Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 441(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
He scoffed, and dragged a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “If only you could have done us all a favor and killed the mic too.”
My sister slapped the pack out of his hand and stomped on it, grinding it into the dirt as she held his gaze.
Jenn could be seriously scary, so while Apollo looked like he wanted to argue, he didn’t make a peep as he slapped his hands against his thighs and shot Devon an incredulous stare.
“All right, everyone just calm the hell down,” Devon rumbled. “Apollo briefed me on our resources. Cameras should only be active in the bedroom in the case of an emergency.” He swung a menacing glare at Apollo.
Apollo rolled his eyes. “I’m not an idiot. I wasn’t watching them. It’s bad enough I had to wear Terry’s jeans. Trust me, I have no interest in seeing him take them off. But just so we’re all aware, an alarm goes off on my end anytime a camera is blocked, whether it’s active or not. Got it?”
I nodded, bumping Jenn with my shoulder.
“Whatever,” she relented. “I can’t wait to get out of here and have sex with my husband in my own damn house again.”
Nerves awakened inside me. “Wait, you aren’t leaving today, are you? Daddy doesn’t even recognize me yet.”
“Relax,” she replied. “I won’t leave until you’re ready. No rush. Terry just drove in from Nashville to make sure I was safe after everything that happened with you.”
I arched a brow. “Terry came to protect you?”
She shrugged. “Yep, he left the girls at his parents’ and rushed to my side. It was sweet…and hot. Hence the late-night visit.”
Shaking my head, I ignored all thoughts of her late-night visit. “I know you’re ready to get back home. Maybe if you could just stay a day or two until he gets comfortable with me again?”
I hated I was gone for such long stretches of time. I tried to pop in as much as I could, but I’d been filming nonstop hoping to be able to stay home for most of the summer. My biggest fear was that one day I’d come home and he wouldn’t remember me at all—permanently.
Jenn smiled. “Of course. It won’t take long to get back into the swing of things.” She tucked her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and tipped her chin at Devon. “I’m assuming your entourage is gonna need a place to stay, so after Daddy goes to bed, I’ll shack up with Terry at the hotel and come back before he wakes up in the morning. That work for you?”
“Yeah. That sounds great.” I gave her arm a squeeze.
“Great. Moving on,” Devon declared, as if the tender moment between me and my sister was too much for him to handle. “I need all the details on your father. I was aware he lived here, but not of his condition. And while you’re at it, I also need to know why the hell Apollo has been wearing another man’s pants.”
I laughed. “Because Dad assumes all men are farmhands or FBI agents.”
Jenn shrugged. “Honestly, he doesn’t love either, but he usually only loses it on the FBI. So, if you’re going to be Lofton’s shadow for the foreseeable future, I’d suggest you ditch the khakis and try to look the part.”
Devon scrubbed a hand over the stubble growing on his jaw. “Right. I’ve got a duffel and some gear in the truck. I’ll grab it and change.”
“The bathroom in the barn’s probably your best bet,” Jenn told him, pointing past the paddock. “Just… stay away from Salty’s stall. He bites.” She gnashed her teeth at him.
Devon muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a string of curses. “Apollo, help me with the bags.”
He scoffed. “Pretty sure that’s not my job.”
Devon stopped mid-stride and leveled him with a dangerous scowl.
“For fuck’s sake,” Apollo grumbled. As he passed Jenn, he pointed at the crushed cigarette pack in the dirt. “You owe me for those.”
She waved him off. “Sure, just add it to Lofton’s bill.”
I rolled my eyes, but didn’t bother arguing. There was no point. It was always Lofton’s bill. I’d be shocked if she hadn’t already sent me a Venmo request for the price of the Levi’s she'd given Apollo.
As the men walked away, my attention was once again drawn to Devon. His backside was every bit as mouthwatering as the front. I had to admit, I wasn’t mad at the idea of him in a rugged pair of Wranglers.
Intoxicated by the thoughts, my brain wandered off to a place where Devon returned in tight denim and a tank top. Tan shoulders and thick biceps on full display. Sweat trailed slowly down the corded muscle of his throat until he was forced to lift the hem of his shirt to wipe it away, exposing his rock-hard abs and a V that cut into—