Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“I don’t know. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s going to be good. You know Palmer,” I tell him. “If she knows anything, it’s relaxing and having a good time.”
“You’re right about that. I hope my niece is just like her.”
“Brooks is going to have his hands full.”
“Yeah, but he’s all in. He’ll love every minute of it.”
“I think he will too.” I hold up my bikini. “I’m going to change.” I move to walk past him, where he still stands in the doorway of the bathroom. He reaches out and snakes his arm around my waist, pulling me into him.
“You sure you’re good?” he asks, tucking my hair behind my ear with his free hand.
“I’m positive.” I pat his chest and smile up at him. I hope it’s reassuring and he can’t see through the desire I’m trying to hide.
“You’d tell me, right? If there was something on your mind?”
“Don’t I always?”
He nods.
“Are you going to let me pass, or do you plan on helping me change?” The question is out of my mouth before I even realize what I’m saying. My subconscious has taken over.
His eyes fill with heat, and I watch as he slowly licks his lips. “You need me to help you, Tink?” he asks, his voice gravelly.
“N-No.” I shake my head. “I’m all set.”
It’s a good thing he’s holding onto me because when he leans in, moving his lips next to my ear, and whispers, “You sure about that?” my knees go weak, and I’m pretty damn sure I’m going to have to toss these panties in the trash.
“I can manage.”
He gives my hip a gentle squeeze before releasing me. He steps back but keeps his eyes on mine while I go back into the bathroom and close the door.
If I take forever, he’s going to know something is wrong, so I make quick work of cleaning up because, yeah, these panties are…. I’m embarrassed that my body is reacting to my best friend this way. I ball them up so I can shove them deep into the mesh laundry bag. Thankfully, I always pack extra. Quickly, I slip into my bikini and slide the black coverup over the top of it before pulling my hair up into a messy knot at the top of my head. Satisfied, I pull open the door to find Sterling sitting on the edge of the bed.
“All yours,” I say brightly, moving to shove my panties in the laundry bag and lay my other clothes on the dresser so I can change into them later.
“I’m going to shower. I’ll be out soon.”
“Okay!” I say with way too much enthusiasm as I grab my phone from the dresser and hightail it out of the room. I rush through the kitchen and out the patio door. I’m thankful that just the twins, Maverick and Merrick, are outside. The ladies are off the hook for now, but they’re going to hear from me. They’ve broken me, and I need them to fix this.
CHAPTER
NINE
Sterling
We’re all sitting around the pool watching as Deacon lets Ramsey convince him that they should do a mock wedding rehearsal to get ready for next week since most of the guest list is already here. When I say let her convince him, that’s exactly what’s going to happen. He might be putting up a minimal fight, but we all know he would bend over backward for my cousin. He’s going to cave.
“Babe,” Deacon starts, “I don’t think we need to do this. I’ll be waiting at the altar. You’re going to walk to me. We’re going to say I do before I kiss the hell out of my wife, and voilà, you’re Ramsey Setty. Piece of cake,” he explains.
“Please?” Ramsey draws out the word. Her back is to me, but I can only imagine she’s batting her eyelashes at him or promising him something dirty that I don’t want to think about with her eyes, because my boy caves like a beer-can pyramid falling to the ground.
“If we have to.” He tries to make it sound like it’s an inconvenience, and I give him an A for effort, but we all knew this was how this was going to unfold.
“Yay!” Ramsey stands and offers Deacon her hand, pulling him to his feet.
“Wait,” Palmer calls out. “I have an even better idea. What if you have two people stand in for you, and then that way you can watch and know what you’re supposed to do.”
“Even better.” Deacon grins.
“Been there, done that, got the wife to prove it,” Orrin jokes.
“Me too, and my wife needs to stay off her feet.” Brooks lowers his sunglasses to the tip of his nose to meet his wife’s eyes. Palmer just grins and waves him off.
“Mine too, and what Orrin said. Been there, done that,” Declan declares.