Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“I don’t feel lucky.” Jensen pulled out a plate and looked over the breakfast Niall made. “When did you start cooking?”
“When I decided I wanted to eat food that didn’t come from a drive through.” Niall took a sip of coffee and wondered if he should see if Harlow needed a warmup. Then he heard someone say no he didn’t and decided to stay right where he was. “After we left the military I found myself eating like we did when we were in high school.”
“Turkey sandwiches and frozen pizza? It was pretty much all my momma bought. That and boxed mac and cheese.” Jensen frowned as he sat down and stared at the plate he made for himself. “Are these frozen?”
Now Niall was offended. “No, it was not frozen. I can make pancakes. It’s a mix, but there are ways to enhance it. I put some vanilla and cinnamon in, and one extra egg. I usually drink a protein shake or eat an egg white omelet, but somehow today my protein intake doesn’t seem so important. Pancakes felt like the way to go.”
Jensen took a bite. “Wow, that’s actually good. Damn, you know I’m pretty sure when I’m not at the club I also still eat like we did in high school.”
“Then I’m worried about your cholesterol, brother,” Niall shot back.
Jensen put his fork down. “I guess we should talk.”
Niall stared at him for a moment. “I’ve been trying to talk for over a year. Hell, I’ve been trying to talk since Tommy died.” He sighed. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to push you. I’ve been talking to a guy at the club. He says you’ll talk about it when you’re ready. I’m worried you’re never going to be ready.”
A brow rose over Jensen’s eyes. “Not to push me? Are you fucking kidding me? We had a three-way last night. I assure you I feel pushed.”
He was intentionally misunderstanding. Probably because he wasn’t ready to talk about what was actually wrong. “I wasn’t talking about that. I was obviously talking about Tommy and why you’ve spent years of your life in a criminal organization. And don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy last night.”
Jensen sat back, and for a moment Niall worried he would get up and leave the room. Instead he took another bite and sighed before talking. “Last night… I didn’t think I would like it. But I’m serious about Harlow. I’m possessive when it comes to her. I did it because I thought it was the only way I would ever get her to let me back in.”
None of this was news to him. He knew exactly why Jensen agreed to last night. “Oh, I think that’s going to be far tougher than it looks. Last night was nothing but the opening salvo in a war we only have a few days to fight. I worry if we don’t secure her and convince her we’re good together, she’ll walk away. She has a whole family waiting for her, so we can’t use the ‘we’re all we have’ argument.”
“We are all we have,” Jensen replied. “You and me, I mean. I know all about Harlow’s large, kind of weird family. She talked about them a lot. But you and me, we’re it. It’s what I’ve been thinking about all freaking night. I’m trying to not be angry with you. I’m trying to understand why you wouldn’t tell me.”
This felt like progress. At least he was asking and not throwing punches. Niall would take it. “At first I didn’t tell you because I honestly didn’t think she wanted to have anything to do with me. She was shut down when I got there. She didn’t play much and when she did it felt perfunctory, like she was going through the motions. And then one day she sat down at my table in the lounge and asked me what my story was. We started talking and I realized she was interested but wary. We started something of a friendship, but she still didn’t make a move, and I realized she had to be the one to make a move. I wasn’t sure she ever would. What would you have done if I told you I was attracted to her?”
Jensen seemed to think about the question for a moment. “I don’t know. I didn’t have a plan for what I would do after the mission was done because I didn’t think I would survive it. At the time it seemed reasonable, and now I realize how fucked up it is. I don’t… I don’t think this is the life Tommy would have wanted for me. I never considered what he would want even though you asked me a hundred times. I told myself it didn’t matter because Tommy was fucking dead and if he wanted a say he should have stayed alive. Why am I mad at him?”