Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Christ.
I wanted to believe there was a big misunderstanding, but it was just too much. Too many details, too many things that didn’t add up.
“Piper must’ve suspected something was going on between us,” I said. I eased up too, and I went over to the window between our beds and cracked it open all the way. “If she didn’t view me as a threat somehow, she’d have no reason to sabotage us.”
It was insane to think in those terms about my own flesh and blood. Piper and I had always had a good relationship. Growing up, we’d been ordinary siblings. She’d been an annoying-as-fuck little sister, and I’d been an obnoxious big brother—but we’d been there for each other. Our parents had raised us to be protective of each other.
“I wasn’t exactly subtle in the beginning,” Joel admitted. “I didn’t say anything outright, but I asked about you quite a bit. And I told her I was bi before we drifted apart after college.”
Combined with my divorce and letting my family know I’d met someone in San Diego…and Joel’s transfer…
I lit up a smoke and leaned back against the windowpane.
We could deal with my sister later. Right now, I just wanted to revel in the relief—and stare at Joel.
Something softened in his gaze, and he walked over to me.
Fuck me, but he was stunning. Even more so when he was wearing nothing but boxer briefs.
He lifted my hand and took a drag from the smoke, then exhaled out the window.
I leaned in and kissed his jaw.
“It’s supposed to be us,” he murmured. “You and me.”
“And now it is.” I looped an arm around his neck and kissed the corner of his mouth. “You’re all mine.”
He smiled and blinked sleepily. “All yours.”
Crew Finlay
Dad and I walked into the common room where we were supposed to meet up with Emerson and the others in a few minutes, and we had a yawning Greer and Adrien following behind us.
It’d felt so fucking good to shower and slip into sweats and a hoodie.
“And he was like, that pasta’s called farfalle,” I continued, mimicking Adrien’s voice. “So I said, oh yeah? You wanna see what I can do with my farfalle knife later?”
Dad rumbled a laugh, and Greer cracked up too.
I grinned and threw myself onto one of the couches.
Adrien shook his head at me, but he couldn’t hide his amusement. That was all that mattered. “You were an insufferable abductor.”
“You weren’t too good yourself, buddy.” I grinned and waited till he’d sat down next to me before I turned him into my pillow. “In the beginning, at least. Once you let me roam free on the yacht, I got the royal treatment.”
And excellent dickings.
He fanned a blanket out over me, and I got comfortable against his chest.
“You thought I had a personal chef on board.” He was still smug about that.
I would love to respond with something incredibly witty, but I had zero comeback material in my exhausted brain, so I jumped at the opportunity to crash Dad and Uncle Greer’s conversation about this place.
“You wanna become a PMC, Dad?” I asked.
He chuckled and shook his head. “No, but I was thinking I wouldn’t have minded going this route back in the day. Fewer Skype Christmases and less missing the wife.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” Uncle Greer nodded pensively. “It’s a miracle you didn’t miss any of the boys’ births.”
“I’m mostly glad I didn’t miss the creation of them, to be honest.”
I coughed around a laugh. That was my dad.
I remembered missing him when he’d been deployed, but he’d made up for it in spades whenever he was home. Those had been interesting days, since almost all my uncles had been gone a lot. Mom and Aunt Gen had banded together when Dad and Uncle Angus shipped out.
“Your homecomings were better than Christmas,” I admitted.
Dad smiled. “Don’t make me mushy, boy.”
I shrugged, and Adrien kissed the top of my head.
Uncle Greer twirled his finger, gesturing at our surroundings. “You never came down here when you wanted to become a contractor?”
I made a face. “No. I never made it that far.” My ego was still bruised about that. “I aced all the tests they threw at me in DC—until I failed some dumbass talk with their counselors. They were concerned I wouldn’t thrive without a unit.”
Unfortunately, they’d been correct in their assessment.
“Shit. I’d fail that too.” Dad glanced around him and threaded his fingers together across his stomach. “We got lucky.” He nodded at Greer. “We served together most of the time—with Angus.”
I remembered.
Uncle Kyle and Uncle Ben had ended up deployed together as well. Kyle as a badass helicopter pilot, and Ben as a mechanic.
“Sure made the holidays easier,” Uncle Greer murmured. “Fuck, now I miss my kids.”
I grinned. “You’ll be home soon. Give li’l Dylan a smooch from me. And tell Emma-Jo and Kyla I’m still waiting for their FaceTime dance.”