Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 155900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155900 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Kane shut off the shower and reached out to grab a towel, and he grinned as he ruffled it through my hair. “You make me happy, Emery Voss.”
This man had a way with words, but I wasn’t sure any of them had ever made me as happy as that.
Because that’s what caring about someone was, wasn’t it? Hoping to make them happy?
And that place inside me glowed.
Rising up and overflowing.
And the words whispered from my lips. “You make me happy, too.”
I’d thought it impossible.
Now I knew it was unstoppable.
“Plan on making you very, very happy for the rest of my life.” He let the innuendo wind in with that as he tucked the towel around my body then reached out to grab another one and wrapped it around his waist.
A giggle ripped out when he suddenly swept me up and tossed me over his shoulder, a gasp of words rushing out of me as my nails raked across his back. “What do you think you’re doing, Kane Asher?”
“Gotta feed my girl.”
My chest tightened, and I didn’t have time for softness to take me over since he was barreling out of his bathroom, through his room, and into the hall.
Twilight hugged the walls. Filtering in through the windows as he carried me downstairs.
“Oh my gosh, put me down.” It was a rash of giggles.
“Nah. Think I like you just like this.”
“A sack of potatoes slung over your shoulder?”
“Potatoes? Hardly. This is precious cargo. Diamonds. Gems. Motherfuckin’ gold.” He chuckled it as he hit the bottom landing and ambled down the long passageway to the kitchen, carrying me as if I didn’t weigh a thing.
He strode all the way in, rounding the island before he set me on the edge. He wedged himself between my legs that dangled over the side, and one of those big hands slipped to my cheek, his thumb running circles as he stared at me.
“Precious, precious cargo. It’s Emery Voss. And I want to carry her forever. In every way. Both in my arms and in my heart.”
My stomach swooped.
Damn him, making me fall for him this way.
Then he strode to the refrigerator, opened it, and ducked inside. “Here we go.”
He pulled out a cherry pie, a smug grin riding all over his handsome face.
I arched a teasing brow. “We’re having cherry pie for dinner?”
“Figured I’d have both of my favorite things tonight.” His words were playful, waggish as he sauntered back over, the man so hot just looking at him made me ache.
“Oh, you’re favorite, huh?”
He set the pie down on the island before he traced his thumb across my swollen lips, his voice dropping to a murmur as he said, “My very, very favorite.”
“Kane.” It wheezed out of me.
A plea.
A promise.
A prayer.
Unsure of what I was supposed to do.
Because I was falling.
Falling free and fast.
And I was sure there was no longer any stopping myself.
He dipped in and kissed me. Kissed me long and slow and adoringly.
No rush or desperation because he’d already settled on what he wanted.
Then he eased back, the loyalty showing so stark on his face. “I want to tell Maci on Thursday.”
He hesitated, his thick throat bobbing in uncertainty as he swallowed. “You know I have to leave Thursday night. With Theo.”
He’d mentioned it a couple of times. Another work trip he had to take.
“One of my brothers will be with you and Maci the whole time,” he rushed.
Disquiet blustered. It took about everything I had not to sink my nails into him and beg him not to go, but somehow my spirit already knew that I couldn’t keep him here.
That this was bigger than what he’d let on that it was supposed to be.
“You have to go.”
I said it a statement.
As acceptance.
The pad of his thumb was back to tracing my bottom lip, and I could see the war go down in his expression, could see him waging it all the way down in his soul before he finally admitted, “It’s part of what me and my crew do. When I told you we protect those more vulnerable than us.”
“What does that mean, Kane?”
His bare chest heaved. “I don’t think you’re ready to know that yet.”
Fear slicked down my spine. Not fear of him, but for him.
My throat grew thick, and I nodded. “Okay.”
Kane angled his head, his hand tightening on my cheek. “One day, I’ll give you all of me, Emery. Every bit of it. But first, you’re going to have to give yourself completely to me.”
FORTY-FOUR
EMERY
Mom
How is it going?
I hesitated, my teeth raking my bottom lip before I forced myself to tap out a reply.
Me
Really well.
Mom
Do you want to fill me in a little on what that means?
I could feel her prodding from across the miles. Her care and her concern.
Me
It means you were right in asking me to do this because he did turn out to be exactly what she needs.