Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
I punched the card twice.
The next night, Saturday night, Sam and I met Finn. In my opinion, he was wasting his time working in security. He could have been walking a runway in Milan. The man wasn’t striking or handsome like George, he was drop-dead gorgeous. I was betting, if he smiled, he’d be blinding. As reported, his hair was dirty blond, but there were platinum pieces in there and wheat and even gold. His eyes were in fact a deep emerald green, and I clocked the dimples, even though there was no smiling, and the square jaw and the broad shoulders. He was hovering right about six-one, and waiting for Hannah on the porch because no, he didn’t want to come in, thank you, he’d rather remain on the porch.
Since it was cold outside, that hurried Hannah up, which was probably the point, I was guessing.
“See?” Hannah said, gesturing at him with her hand as I helped her put on her coat over the very small dress she was wearing. “I told you. He’s infuriating.”
But he couldn’t be infuriating when he was just there to do his job. Just because he was being professional didn’t make him the bad guy. Unlike George, who needed her, Finn did not. He wasn’t alone in the world. He had a big, funny, loving Irish-Catholic family, Kola had told me, who thought he was pretty great. In conclusion, Hannah had to be all right with the fact that she and Finn might never be friends.
He was very respectful to Sam and me, very yes, sir and thank you, sir, and I wished that Kola and Jake were there so I could have seen what he looked like when he wasn’t on the clock. But maybe it would have been the same with Sam and me in the mix. Who knew? More importantly, I had to have a word with my husband as soon as they were gone, as the boys were out also, so we’d be alone.
“Why are you being careful with me?” I asked my husband as soon as he closed the door after Hannah.
“Because you’re still mad,” he said, not missing a beat.
“What? No, I’m not,” I promised him. “I’m upset because of the huge bruise on your chest, but other than that, I’m good.”
He squinted at me.
“I swear,” I said, crossing my heart.
“Then why won’t you hug me?” He sounded almost hurt, and that was painful to hear.
“Because I don’t want to cause you any pain.”
“This, you not touching me, is killing me.”
“Well, if you’re sure.”
His smile then, all sexy Sam Kage. “You won’t hurt me, but even if you did, I’d like it.”
I shook my head at him.
He made the “come here” motion with his hand.
I walked over and leaned into him, and the sound of relief and happiness that came out of him made me smile.
“Oh yeah, this is what I wanted,” he rumbled.
It was good.
Christmas was lovely, as it was friends and family. Sam’s parents, his sisters, and his brother all went on a cruise, which Regina, his mother, told him on the phone when she called that morning, was never happening again. She preferred her family all together, and she already wanted off the ship. I was not surprised. Because while change was good, traditions were best for the Kage family.
Sam had a blast. He didn’t have to leave our house all day to drive anywhere. All the food and booze was there, and everyone came to our house and hung out. He was in heaven.
Dane and Aja came with the boys, Dylan and Chris came with all their kids, even Micah and his wife, Eshe, which was a lovely surprise. Carwood Brewer and his now boyfriend—that I was thrilled about—Harlan Slater came. We got to hear fireman stories from Harlan, and I enjoyed those, and so did Aja and Dylan. Aaron and Duncan came and brought all the things I’d asked for, and when Sam gave Aaron one of his Yule mules in an icy copper mug as soon as he walked in the door, Aaron’s smile told me how pleased he was.
“He needed this,” Duncan told me in the kitchen, putting an arm around my shoulders. “Thank you for keeping him in your life, Jory, so you could introduce him to me. I don’t tell you enough how much I appreciate all that you did.”
“That’s not necessary,” I told him, loving this sentimental side of the man.
“Yeah, it is. You and Sam both kept him instead of throwing him away. You have no idea how many people discard him. But you both see his heart, and that means a lot. And he’s so happy here and relaxed with Dane and Aja and Hannah and everyone else. It’s a safe place for him, and that’s amazing.”