Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 99723 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99723 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
“I wish I could tell you that it’ll never be like that again.” I sigh, finishing, “But I can’t.”
It’s the reality of the situation. I played two games this week already and got home late last night, which gave me the opportunity to be here for this handover and for this weekend with Briar. But there will inevitably be times that Tyler has visitation and I’ll already be at the arena or out of town for an away game.
“It’s okay. It’s not as bad as it used to be.”
“Because of me?” I nod with a cocky little tilt to my chin, but I’m only teasing, trying to fill the space Harley left with lighthearted humor.
Her soft smile is stunning, like sunshine peeking over the horizon in the morning. “Partially,” she allows, “but mostly because of me. I’m pretty badass, you know?” She tries to give me a dramatic wink, but accidentally closes both eyes. Laughing, she says, “That was supposed to be slick and cool, so pretend it was, ’kay?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say through a smile of my own. “That was the coolest shit I’ve ever seen.” I copy her double-eyed wink, doing it even worse than she did, and she laughs harder.
I am so proud of this woman. For what she’s been through, what she’s still going through, and the way she tackles every moment of every day with silliness and turns every bad into something good.
“Come on, let’s go home. I’m hungry.”
“Oh, we have long chicken nuggets, or I could make pasta?” she offers in perpetual mom-mode.
Catching her around the waist, I rumble in her ear, “For you, Briar. I’m hungry for you.” She squeaks in surprise, and I don’t have to see her face to know that pink blush is blooming on her cheeks. It gets me every time.
I rush her toward my truck, running and laughing with her the whole way. I hate that Harley has to go to Tyler’s, but I intend on making every moment alone with Briar count.
First, by having her for dinner. And tomorrow, we’ll sleep in, make breakfast together, and go to the zoo. Not Briar’s zoo, but another one that’s a couple of hours away. Briar wants to see the cheetah exhibit they have. And I plan on buying her a new zoo shirt . . . an oversize one that she can wear to bed, with nothing else. Except maybe some knee socks.
And Sunday, we’ll pick up Harley at the park. Together.
He told me he loves me!
And for the first time this season, I feel like I’m home . . . with this woman, with this boy, with our family. Here, where I never thought I’d be in the first place, but am so glad I ended up.
Thankfully, her house isn’t far and I make the drive extra quick. Briar is first to the front door, not because she’s particularly fast, but because I like the view from behind as I chase her . . . her hair flying around, her arms pumping, her ass bouncing with every step. In fact, I slow down a little more, tilting my head to get a better view.
“Beat ya!” she shouts, slapping her palm to the door. She whirls back with a bright grin of triumph, but her laughter dies off when she sees the dark look on my face.
“Open the door unless you want me to fuck you on the front porch for everyone to see your pretty face when you come,” I growl, letting the slightest hint of a tease arch one brow.
I see the moment she hesitates, not because she wants it out here where her neighbors could see, but because she’s deciding if she wants to play more . . . tease me more . . . or if she’s done with games too. Decision made, she fumbles with the doorknob and promptly drops the keys. “Oops!”
Given the way she reaches down to pick up the keys, with her ass high in the air, I don’t think dropping the keys was an accident at all. I step up behind her, gripping her hips and grinding my achingly hard cock against her. “You drive me crazy,” I groan.
“Me?” she purrs, rising to stand with her back to my chest. Letting go of her hips, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her tighter, and she lets her head fall back on my shoulder.
Plucking the keys from her hand, I open the door myself and dance her inside. Kicking the door shut behind us, I reach down to her thighs and scoop her up. Instinctively, her legs wrap around my waist.
I could march down the hallway with her in my arms. Throw her to the bed and follow her down, pinning her beneath me. Fuck her in the comfort of her bed . . . no, our bed. That’s what it is now, because I let my short-term lease go and moved my couple of suitcases of stuff into Briar’s cute little house a few weeks ago.