Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
The sheets are now tangled around us, the air thick with our passion and my unspoken wish.
Eventually we will have the conversation. For right now, I want to fall asleep in his arms and wake up knowing I’m safe with him.
Raff
It’s the same day car. A white Toyota Camry. I spot it as I’m tightening the last strap on my saddlebag. It’s cruising the street that runs parallel to ours slowly. Too slowly and it’s not the first time. Lately it pops up more and more between here, Josie’s work, Justice’s school, and even the fucking clubhouse.
I grind my teeth in frustration. The car never stops. They stay far enough away, I can’t get a plate or description of the driver. They don’t pull in. Casually, they drive by and watch. Sometimes it’s a loop and they do this for hours.
Just as I make the decision to follow the car they speed up, disappearing out of view. I exhale sharply, shaking off the tension as I head next door. I don’t have time for any of this and it doesn’t make me feel good about leaving.
Justice lights up as soon as I walk in, jumping off the couch and launching himself at my legs. I ruffle his hair while looking at the most beautiful woman on Earth look down at her kitchen counter sad.
“Leaving sucks,” she tells me the truth. I love this about us. Even when we don’t have good news or the best situation, we are real with everything.
“Yeah, Jo, it does.”
Her lips press together, but she doesn’t push. Sara or Honey or someone must have given her the low down about not asking club business. Maybe it’s her time as a military spouse where they are forced to trust the unknown. Either way, it’s simply another reason we are meant to be. She fits my lifestyle like no one else can.
Taking Jo’s phone off the counter and placing it in her hand, “You need anything while I’m gone, even a gallon of fuckin’ milk, you call Honey.”
She smiles softly. “I’m capable of getting milk.”
“Just tell me you’ll call Honey for anything.” I can’t hide my worries.
“Dean, what is going on?”
“We live in honesty together. That doesn’t change. There is a car. Could be nothing, could be something. Brett’s been quiet for months now. I can’t say it’s him, but I can’t say it’s not.”
She stiffens.
“I don’t like it, and I really don’t like leaving.” Her arms cross protectively. The weight of the fear settling over her. I hate this shit. I brush my fingers over her wrist. “Need to know you’ll call Honey.”
“I’ll call Honey,” she whispers. “But what about you? How do I know you’re safe?”
“Jo, there ain’t nothin’ gonna keep me from coming right back here to you.” I lean over kissing her softly. “I love you, Josie.”
She meets my gaze with tears in her eyes. “You come back, we’re not playing house, we’re moving in together. I have a lease but it’s going to be up in a few months. I know you own your house, but you can move in here with us if you would rather, we didn’t invade your space.”
I smile. “Baby, my space is your space. While I’m gone, you and Justice stay at my house. You got a key on your key chain, I expect you to use it. You got me?”
She nods, biting her bottom lip. “I don’t like this part of club life, but I understand it’s necessary.”
“I’ll be back soon as I can. Until then, you move to my place. And I should have shared this sooner, but it really sounds absurd to explain. Your lease is irrelevant since I own the house.”
She gasps, “what! The fence it was for you.” She seems to be realizing things.
“Yeah. I own the cul-de-sac as rental properties. The house on the other side of you I purposely left empty after Country Boy gave me the short version of the situation with your ex. I needed the circle to be a controlled environment for your safety. The house beside me is an elderly couple with a primary house in Ohio. When the snow gets too much, they come here for a month or two until they are ready to deal with the cold some more.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“I’ve always looked out for you out of circumstance and I’m always going to look out for you. Just now, it’s because I am in love with you.”
She reaches up wrapping her hands around my neck and pulling me in for a kiss. “I love you too, Dean.”
I get lost in our kiss and I want nothing more than to take her to bed to make love to her entire body. I can’t though and leaving simply sucks.
Giving Justice a quick goodbye, I don’t drag it out, so he doesn’t overthink it and get upset. Climbing on my bike, I feel her watching me. The engine roars to life under me and she stands in her doorway giving me a soft wave.