Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 48446 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48446 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 242(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 161(@300wpm)
“No one but you ever holds me like this.”
“Dumb fuckers,” I assured him. “They’re missin’ out on somethin’ great.”
“You’re the only one who knows I love it because you’re the only one who ever made me do it.”
The man was a natural snuggler, loved to be cuddled and nestled in beside me. I’d been surprised the first time when he’d tried to squirm away. But as I’d held him pressed to my heart, I’d felt him surrender, felt him clutch me back, tremble in my arms, and whimper softly.
“You’re the only one who had the balls to try and make me submit.”
“That’s right.” I smiled in the dark, rubbing my cheek in the silky waves. “You didn’t want to do this at all the first time, did ya.”
“No.” He sucked in his breath. “Because I was the dumb fucker back then.”
I chuckled, and he pressed tighter.
“Thank you for wanting to hold me, Weber.”
“Thank you for lettin’ me, Cyrus.”
His sigh of pleasure made me smile as my eyes drifted closed.
THREE
Iwas surprised in the morning when ice cubes were pressed to my sides. When I yelled and squeals of delight filled the room, little arms wrapping around my neck, I realized it wasn’t ice, but feet. Micah and Pip were both giggling like little psychopaths as Tristan snickered from where he was flipping channels.
“Why are you here?” I asked the spawn of Satan. I obviously missed they were evil the night before. Maybe sleep deprivation had finally melted my brain.
“We came to pick you up—you and Uncle Cyrus—to go to Nana and Grandpa’s.”
What? Family? More family? Was he high?
I tossed off the comforter, put it back over Pip and Micah, then went into the kitchen, where I smelled coffee.
“Good morning,” Lyn greeted me as I staggered to her brother first, to kiss him, then to the coffee pot.
“Ma’am, your children are evil.”
She cackled. “Tell me they did not put their freezing little feet on you.”
“They did.” I glared at her.
“God,” she said and sighed, “they are one hundred percent in love with you.”
I grunted.
Cy walked over to me as I was pouring coffee. “How did you sleep, cowboy?”
“Ain’t a cowboy no more,” I said, sipping the black coffee.
“You’ll always be my cowboy,” he replied, gravel-voiced and sleepy, placing soft kisses along the underside of my jaw. I couldn’t stop the rumbling purr that came out of me.
Lyn made a noise, but I couldn’t be bothered to look at her. I was far too interested in her brother and his hands roaming under my T-shirt.
“This weekend,” he began, fingers tracing over the muscles of my abdomen, “I promised my folks I’d drive up to their place in Half Moon Bay because my brother and his family are spending the holidays with his wife’s family this year, so we won’t see them again until after the New Year.”
“Okay.”
“Lyn and the kids were supposed to go as well, of course.”
“And my husband.” She sighed. “Don’t forget I was supposed to have a husband.”
“That ain’t your fault, darlin’,” I reminded her.
“I know, but still.”
I put the coffee down, though I needed it to wake up, because I needed Cy more. The allure of the man was overwhelming. “Well, you should go.” I yawned, wrapping my arms around him, drawing him close. “I can stay here.”
“Oh no,” Lyn chimed in from behind me. “I want you to spend more time with the boys, Weber, and I want to talk to you about Micah.”
“I don’t wanna be in the way,” I told her, smoothing a hand down Cy’s back, pressing him tighter against me.
“You won’t be, I promise. Believe me, when it comes to our parents, both my brother and I will need you as a buffer.”
“Is that right?” I asked Cy, tipping his chin up so I could see the cognac-colored eyes for myself.
“Yes.” He sighed. “My father and I are different kind of men, and my mother worries about me incessantly.”
I grinned. “So you get that from her, do you?”
“What? I never worry about anything.”
“You know you’ll turn to stone if you lie like that.”
“What do I ever worry about?”
I arched an eyebrow.
“That doesn’t count. Anyone in their right mind would worry about you.”
I chuckled, kissed him, then let him go, leaning against the counter and smiling at Lyn. “Now that I got some caffeine in me, please explain about Micah.”
She sucked in her breath. “A little over a year ago, he was at home with my mother-in-law because he didn’t want to go to Tristan’s soccer game with the rest of us, and she had a heart attack and died. It was fast. She had an acute pulmonary embolism, and she was gone in a matter of seconds. Micah called 911, and that was the last time he’s spoken.”
Jesus. “He was with her alone until the ambulance came?”