Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 24578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
“I wanted to. Also, I had an ulterior motive.”
Her brown eyes shine at that. “Oh? What was that?”
“I’m going to get you naked.” I drag my fingertip down her chest, over the outside of her shirt, and to the waistband of her pants. “And you’re going to wear only that necklace while I fuck you senseless.”
“I mean, it’s the least I can do.”
Chapter Nine
Maddie
“I could tell you everyone’s names, but you’ll never remember them all, and it usually takes spreadsheets and graphs.”
We’re walking down to the pool, hand in hand, and I’m nervous. Not because I’m ashamed of Dylan or my family, but because I’ve just never brought a date to anything before.
I never liked anyone enough to bring them around my family before Dylan.
And isn’t it just my luck that I won’t ever see him again after tomorrow?
“It’s going to be fine,” he assures me and kisses my hand. The man always has his hands or lips on me, and I have to admit, it doesn’t suck.
Not at all.
We walk out to the pool area, and I can’t help but smile when I see the family gathered at one end of the space, talking and laughing. A few are in the milky blue pool, floating at the edge so they can be a part of the conversation.
“This is my first cousins’ night,” Finn announces as we approach. “Because this is a pool for everyone, not just those consuming alcohol. You can’t kick me out.”
I smirk at him and pat his cheek. “Since when do you have stubble?”
Finn just smiles and jumps into the pool.
“We always restrict our cousins’ nights to only those of age,” I explain to Dylan. “But I’m glad the littler ones, and by little I mean high school age, are here.”
“Wait.” Dylan stops short and stares down at me with wide eyes, then back at our crowd. “All of those people are your cousins?”
“Yep.” I nod happily. “Well, Olivia, the gorgeous brunette sitting on that man’s lap? She’s a cousin. The guy is her fiancé. And then Stella’s in the pool with her new fiancé, Gray. They got engaged on Christmas Day.”
I scan the crowd and find my sister. “And you met Josie. Next to her is her boyfriend, Brax. The others are blood relatives.”
“You weren’t kidding when you said there are a lot of you.”
“Oh, this doesn’t even include all the parents and grandparents who are here.”
He stares down at me and then shakes his head. “Wow.”
“Come on, you two,” Sophie calls out, gesturing for us to join them. “Don’t be shy.”
“You know I’m not,” I reply. “Dylan was just surprised by how many of us there are.”
“We’re a handful.” Sophie smiles and offers her hand to Dylan. “I’m Sophie. Don’t worry about remembering it. After Maddie and Josie, I’m the oldest.”
“Nice to meet you, Sophie.”
Soph’s eyes narrow. “I see what you did there. Repeat the name and you’re more likely to remember it.”
Dylan just smiles, and Sophie leans in to me.
“You were right. Hot.”
She walks away with a wink.
“Maddie, come over here.” That comes from Olivia, who has climbed off Vaughn’s lap. “I want to meet Dylan.”
Slowly, over the course of several minutes, the others gather around. We’re surrounded by Montgomery cousins, each trying to get a look at my date.
“I’m Vaughn.” Olivia’s guy holds out his hand to Dylan.
“I recognize you,” Dylan replies.
“Are you a fan?” Vaughn asks but doesn’t smile. My cousin snagged the hottest movie star in the world.
“Eh, you do fine.”
There’s silence for a moment, and then everyone laughs, including Vaughn.
“I like him,” Vaughn announces.
Soon, everyone scatters once more. We load up plates full of food from a small buffet spread and snag drinks before sitting at a table with Josie and Brax.
“They’re overwhelming,” Brax says with a shrug. “I’ve been around for a long time, and they’re still a little overwhelming.”
“But fun,” Josie points out. “We’re a lot of fun. It’s kind of funny how other hotel guests have come out to swim but gave us a wide berth.”
“I’m afraid Liam is about to strip down any minute,” I reply, shaking my head. “That man is a little too confident in his skin.”
“I don’t think anyone is drinking enough to do something like that.” Josie sips her drink. “Not yet, anyway.”
“What time is our flight tomorrow?” I’ve been avoiding the question, but I have to ask because I have to be on the plane.
“Early,” Josie says with a wince. “Like six or something. But it’s a private plane, so the flight isn’t too bad.”
“Does your family always fly privately?” Dylan asks.
“No,” I reply, shaking my head. “Well, some of the parents do. Uncle Luke usually does. But for the most part, we all fly commercial. I think it was just about the same price to fly the whole family privately as it would have been to book first class.”