Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Glancing over my shoulder, I groan when Colby comes up behind me, and abandoning the doorbell, I pound against the wood. “Levi!”
I hear Lick barking like crazy.
“Come on. Don’t be like that,” Colby snaps.
He grabs hold of my shoulder and spins me around. I’m so startled, I stagger backward, but there’s no door, and strong arms wrap around me.
Oh, thank God.
Levi lifts me off my feet and sets me down inside before he turns to face Colby while he indicates for Lick to stay.
“Get off my fucking property.” There’s so much anger brimming in his voice. I’ve never heard it so deep before. “And stay the fuck away from Kelcie. She’s mine.”
Colby steps right up to Levi, and just before their chests can touch, I grab hold of Levi’s arm and pull him backward while Lick snarls, the fur on the back of her neck rising.
“We’ll see how long you can hold on to her,” Colby sneers, a vindictive expression on his face. “Just know, when Kelcie needs a shoulder to cry on, it will be mine.”
Levi takes a step forward again, but I tighten my hold on his arm.
“Dammit, Colby!” I snap, my heart beating fast because of the volatile situation. “Just go away and leave us alone!” I reach for the door and slam it shut. Moving to the window, I watch as Colby finally leaves and let out a sigh of relief. “We’re really going to have to consider moving.”
“Just say when, and I’ll buy you your farm,” Levi grumbles, still wound tight. He pets Lick’s head. “Good girl.”
Not wanting the incident with Colby to spoil my good day, I smile at Levi. “Aww. You’ll buy me a farm?” I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around his neck. “Can I have cows?”
“Yes.”
“And chickens?”
He nods, the tension draining from his face.
“And baby goats?”
He nods again, then leans down and presses a kiss to my mouth. “You can have anything you want, my muse.”
“Talking about muse. Did I interrupt your writing?”
He instantly looks upset again. “You didn’t. That asshole did.”
I place my hand on Levi’s jaw and give him the sweetest smile I can conjure on my face. “Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
“I’ll always come to your rescue.”
“How can I thank you?” I ask, rubbing my hands over his shoulders and down his chest.
God, I’ll never get enough of touching him.
“You can cuddle with me and sleep here.”
“Oooh, I like the sound of that.”
Levi chuckles as he pulls away and walks to the kitchen, where he lets Lick go out quickly.
I come up behind Levi, and wrapping my arms around his waist, I rest my cheek against his back. He covers my hands with one of his.
She’s mine.
Remembering his words, I grin like an idiot.
Levi
After Lick comes back inside, I shut the door and lock it.
Kelcie lets go of me, and I take her hand, leading her to my bedroom.
While I kick off my shoes, she shrugs out of her coat and removes her gloves and beanie.
“Jordan called and invited us to spend the holidays with him. Are you okay with that?”
It will probably be overwhelming for me, but I can’t refuse Kelcie a single damn thing. “Sure.”
“He also wants us to visit for a week. He said you would score some serious brownie points with him.”
Shit. A whole week.
“What about Lick?” I ask, not willing to put her in a shelter.
“She comes with us,” Kelcie replies while we climb into bed.
Lick jumps up to find a comfortable spot by Kelcie’s feet while I pull my woman into my arms.
“I guess we’re spending a week at your brother’s, then.”
“Thank you,” she murmurs while snuggling into my side.
When she’s quiet, my thoughts turn to Colby, and I worry that he’s not going to back down.
“This morning I decided to scale down my visits to the cemetery to once a week.”
Surprised at the news, I glance at Kelcie. “Yeah? And you’re okay with that?”
“I can’t live in the past while trying to build a future with you.”
The corner of my mouth lifts. “I know it must’ve been difficult for you to do. I’m proud of you.”
Kelcie falls silent again, and just as I think she’s asleep, she asks, “Memory for a memory?”
“Sure.”
She begins to draw random patterns on my chest.
“Sage came home for a long weekend. We were so happy because she’d been busy with a trial and wasn’t able to visit for months. I’d just finished the biggest order I’ve ever received, and we had pizza for dinner to celebrate.”
Realizing that she’s sharing a memory from the night of the attack, I hold her tighter and brush my hand up and down her back.
“Sage and I were going to watch a movie, but I had to dry my hair, or it would be all poofy and unmanageable.” She pauses for a long while, and when she continues, her voice is hoarse. “I was blow-drying my hair when I heard a scream. It all happened so fast, but at the same time, it feels like the longest night of my life.”