Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74383 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74383 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
After a brief pause—when my own words seemed to jump-start my brain—I repeated my avowal, this time slower, steadier, less … awkward. “I love you so much. I never imagined I would love like this.”
The confession trembled between us, but his powerful arms held me steady. God, he’d become my anchor. His gaze softened, and the quiet fire in his dark eyes said he saw every scar, every jagged piece of me, and that he loved me. Montana Babineaux loved me.
I was in a daze, unable to fully process, but at least he heard me. Really heard me.
I swallowed, smiling through tears, while my thighs tightened around his waist, and I hoped this drove home how much I cared for this man. “I love you.”
His lips found mine again, soft and warm against the pain he’d caused. My body eased closer to his frame, rough, powerful, familiar in all the ways that made me feel safe.
My pulse fluttered as the warmth of his body seeped into mine and the blanket clung around me from behind. Every touch entwined with his declaration of forever. His hands traced the path of my spine. The quiet strength in his grip pulled me closer until I melted against him.
We moved in unison—slow, sure—wrapped in something that felt infinite. That would expand longer than every hour. I felt a thudding fear deep in my throat. Longer than forever. Our soft moans and whispered names mingled in the night air.
The river moved below, the stars sparkled above, but the way he made me feel? Loved, protected. Desired.
Eventually, we tangled beneath the blanket. Somewhere between breath and heartbeat, my legs, light as air, danced around his waist, each touch electric with pure exhilaration. I rested my head against his chest, counted his heartbeats.
“Since we out here being messy, nullifying contracts”—Montana’s baritone voice caught my attention as his fingers slid over my slick flesh—“I gotta tell you something, chère.”
“What?” I whispered against his powerful chest, my voice barely audible.
“I leave for Camelback Ranch on February 15th.” He cleared his throat. “Spring training.”
“What did you just say?”
montana
. . .
Her sassy response could stop a second line mid-parade. With her breast pressed against my chest? Damn. I felt that. I cleared my throat and proceeded with caution and stupidity. Please. When getting on a woman’s bad side? You play dumb. Ain’t no shame in that.
“The ranch is located in Glendale, Arizona.” I hugged her naked body to me, tugging the blanket to keep her warmer, while my ass froze on a cold bench. Scratching the back of my neck, I hoped the shifts in conversation threw her off guard. Made her less angry. “Contract handled. Probation lifted. Let’s celebrate. You know how we do?”
“How do we do?” She smacked her lips against mine, more of a threat than anything. Then she shoved my chest.
Yeah. Saw that coming.
“Montana, you know good and well I wasn’t asking about the location. When did you learn they hadn’t benched you for spring training?”
“What happen was …” I began.
“Save it.” She growled, climbing off me. With a shiver, she slipped back onto my lap. “Too cold … too cold.”
She fell into me again, soft in the places that made a man forget his name. “That’s right. Stay right here, bébé.”
Zuri smirked. “They lifted your sanctions last month, huh?”
“Yep.”
“So instead of celebrating me and my monologue, you created this stupid contract. Don’t worry. We can celebrate me later. Come clean. Now.”
Please. “You made it seem important, Zuri. Had those my-precious eyes. You know, from that corny-ass movie.”
“First, Lord of the Rings wasn’t corny. I can imagine four Baby-Nos binge-watching as snot-nosed kids. Second, you loved it. Every moment with me and those movies. The books were page-turners too.” She cleared her throat. Should I tell her I read ‘em too? Nah. “Second—”
“You’re on third.”
“Thank you,” she said, “Third, my eyes aren’t like Gollum’s.”
“Who’s Gollum?” I knew. But I was a dude, a Dodger. Had to put on a front.
“The tiny, weird thing that says, ‘My Precious!’ ”
“Oh.” I nodded. “Say, bébé …”
She melted into me. “Mm-hmm.”
“I want to show you something,” I said.
“Tell me, ‘Say, baby’ again.”
“What?”
With a dreamy tone, she breathed, “Repeat it.”
I chuckled. “Nah. I’ll use that against you later.”
“Mm-hmm, Montana. So you know you’re no good.”
“Won’t be a lot of trouble. Never that. Just a little trouble. Or when I really need your attention because you’re stuck inside your head.”
She rolled her eyes away. I turned her on my lap and grabbed my phone from the bench next to me so that we could look at my social media. “You never looked up the images online?” I asked.
“No. I’ve hidden so long.” Her voice got wobbly. “I was scared to see myself.”
Bruh, where you at with an update on Edwin and that gang?
I clicked into the app and showed her what I’d been posting.