Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 45996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
The drive back is quiet at first. The top’s down on the Jeep, the wind whipping through our hair as we head south along the coast road. The ocean stretches out beside us, endless and blue, waves catching the last of the sunlight in flashes of gold. I keep one hand on the wheel and the other on Sadie's thigh, my thumb tracing lazy circles over the fabric of her jeans. She leans back in her seat, her hair blowing around her face, and I can’t help but smile. She looks good like this.
"You okay?" I ask after a while, glancing over at her. The wind carries my words away a little, but she hears me.
She turns her head, her eyes meeting mine. "Yeah. Just thinking. About everything. About Billy. Nash and Sin. The plan. It’s a lot to absorb."
I nod, squeezing her thigh gently. "It is. But we’ll figure it out. All of us. Billy's tip about the concert is solid. Vanguard Helix will be there scouting because they’re onto him. We meet there in a few days with Crewe, Colt, Banks, Mack. Get everyone on the same page. Then we go after Nash and Sin. No more running. No more hiding."
She’s quiet for a moment, her hand covering mine on her leg. "I’m nervous. About what happens next. About all of it. But I’m glad I’m here. With you."
The words hit me somewhere deep. I glance at her again, the road stretching out ahead of us under the fading light. "I’m glad you’re here too. More than glad. Last night..." I trail off, a grin tugging at my mouth. "Last night was something else. Sexy as hell. I haven’t stopped thinking about it."
She laughs, the sound light and real, and I feel it in my chest. "You’re so cocky."
"You like it," I shoot back, my voice velvety and teasing. "Admit it. You like the way I talk to you. The way I touch you. The way I make you come."
Her cheeks flush, but she doesn’t look away. "Maybe. A little."
"A little?" I laugh, the sound carrying on the wind. "I’ll take it. For now. But when we get back to the safe house, I’m going to remind you exactly how much you like it."
The rest of the drive passes in easy conversation. We talk about the plan some more. How we’ll contact my brothers. How we’ll keep her safe. How we’ll use the concert as cover to meet and strategize without Vanguard Helix realizing what we’re doing. Sadie asks questions, smart ones, about logistics and risks. I answer them, my hand never leaving her leg. The wind feels good against my skin. The ocean looks endless beside us. And Sadie feels right here with me.
By the time we pull into the safe house driveway, the sky’s darkened to deep blue, stars starting to peek through. The ocean is louder here, waves crashing against the sand beyond the dunes. I park the Jeep and shut off the engine. The house is dark and quiet, the way we left it. Sadie turns to me, her eyes bright in the dim light from the moon.
"We’re home," she says softly.
I lean over and kiss her. It starts soft, a brush of lips, but it doesn’t stay that way. The tension from the day, the relief of having a plan, the memory of last night all crash together. My hand slides into her hair as I deepen the kiss, my tongue brushing against hers. She makes a soft sound against my mouth and I feel it everywhere.
We stumble inside, barely making it through the door before I have her backed against the wall. My hands are on her waist, pulling her closer. Hers pull my hair, tugging enough to make me groan. The kiss turns hungry, desperate. I can taste the faint sweetness of the tea she had at Mom's. I can feel the warmth of her body through her clothes. I want her. Now.
"Bedroom," I murmur against her lips, my voice rough. "Now."
She nods, breathless, and we make it down the hall in a tangle of limbs and laughter. The bedroom is dark except for the moonlight coming through the window. I kick the door closed behind us and pull her against me again. This time the kiss is slower, deeper. My hands slide under her shirt, palms skimming the warm skin of her back. She arches into me, her body fitting against mine.
I walk her backward toward the bed, my mouth never leaving hers. When the backs of her knees hit the mattress she sits, pulling me down with her. We land in a heap of laughter and heat. I roll us so she’s on top, straddling my hips. The position’s perfect. Her hair falls around her face in soft waves. Her eyes are dark and playful as she looks down at me.