Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
I’d heard some things about him around town, but I couldn’t connect the man from those stories to the man who had kissed me. A few girls had said they’d dated him. It was partly why I always stayed clear, even though I was always looking for him when I was in town. It did seem, however, like every time he was in town some girl was trying to get his attention. So I’d always made sure I wasn’t one of them. I didn’t want to put myself out there with the odds already stacked against me. I lived so far away and every woman in town wanted a Jenningsit felt as if the universe was telling me not to pursue anything.
With Ty being off the market, a lot of the women were thinking maybe the other brothers would settle down, too. Well, that’s what the town gossip had been, and most were looking at Blake because Trace never talked to anyone or came to town. Seeing him in town was so rare I’d yet to spot him. That left Blake. The times I had seen him, been close to him when he was in town, I’d never thought he was with someone. At least he didn’t behave with them like he’s been behaving with me the past few days, with all the small touches and such. He was always polite and nice with others, but with me I could feel something more. Possession.
I was starting to think all those stories about him dating were bullshit because of how Blake spoke about the future. He talked about having a family of his own. How he’d take care of his woman. I was starting to think he was talking about me, but his departure after the kiss had left me confused.
How is it I’ve come to care for someone who is, on paper, a complete stranger to me? Sure, we talk nonstop when we're together and I know everything about him. He’s told me about his family, his hopes for a family of his own, and his dream of raising kids on his land. But it’s only been days. You can't fall for someone that fast. Can you? I don’t even know why I’m questioning it, because I already know the answer. It can, because it’s happened to me.
“Oh shit,” Dolly says, looking past me.
I turn and see a man with a woman with bleached blonde hair at the end of the bar and then look back at Dolly. Her cheeks are red and she's gritting her teeth. She scrunches her nose a little, and the always happy smile she has on her face is long gone.
“You okay?” I ask.
Her eyes come to mine and she seems to get control of herself. Her southern manners come back in a flash. “Yeah. Just some whore talking to my soon to be baby daddy. If you'll excuse me.” She downs the rest of her drink in one big gulp and slides off the stool.
I watch her walk over there and instantly the guy is standing up and going to her, getting between her and the bleached blonde. He looks surprised to see her as a half-smile pulls at his lips.
As I’m about to go over there with her, the blonde walks away and Dolly comes back to me. The guy takes a seat in his bar stool and watches her every step. He doesn’t take his eyes off of her, even as she comes back and steals my drink, taking a sip.
“I guess you handled that,” I say, a little in awe of her sass. She keeps reminding me more and more of my own sister.
“Nobody fucks with what’s mine,” she says, and I want to laugh at her face because she looks so much like Blake. She’s totally ignoring the guy now, even though he can't take his eyes off of her. I can tell he wants to say something to her but is holding back.
I take the glass from her and then two more margaritas are brought over to us. Jimmy might not like breaking the law, but he’s quick about it. He just shakes his head each time he gives us another one. He says something to the guy sitting next to Dolly. I can’t hear what he says over the music, but I know it’s something about him watching us.
We knock back our drinks and are on third and then fourth round when I finally feel brave enough—or maybe drunk enough—to try to talk to Dolly about her brother.
“So, I like your brother. Is that crazy? I just met him,” I say, laying the top half of my body on the bar because it’s cold and feels nice.
“Nah. When you know you know. You know?” Dolly hiccups and then laughs. “My parents knew each other a hot second before they got married. I'm the same way. I’m really starting to think it runs in the Jennings bloodline.”