Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
We would be there.
I rang the doorbell and waited.
It wasn’t long before I heard someone on the other side of the door.
Jordan opened up and lit up at the sight of me. “Hi!”
“Hey, you.” I smiled back, fairly sure he’d just woken up. “Did I wake you?”
“Oh no, I was just dozing on the couch,” he chuckled. “We spent the whole day moving Emmett’s things over here, and I was not made to be a mover.” He poked his head past the door, maybe to see if the coast was clear, before he pulled me inside. “Emmett’s upstairs.” He quickly reached up and kissed me.
I cupped his cheek, never one to turn down a secret moment with him.
“What can I do for you, Sir?” he whispered.
I hummed and deepened the kiss briefly. “If only we had the time…” One more hard, hungry kiss. “Where’s James?”
“Upstairs too.” He inched back, cheeks flushed and eyes brimming with desire. “He’s, uh…he’s putting together Emmett’s new desk. Should I get him for you?”
I shook my head. It could wait. “No, I only wanted to ask him if he’s doing his exercises.”
When Jordan had told me about James’s nerve pain from decades of working in construction, I’d been ready to tear him a new one for not taking it seriously. Ash had been the same once upon a time—until I had intervened.
“Oh, he is,” Jordan promised. “He’ll dismiss it when I remind him, but now that you’re involved?” He whistled. “Like, ignore what your husband is telling you. But sure, obey the neighbor Dom.”
I laughed under my breath and hugged him to me, and I kissed his temple. “As long as he’s doing them.” With that, it was time to ease back and return to our regular programming—until tomorrow. Tomorrow, we’d get some playtime. “What I really came over for was to make sure everything’s ready for tomorrow. We’re leaving here at two fifteen.”
He nodded. “Yes, Sir. We’re ready. I wrapped all the gifts, and our clothes are hanging upstairs.”
“Good boy.” I kissed his forehead. “You might want to bring umbrellas too. Ash told me it’s going to rain all day tomorrow.”
Talk about bad luck. Then again, scheduling an outdoor wedding ceremony right before June in Virginia…? A backup plan was practically required.
Jordan Hackett
What the…?
I eyed the little balloon dog I’d found in my pocket, and I smashed my mouth shut.
Daddy, I know it’s you!
Somehow. It had to be him.
He knew I’d bombarded him with cute ducks, and rather than confronting me, this was his revenge. Right?
I didn’t know what to do!
“Jordan, are you ready? Ash and Nathan are outside now.”
Crap. Okay. I’d think of something later.
I hurried down the stairs and paused when I saw Emmett playing video games in the living room. “Remember dinner next door at six, Em. And bring the cookies I made—they’re in a container on the kitchen counter.”
“Yeah, got it.” He didn’t look away from the TV. “Dylan’s coming over. That’s okay, right?”
“Of course. He’s always welcome.” I was just happy Emmett wouldn’t be alone. “Have fun today. James and I will be home around nine or ten tonight.”
James entered the living room as he attached the cuff links to his shirt. “No smoking near the house or where Dylan can see you.”
“I told you, Unc. I quit.”
“Nothin’ would make us happier, but we’re bein’ realistic here,” James replied. “You’re breakin’ a lot of habits now.”
Thankfully, nothing heavy, but sure, Emmett was used to hanging out with kids who drank, got high, and dabbled in whatever pills they could get their hands on.
Prescription drugs scared me the most.
Emmett swore he’d never tried anything worse than booze, weed, and cigarettes.
“I’m not gonna fuck this up,” he said quietly. “This is where I wanna be.”
I exhaled. This was where we wanted him. He did have dreams—he wanted to become a firefighter or join the military, so he couldn’t struggle too much with authority. And his grades weren’t hopeless.
Let the wedding fun begin!
I shimmied into Little mode as soon as Alexandria was in the rearview. I mean, it wasn’t exactly a flip of a switch, but I could start relaxing and let Daddy and Rigger take over. With the Rileys up front and James and me in the back seat, I hummed a happy tune to myself and counted to make sure I had all the gifts. I’d lost control a little, maybe! But come on, they needed some fun sex toys for their honeymoon, and also new fridge magnets, a new sign for their mailbox, and a…
“…doormat with their last name,” I finished proudly.
“Those are amazing gifts, sweetheart.” Nathan smiled back at me. “But you know Kit’s last name is Damien, right?”
Not anymore!
But that was a surprise for Colt and Lucas.
“Like Mister Colt won’t call Kit his little Carter anyway,” I fibbed. “What did you get them?”