Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
He glances at his bed, heat flaring in his gaze. “We can’t risk him hearing you. You’re mine tonight, baby girl.”
I shiver at his words, excitement coursing through me. My filthy fling has turned into a forbidden relationship with my brother’s best friend. As long as I’m careful, I can keep all of us from getting hurt.
“Is he going to be OK?” I ask Cam about his patient. I’m sitting on the kitchen counter while he feeds me bites of butter pecan ice cream.
It’s only been two weeks since we’ve started dating and we haven’t even gone on an official date yet. Cam wants to but I’m trying to hold out and wait. Once we can get Derek on board with this relationship, everything will be perfect. In the meantime, I’m trying to be patient.
“Yeah, I called the hospital to follow up. He’s going to make a full recovery,” Cam says. He talks to me a lot about his work. I’ve learned so much about what he does as a firefighter.
I always thought it was just about spraying water on burning buildings. But Cam tells me that eighty to ninety percent of the calls his crew answers are medical in nature. He’s taking online classes now that will allow him to help even more patients.
He might think he’s not a hero but that’s because he can’t see himself through my eyes. Cam isn’t just there for the glory. He genuinely wants to help the people around him and make the community of Courage County a better place to live.
“How did your day go?” He takes a bite of the ice cream before offering me one. I can’t imagine what my brother would think if he saw us right now. I’m not even wearing pants. That’s because Cam already ravished me earlier.
We live for these stolen moments when Derek is at the station late or out with his friends. Every time, we hear his keys in the door, Cam glares at me and tells me that he’s going to ask him to move out. I don’t think he actually means it. We both want to be out in the open so badly, but I’m terrified of hurting my big brother.
I start to tell him about my day and the things I’m learning about floristry. “Austin has already made it clear that she’s looking for someone to help her manage her business. She’s willing to teach me and that would give me a permanent place here.”
He scowls. “You have a permanent place here.”
“No, I mean like I’ll be able to afford my own apartment. I could move out and stop taking over your space.” While I’d rather live here, I think it might help with Cam’s stress if I were gone. Then he wouldn’t have to feel so guilty whenever Derek walks into the room.
“You belong here. In my house.” He scowls and I know that look. It’s the one he sends me right before he swats my ass. I always frown at him when he does it. But secretly, it makes my panties wet. Especially when he does it and calls me his naughty girl. There’s so much I want to explore with this man. So many things I want to do to him.
I lift my chin. He might like to be in charge, but he wants me to challenge him. He needs it as much as I do. “I’m an independent woman who can make her own decisions, thank you.”
His eyes do that thing where his gaze smolders and he reaches for me. But before he can hook an arm around my waist, drag me off the counter to spank my bottom, the sound of keys in the lock has both of us freezing.
He swears under his breath and passes me the ice cream spoon. “I should go.”
“Don’t. Look, we’ve got to tell him at some point, right? So it’s better if he sees us hanging out a few times first. Then maybe it won’t be such a shock. Just be casual and I’ll be casual. It’ll be fine.”
Derek calls out into the house.
“We’re in here,” I tell him before dipping a spoon back into the ice cream.
My brother tosses his keys on the counter as he comes into the room. Poor guy looks pretty beat today. I think maybe he’s dealing with a lot of workplace stress because he’s always grumpy. Not to me. He’s always kind to me but with everyone else, he just grunts and growls.
“Everything good?” Cam asks.
“The usual. Chief is riding my ass.” He rolls his neck and nods to my ice cream. “What did you do to get that? He never shares it with me.”
Cam grins. “She’s prettier than you.”
Derek flips him the bird and moves to the fridge to grab a plate of leftovers since he missed supper. Cam and I cooked then took our time eating. It was nice to have that time together. One day, I hope Derek can be part of our evenings with no secrets between all of us.