Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 97(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
“Gonna miss me?” Dev teased, leaning forward, and getting closer to Cash, who leaned back in his seat. The deep connection he’d developed sometimes made him vulnerable and insecure.
“I…” Cash clamped his mouth shut when nothing else came. Dev read him like a book, barking out a laugh, reaching for Cash’s forearm. He was drawn forward until their fingers intertwined, linking them together.
“I was teasin’. In my head, wherever I am, you’re there too. Sometimes I forget you don’t understand that. If you don’t mind, can you come with me on the nights I’m there? I think my work can be done here at home, but I feel like I need to be supportive,” Dev explained as he began to fingerplay Cash’s hand. “The initial bikes that Keyes is buildin’ from scratch… He’s crazy talented. What he’s doin’ hasn’t been done before. We’re gonna see if it works. How he slung tires for all those years was such a waste of his time.”
“And Alec still doesn’t know that Keyes is building him a motorcycle?” Cash asked.
When Cash initially heard the plan that the first bike made would be a Christmas present to Alec, he didn’t know how Keyes could keep such a secret being married to a curious attorney. They had months to go before the holidays. It still seemed iffy to Cash that Keyes could pull it off.
“Nope,” Dev said proudly for his friend. “I brought up the blueprints by accident, but Keyes swerved and redirected like a pro. Since the bike’s bein’ stored in his uncle’s barn, I don’t think Alec has a clue.”
“How’s the new shop coming?”
Keyes and Alec had purchased acres of land many months ago and were in the process of building a massive workshop there.
“It’s almost done,” Dev said, leaning back in his seat, drawing Cash forward to keep their hands intertwined. It wasn’t a hardship.
“What else happened today?”
“Remember Ollie’s son Peck? The guy who took over the ink parlor for me when you came barrelin’ into my life. He’s got experience paintin’ bikes. He’s talented, so we hired him this afternoon. I gotta finish Alec’s art so he can start to work,” Dev explained.
It seemed like everything was coming together. Good for Keyes. He deserved all the positive things coming his way.
“Keyes got super detailed in his presentation.”
“How did Alec take it?”
“Honestly?” Dev asked, waggling his brows like it was a choice. His voice dropped an octave to keep anyone else from listening. “We were a wreck. Alec stopped Keyes about halfway through and reaffirmed his commitment. That’s how I figured out he was payin’ for it all.”
Cash chuckled. He could only imagine what the two bikers sounded like in such a professional setting. “What about the name of the shop? Has it changed again?”
“Oh yeah.” Dev laughed and placed his elbows on his knees, bending in to kiss Cash’s knuckles. “In Keyes’s text, he suggested the name Devil’s Key.”
“It’s shorter, but I like The Devil and The Key. The acronym’s TDTK. Easy to say.”
“Hmm… good point.” Dev got to his feet, letting out a long yawn, bringing Cash up with him. “I gotta draw tonight. I’m behind on my tattoos. After I get Mae to sleep, then I’ll put you to bed, and keep workin’.”
“Have you eaten?” Cash asked, liking the plan.
“I’m not hungry. I’ll grab a sandwich later.” Dev wasn’t a foodie. If he didn’t have to eat to survive, he wouldn’t. “Have the girls eaten?”
“Yeah, I saved some of Mae’s mac and cheese for you. It’s in the refrigerator.”
A grin spread across Dev’s face, and his chest bumped into Cash’s. “My favorite. I’m lucky to have you.”
“Remember you said that,” Cash teased, locking an arm around Dev’s waist, keeping him close for a kiss.
“Always.” Dev opened his mouth, meeting him halfway for a toe-curling kiss with promises of more to come.
Chapter Three
Keyes
“We have a delicious ground turkey and vegetable scramble,” Alec said, his head stuck inside the refrigerator. “It looks good. It has baby bok choy, Broccolini, edamame, mushrooms, the spicy red peppers you like so much, onions, pomegranate seeds, and sunflower seeds. You like Broccolini…” Alec paused, poking his head past the door, waiting for Keyes’s response as if he didn’t already know the answer.
Keyes sat in his usual spot on top of a tall barstool on the other side of the kitchen island.
“Pass,” he said, knowing Alec had a wealth of dinners inside the refrigerator, which allowed him to pick a dish he liked better.
This was their way every night. Keyes watched Alec prepare their dinner or on nights like this, the housekeeper made the recipes Alec instructed then played surprised at what he found inside the fridge. Though, all that was usually done to encourage Keyes to eat a healthier meal.
Honestly, he was getting there, but he still enjoyed his beef. Ground turkey didn’t classify as real meat. No poultry is categorized as hearty. He didn’t make the rules about real meat but absolutely lived by them with his whole heart.