Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 129681 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129681 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Emotion crested.
Rising high.
Higher than every reservation.
Devotion.
Loyalty.
Affection.
“What other color would there be?”
She grabbed my hand and started to haul me toward the door.
I looked back.
Trent was staring over at me, smug look filling his face.
I had to admit he was right. We never had any idea when life was going to sweep in and shake us up.
“Mimi, we’re goin’ to get a pinks bike and then we’ll be rights back,” she said as she blazed through the living room, dragging me along.
Mimi grinned at me. “I approve of this plan.”
When we stepped outside, Trent, Eden, and Gage started in the direction of their house.
“Meet us out here in two hours?” I told Trent.
He slapped me on the shoulder as he passed. “Yeah, man, yeah, we’ll be here.”
I jutted my chin in parting, and Salem slipped out the door and snapped it shut behind her.
I turned when she did.
The breath hitched in my throat.
Fuck me.
Sweet enchantress.
She paused on the top step.
Held like me.
Watching where I’d stopped halfway down the walkway with her little girl’s hand in mine.
That energy pulsed.
Though this time, it was different.
Profound.
Dread and hope and dead dreams resurrected.
I saw them twist into a disorder.
While my insides sparked with something I shouldn’t feel.
I tightened my hold on her daughter.
Salem finally moved, and I stayed glued to the spot while she made her way down the sidewalk. When she got close enough, I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her snug.
I kissed her slow and gentle.
Juni giggled.
“You kissed my mommy. Nows she’s your girlfriend.”
I looked down at the little thing whose grin was so wide it curled up her entire face.
“That so?”
“Yes. It’s the rules. Gage tolds me so.”
The hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Salem’s lush mouth, and I splayed my hand wide at the small of her back. “Well, then I guess if it’s the rules.”
I winked at my girl.
“You’re ridiculous,” Salem whispered back.
“I’ve been called worse.”
Juni tugged at my hand. “Come on, we gotta go rights now.”
I followed Salem to the little SUV sitting in the drive.
One I’d called in and finalized the purchase of Friday because I sure as shit wasn’t going to put her back in her pile of a car. I just hadn’t told her yet.
She grabbed Juni’s booster, and I situated it in the backseat of my truck.
Under the arms, I lifted Juni, letting her soar through the air before I tucked her into the seat.
She laughed and giggled and twisted me up in every single one of her little fingers. “Thank you, Motorcycle Man.”
I touched her nose. “You’re welcome, Juni Bee.”
Shutting her door, I moved to help Salem step up into the high cab, then I jogged around to climb in on my side. I started the engine and began to pull from the curb, though I stopped when I saw the black truck slow as it approached from the opposite direction.
Salem tensed, and Darius glared as he passed, that barely constrained rage burning in his eyes.
“Crap,” she mumbled when he disappeared behind us.
I reached out and squeezed Salem’s hand. “Baby, it doesn’t matter what he thinks. It’s you and me now, and he’s gonna have to get used to it.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
SALEM
“Are you sure you don’t want to put these on?” Nervously, I held up the training wheels that had come with Juniper’s pink bike. “I think we might want to start there since your bike is brand new,” I encouraged.
It was futile.
Juni had already shot the idea down about five million times since we’d returned, and Jud had spread a work blanket out on the driveway and gotten straight to work.
He chuckled low.
Dark and deep and sweet.
“Worrier.” He grinned up at me.
“Obviously.” I was happy to take the title. It’s what I did.
Juni had of course picked the frilliest bike there was at the store. Pink with flower accents and ribbons coming off the handlebars.
From where she was kneeling next to Jud on a work blanket helping, Juni looked up at me like I was clueless. “Um, Mommy, doncha know I’m alreadys so big and I has to go fast so I can keep up with my best friend? Otherwise, he’s gonna leave me rights in the dust.”
Doncha already know? Jud mouthed it from behind her as he worked a ratchet to place a screw.
My stomach tilted.
Apparently, I knew nothing.
I was clueless.
Foolish.
Reckless.
Letting myself get absolutely swept away by this bearded, mountain of a man. He fought a grin where he knelt in front of the bike with a wrench in his hand, almost finished piecing it together.
He had a tool bag that he’d pulled from the back of his truck, and he continually rummaged through it to find what he needed, the man focused and intent and still patient, answering the gazillion questions Juni lobbed at him as he worked.