Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 60933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“They’ll get it done,” I told him, then stood on my tiptoes to kiss his stubbled jawline. “I like this on you,” I whispered. “It’s rugged.”
His eyes swung back to me. “Rugged, huh?” he asked, his gaze no longer troubled.
I nodded.
“Does ‘rugged’ lead to me getting you naked?”
I laughed then. “Always.”
He growled as he leaned down and captured my lips with his. My hands slid into his hair as he stepped closer to me. The mint taste of his gum was all the refreshment I needed.
“Jesus! We got a party to decorate for. Stop eating each other alive,” Gunner called out, and Brady slowly moved back, breaking the kiss.
“He’s a jackass. Tell me again why he’s here,” he said.
“Because he’s your friend and Bryony’s uncle,” I reminded him.
He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Damn luck.”
Laughing, I slapped his arm. “He’s right. We need to get this finished up.”
Brady nodded, then kissed me one more time quickly before turning to unbox the helium tank. I watched him for a moment, enjoying the view of his butt in those jeans. His T-shirt was just snug enough so I could see his muscles underneath. Smiling, I finally turned my attention back to the table and continued decorating. I could ogle my man later.
CHAPTER THREE
BRADY
The last of the twinkling lights had been secured to the tent, and the lanterns’ battery-operated lights had been turned on. Riley had managed to create a fucking fairy tale in her parents’ backyard. She was inside now getting changed for the party, and Nash had gone to help himself to the adult drink table. Gunner had left to go pick up Willa already, and I was the only one left out here. With their help, we had pulled this together in enough time to take a moment before the guests showed up.
“OH MY GOSH!!!” Bryony’s squeal filled the backyard, and I turned to see her running through the back gate with her eyes wide in disbelief. She ran past me and looked up at the lanterns and twinkling lights, then her gaze fell to the sparkly drink fountain thing that Riley had set up. “Daddy! Do you see this! It’s, it’s magical!”
Smiling, I understood why Riley went to all this trouble. Getting to experience Bryony so excited and amazed was worth every damn minute put into preparing for this two-hour party.
“Your momma is definitely magical,” I agreed.
She spun around with her arms out, smiling brightly. “This is the most beautiful birthday party ever,” she said, then ran over to hug my legs.
I ruffled her hair. “I agree. But you better go on inside and get dressed. The princess needs to have her proper party dress on before guests arrive,” I told her.
She nodded, then skipped her way to the back door of the house.
“Oh, Brady!” Mom gushed as she entered the backyard. She was carrying a tray of cookies, and my father, who walked out behind her, was also carrying a tray. I took a deep breath and tried not to let it get to me.
“Riley’s good at this. Like most all things,” I said, then went over to take the tray from her hands. “These are fantastic, Mom,” I told her.
She was still looking at everything. “I hope so. I wanted them to be worthy of this party, but I don’t know if they are.”
“They are a perfect addition. The kids are going to love them,” I assured her, then walked over to put them out on the table with the other sweets. I knew Riley wanted to put them on the tiered tray she had, but I also knew she would want to do it a certain way. I didn’t try and help with that.
“Better than anything we ever put together for you,” Dad said, placing the other tray of cookies on the table.
“I was good with the campouts,” I replied for Mom’s sake, not his. He had been the one to take me and my friends camping for my birthdays. I had great memories of that time. I didn’t want him taking that from me. But seeing him with Mom was making me hate him.
“They were all you’d talk about for months,” Mom said, smiling. “Having a boy was easier than a girl. This is a lot more work than those camping trips.”
“Riley loves doing it as much as Bryony loves having it,” I told her.
“She’s a wonderful mother,” Mom said. She wanted to say more, and I didn’t need to ask her to know what it was. Mom was ready for us to be married. She’d hinted about it for over a year now. It wasn’t something Riley ever mentioned though, which was a relief. Our life was perfect and in my head marriage wasn’t. Thinking about it too much terrified me but then when I looked at Riley I knew I’d never hurt her. It was an internal struggle I had been facing for awhile.