Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
“Look around you,” Rebel said. “Kelley’s not interested in living a different life. She’s not interested in fucking around. She is a woman who is settled. Trust me, you ask us to keep an eye on her, and we do. Other than go to some of the random street parties and events, she doesn’t do anything. She goes to work, cleans her house and her yard, and does whatever fucking hobbies she has. I know she cooks a lot and helps the locals when they’re having a hard time. There was a woman with, like, six kids, ended up in the hospital from a bad fall. Kelley helped make them dinner for two weeks. Don’t worry, I checked, it truly was a fall, the husband was beside himself with worry. Kept an eye on the situation seeing as Kelley is your girl—”
“She’s not my girl.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” Rebel said. “Maybe one day, you will start to believe it. Anyway, I’ve got to head out of here.” He looked toward him and then shook his head. “You wanted us to check on her for a reason.”
“She’s young.”
“Yeah, and now she’s not. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a woman, Crow. All of us find a point when being on the open road is fucking lonely, and all you’ve got to look forward to is staring into another guy’s ugly face when you wake up in the morning. Or, pissing in the wind when your balls are freezing off.”
“You’re telling me you don’t miss the open road? The freedom?”
“What freedom do you think I’ve given up? Every single night, I have a warm bed to sleep in. A beautiful woman I can call my own. She made it feel like home, and it took me a long time to realize that. Willow is everything to me, and now I’ve got a couple of kids. Trust me, I get that the open road looks tantalizing, and when you’ve got fuck all to keep you, it’s inviting. There is nothing wrong with finding the right woman, falling in love, and wanting to spend as much time as possible with her. When you wake up, and during the day, you wonder what she’s doing. Not out of suspicion, but because you just want to know, because she makes you happy. Then, at night, you get to go to bed, pull her against you, hold her in your arms, and know that there is no place in the world you would rather be. That is better than the cold claws of the open road.”
Rebel left, and Crow was in shock. For the longest time, Rebel would not settle in one place. He was constantly moving around, never happy to be anywhere for long. He’d left a long line of women on the road. Crow hadn’t touched another woman in over five fucking years. He didn’t know what that was all about. There had been women more than willing to throw themselves at him, but he’d not fallen for any of them. He just couldn’t bring himself to touch them. He had no desire to.
But there had always been a need to come back to Creek. It was a feeling he was not accustomed to. Making his way back into the house, he started to put away the groceries, and again, this was something he had never fucking done in his whole life. Yet, he did it.
After he had put everything away and stocked Kelley’s fridge and freezer as well as her pantry, he made his way toward the door and realized Rebel had left, and his bike was back at the fucking grocery store. This meant he got to enjoy a nice long walk in the freezing cold.
Chapter Six
Kelley saw the forecast and then looked outside. Within the last twenty-four hours, there was the threat of towns being cut off from power, freezing conditions, and a risk to life. She had already put the heat on and was layered up with several sweaters. A large pot of beef stew was bubbling in the slow cooker.
Crow walked inside, stamping his feet. “Fuck me, that is coming in thick and fast.”
“Work had already called me. They can’t keep the parking lot clear, so the shop is going to close.”
“You ever had it this bad?” he asked.
“We’ve had a few days when it was closed, but other than that, not much else.” She pointed to the television. “I think your chance to leave has passed. The roads are all blocked. They’re telling people not to leave their homes.”
Crow kicked off his boots, placed his jacket beside hers, and came into the sitting room.
Kelley was standing in the center of the room, looking at the television, and he moved in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, then pressing his lips against her neck.