Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 37508 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 150(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37508 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 150(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
“Yeah, I did.”
I dipped down just enough to press a kiss to her forehead, slow and warm, and she melted into me. I slipped my arm around her waist as I whispered, “Seeing you happy made my whole damn day.”
Laken looked up at me with emotion in her eyes, and it was all I could do to keep from kissing her again. The silence lasted exactly one second before Antonia threw her hands up in the air and groaned, “Oh, for the love of pecan pie!”
“Yeah, we’re done here,” Jenna giggled, fanning herself. “The sweetness level has gotten out of hand over here. I’m gonna need some fudge. STAT.”
Laken buried her face in her hands, and I laughed, tipping her chin up with my knuckle. “You’re awfully cute when you get embarrassed.”
“I think it’s time you got back to your pie.”
“Okay, but just give me a shout if you need me.” I gave the group a quick salute. “You girls try to behave.”
“Not a chance,” Antonia giggled.
Laken laughed.
And damn if that sound alone didn’t beat any pie I’d ever had.
I went back over to the boys, and after we finished off the last of the desserts, we headed into the family room to watch football. Goose and Prez joined in, and before long, all the guys had wandered in—each claiming a spot in either a recliner or on the sofa.
We were all fighting the urge to doze off when the ol’ ladies started streaming in. That was usually the indicator that it was time to wind things down. The brothers with families would head home while the rest either went to work or spent the remainder of the night in the bar, drinking their sorrows away. That had always been me.
But tonight was different.
Tonight, I had them. Laken was tired. I could see it in her eyes and the way she stood a little closer, and Baylor didn’t even make it out of the parking lot before crashing out.
When we got to Laken’s apartment, she went to get her from the backseat, but I stepped in to give her a hand. “I’ve got her.”
Laken stepped back with a smile and watched as I unbuckled Baylor and scooped her into my arms. I cradled her against my chest as I followed Laken up to the door. Poor kid was so wiped she didn’t even flinch when we started inside the apartment.
Laken turned on the lights, and we made our way into the small bedroom. I gently lowered Baylor onto the bed, then pulled the blanket over her. I thought she was out cold until she opened her eyes and muttered, “I don’t wanna go to bed.”
“Ahh, she was playing possum,” I chuckled. “Were you awake the whole time?”
“I not sleepy.”
“Well, how about a story then?”
“Story about what?”
“How ‘bout I tell ya why the brothers call me Skid?” She nodded, and I sat down on the edge of the bed. “There’s just one catch. I’m gonna need your hand to tell the story the right way.”
Baylor hesitated for a moment, then inched over a little and reached out her hand. I took it in mine, and I started softly massaging her palm as I told her, “I started riding around the time I could walk. Four-wheelers and dirt bikes. Whatever I could get my hands on. I was careful. Dad always made sure I wore a helmet, and I always stayed close to the house.”
I moved from her palm to her thumb, gently rubbing her knuckles, and she didn’t move. She just lay there and listened as I told her, “I loved riding. It was like flying for a kid. I saw my ol’ man riding his motorcycle, and I wanted to be just like him.”
“Gim?”
“That’s right. Grim’s my ol’ man. He taught me everything I know about riding, and he was the one who gave me my first motorcycle.” I glanced over at Laken standing at the doorway, and she gave me a warm smile as she watched me tell Baylor, “I’d just turned thirteen. I was too young for a bike that size, but Dad thought I could handle it.”
I moved on to the next knuckle, and with each little rub, her eyelids got heavier and heavier. “I thought I could, too. I started out slow. Took the back roads out behind our house, and I gotta tell ya. Being out on that bike for the first time was the best feeling in the world. Wind in my face. Sun on my back. It was like nothing could touch me.”
Baylor’s breathing became slow and steady. I knew she was on the verge of dozing off, so I lowered my voice and kept tracing circles over her knuckles as I said, “I came up on this curve I’d taken a million times before, only this time, there was a patch of gravel I didn’t see. Back tire hit it, and before I could blink, I was skidding across the road like a rock on water.”