Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 599(@250wpm)___ 499(@300wpm)
She was his fucking favorite person, and it had taken exactly five days of living with her to know he wanted this. Wanted to bicker with her father and watch her around her sisters and friends. Wanted to be the one she went home with. He wanted her damn dog here so he could get in good with Bud Two.
This tiny flat felt more like home than his own back in Toronto, and it was all about her.
There was a knock, and he sighed before kissing the top of her head. “I’m sure that’s your dad come to tell me what a dumbass I am.”
“It’s how you know he loves you,” she called out.
He stopped at the fridge and pulled three beers, handing them to TJ and Cooper before moving to the door.
“Thanks, man,” TJ said, popping the top. “Hey, what do you know about the Blue Jays’ new pitcher?”
No one asked him about sports. He was the dude who worked twenty-four seven, and now he realized with the exception of Dare, he hadn’t had a male friendship that didn’t revolve around work in…years. After what happened with Deanna, he’d pulled in on himself. He hadn’t wanted to bring in anyone who Manny could hurt.
TJ and Cooper could handle themselves.
Was Kenzie offering him way more than her beautiful body? Was she offering him a whole circle he could be part of if he opened himself a bit?
It couldn’t hurt to sit and drink beer and talk about the baseball game it had taken Tim a couple of hours to manage to get on their satellite. It helped to have a dude who knew how to cut into national television feeds. Tim sat beside TJ, but he was happy with his soda.
Kala and Lou were playing some card game in the dining area.
It was comfy. It was warm. It was one of those random Saturdays most people enjoyed. One where he didn’t work, simply had fun with the people around him. It was still awkward with Cooper and TJ, but he was getting to where he didn’t not like the time he spent with them. He was still the new guy, which was why he wished Dare was here since he’d been through all of this before.
He opened the door and stood there for a moment because he wasn’t a man used to having the universe send him the things he wanted.
Dare stood in the doorway, Tash by his side. They looked relaxed and tan.
“Hey,” Dare said, holding a hand out. “You didn’t think we would let you have all the fun, did you?”
Dare. His friend. Ben hadn’t realized how much he’d wanted to talk to him.
“I’m here for the drama,” Tasha announced.
He frowned Tasha’s way. “We don’t use that word around Kenz.”
Her smile amped up mightily. “Then things are going great.” She moved past him. “Hey, Kenz, why are we neglecting drama now? I thought we loved drama.”
Tasha walked in and Kenzie leaned out like she’d expected they were coming. “Cooper said some mean shit about me and my drama and Ben took offense because he’s my dream Dom and he knew I would want him to valiantly defend me.”
“I was not being mean,” Cooper contested.
“He’s not actually capable of being mean.” Kala strode forward and hugged her sister. “How was the flight?”
“Good, and even better since I smell pulled pork,” Tasha said, hugging her back. “Are we doing sandwiches or tacos?”
“Tacos and nachos,” Kenzie replied. She looked soft and sweet in her yoga pants and T-shirt that hid all the marks he’d put on her.
His girl liked when he went wild on her.
He’d never gone wild on anyone before. Only her. Only ever her.
“Oh, man, I know that look,” Dare said.
Dare. He could talk to Dare. He felt something weird. Something infinitely warm and satisfying.
He thought it might be joy.
He hugged Dare, who chuckled and did the whole manly hug thing.
“I’m glad you’re here.” The man had cut his honeymoon short, and Ben was pretty sure it was because Kenzie had asked them to. Because she’d known he needed support.
He stepped back, letting the wave of emotion ease his soul.
It was time to stop being suspicious. Time to accept that maybe he was in a good place.
“Come on in. These two know nothing about baseball,” he said with a grin.
Cooper straightened up and looked slightly offended. “Dude, I played all through high school.”
Dare put a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “And this man was scouted by every team on the East Coast. Let a couple of Canucks teach you something about America’s game.”
Ben shut the door as TJ started talking shit and Kenzie was dancing around the kitchen with her unique energy and the game went on. Ben joined them and for the first time felt like maybe, just maybe, he belonged here.