girl. You are in for a lifetime of tears. Just wait.”
“Fucking great.” I sip my tea.
“I’m not a prude, but that language may need to be tamed.”
“Have you met Major? He’s a born Marine badass. He’s a modern-day version of a superhero. And you want me to tell him to tame his language?”
She doesn’t even blink before she wittily replies, “Even Superman had his kryptonite. I think if you asked him to do anything, he would move mountains. Because you are his kryptonite.”
Dammit! The impulse to cry hits again. I swallow hard, picturing the conversation with Major to ‘tame his language’. Then the urge is gone, and I break into giggles.
A growl rumbles loudly, and my eyes fly open. I’m cocooned in warm bands of steel. For the first time in a week, things feel normal. I snuggle closer and my breath hitches at the bulge pressing into my back.
“Careful, baby.”
“Sorry.” Not sorry, I snicker.
“Not sure your dad will be too happy with our sleeping arrangements if he hears me fucking his daughter.”
“We can’t!” I semi-hiss.
“That’s why you have to stop grinding against my dick.”
“I’m not grinding, I’m cuddling.”
“We get back to Nashville, you can cuddle with my dick all you want.”
“I’m not cuddling with your—never mind. When did you come to bed? I woke up in the middle of the night alone.”
“It took until two a.m.”
“What took until two?”
“For me to dish out your payback.”
My eyes pop, and I twist to face him. “What did you do?”
“Your cousins are in various places around the house, but that’s their doing. I focused on your brothers. They passed out on the floor in the living room. Heard one of them yacking around four.”
“Oh my God, they will hate you.”
“Nah, we’re all good.”
To my horror, the rumbling starts again. This time louder and rippling through my abdomen. Humiliation flames in my cheeks, and I try to scoot away.