Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“Oh, I missed you too, buddy.”
I started chuckling. “Are you talking to me or Dobby?”
He rumbled out something I couldn’t make out, half because he said the words into the side of my neck, and half because I’d been dead asleep just moments before.
“Get off me,” I ordered, and because he was a smart man and knew what I meant, he rolled just enough so I could move the covers so he could get under them with me.
“Awww, I thought you’d be naked under here,” he whined.
“Not with your daughter in the other room,” I teased him, wrapping both arms and legs around him and holding tight.
“And you’re my love, not my buddy, just for clarification.”
“That’s good,” I said, turning my head for the quick kiss.
“I forgive you for not being naked, since this is what I dreamed about anyway.”
“Not much of a dream, sir,” I said, savoring all the strength of the man, basking in his heat. “You can have this whenever you want.”
“Yeah, but lots of guys don’t have this anymore, and I for one am never taking you for granted. I will not lose you because you don’t know you’re the most important thing to me.”
“I know, Sam.”
“I should tell you more. We should go on dates and stuff.”
I scoffed. “You don’t have time for dates.”
“Well, I’m going to find the time. All of us, all we did the whole ride home was sit there and think, and three hours into that four-hour flight Dane says that he is going to make sure Aja knows she’s his queen and we might not see him for a bit because he’ll be dating his wife.”
Second scoff from me. “Aja knows Dane worships her. It sounds like you all got spooked, seeing the guys who didn’t have their homes anymore, but really, some people are better divorced. Look at Jake’s parents. Both of them, never been happier. Jake’s dad has a second family, Jake’s mom has a thriving business, it was the very best choice.”
He grunted and rolled sideways; I tucked the covers around him as he smiled at me in the darkness. “We’re not getting a divorce, ya hear me?”
“Yes, dear,” I said softly. “Now let me see this wound on you.”
“It’s really not a big deal. There are three stitches in my shoulder, I got shots, but the spear barely went in. If I was a lionfish or an eel, or a dolphin, I could see where it would have hurt me more.”
“Why on earth would anyone want to shoot a dolphin?”
“I would think in the water it would have been even easier to tell what it was. But wait until you see what I shot on my camera. You’re gonna laugh yourself stupid.”
I chuckled. “Did you really have hookers in your room?”
“Oh God, I was going to kill fuckin’ Mark. I was so close. Lucky for him Chris needed me more.”
“Is Chris okay?”
“He’s fine, just mad, as well he should be. I mean, Mark didn’t mean for anyone but him to have the GHB, but still, he shouldn’t have had it around any of us to begin with.”
“It sounds like Dane was upset.”
“Dane was furious. I think he’s got a little bit of what Kola has, you know? Where he likes things a certain way, doesn’t like schedule deviations, and definitely does not want people he doesn’t know anywhere near his personal space.”
After speaking, he was quiet, and I got worried. “Sam?”
“You know what, strike that. I don’t like any of that shit either. Nothing wrong with Dane.”
“Well, I’m just glad you’re all home.”
“We dropped Duncan off first this morning, I was last, as usual, but when Duncan got out, I did too, and hugged Aaron. I really appreciated not having to wait around at the airport. I was very thankful for the plane.”
“You probably surprised him.”
“I did. All the others thanked him as well, especially Dane, so I’m thinking Aaron’s feeling like a superhero at the moment.”
“I think he should. He brought you home to me, and I’m very thankful.”
“Me too,” he murmured, and I could hear him fading.
“Love, you should get up and put on your sleep shorts and a T-shirt so you’re more comfortable.” He was in jeans and a henley and socks, so it wasn’t horrible, but still.
“I’m good,” he whispered, spooning around me, his face in my hair as I heard his breath even out. “I love you.”
“I love you back,” I whispered in reply.
“I know,” was the last thing he said.
I heard the dog sigh then and knew he was curled up by Sam’s head. Moments later, Chilly stretched from where he was beside my pillow and then resettled. All was as it should be, and Hannah being in the other room made me even happier. I liked my normal very much. Perhaps I was like my brother as well.