Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
I suppose I wasn’t too surprised to see Lucas and Rosa in good spirits. They were chatting about something while Lucas put stuff into the fridge. I also wasn’t surprised to see Vincent with Colt on the other side of the kitchen island. I couldn’t hear what they were discussing, though.
It was a good place to start. “Everything okay here?” I wouldn’t say they were in a stare-down, but there was some tension coming off Vincent’s shoulders.
“Everything’s perfect.” Colt took a step back and offered a dim smirk my way. Not that it cleared the atmosphere one bit. He had his arms folded over his chest, shoulders square, and that spoke volumes. I’d picked up a thing or two as a people watcher. “Vinny here’s just protective of you. Can’t fault him for that.”
Vincent narrowed his eyes at him, and I winced internally. He did not like being called Vinny.
“I’m serious, man.” Colt loosened up and clapped Vincent on the shoulder. “I respect where you’re comin’ from, and if Luke and I hurt Kit, you’re welcome to have a go at me.”
Welp. I could almost cut the testosterone in here with a knife. Thankfully, Vincent relaxed some and was seemingly satisfied with what Colt had said.
Rosa sent me a cheeky grin and said she and Vincent were “just about to leave.” A solid instruction for Vincent. There would be no lingering.
She all but pushed Vincent out of the kitchen, but not before kissing my cheek and wishing me a good time. There was a wink too, and I shook my head in amusement and blushed like a dork.
Colt, Lucas, and I stood there in awkward silence—okay, I was the only one who felt awkward, I was sure—while Rosa and Vincent bickered in the hallway. Colt smirked when Rosa told Vincent he tied his shoes too slowly.
“Maybe you need Velcro shoes,” she said.
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.
“I’m not twelve, woman,” Vincent snapped.
“Dios mio, you wore Velcro when you were twelve?” Rosa asked, the mirth clear in her voice.
Covering my mouth with my hand, I closed my eyes and giggled as quietly as I possibly could. Poor Vincent. Rosa’s wit was sharper than a knife at times.
Soon after, the front door opened and closed, and I cleared my throat and flicked my gaze between two amused Doms.
“So, uh, that’s Rosa and Vincent,” I said.
Lucas smiled fondly and went back to stowing away groceries. “They seem like lovely people.”
They were. My life would be bleaker without them.
Colt hopped up to sit on the kitchen island, and he reached for a bag of apples among the groceries. “You have your own housekeeper and personal driver. Ain’t every day you meet someone who has that.”
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, unsure of what to say.
“Colt,” Lucas chastised with a frown.
“What?” Colt frowned back. “I’m just sayin’.”
“It’s okay.” I ignored the discomfort and dared to go closer and sit down on one of the stools. “To me, they’re family.” I paused. “My parents traveled a lot when they were alive, and my mother wanted me surrounded by people I knew well when I couldn’t accompany them.”
Colt nodded once. “We heard about your folks.”
I’d figured as much.
“I hope you don’t mind I spoke briefly to Paul.” Lucas closed the door to the fridge and placed a few bags of chips next to the coffee machine. “I wanted his two cents even though it’s been a while since you two played.”
My eyebrows went up at that. Been a while…? Understatement. I’d made such a fool of myself, too. I was thankful he didn’t show up at munches often, if ever. I’d seen him there once or twice, but it was a long time ago.
“How did you know we played?” I wondered.
“Well, I remember it.” He smiled curiously. “Our community isn’t that big.”
Wasn’t it? Then again, when you were focused on finding hiding spots, you didn’t pay much attention to who might be watching.
“I doubt he had anything positive to say.” Feeling the need to cover up again, I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to be casual about it.
“What makes you think that?” Colt asked.
I lifted a shoulder. “I couldn’t hand over control one bit.” I’d kept most of my clothes on, and I’d insisted on the light being off or dimmed low. “I wouldn’t, um, undress.”
“He mentioned that.” Lucas’s eyes showed concern. “He also mentioned it was due to your accident. He spoke kindly of you.”
Oh. That felt…strange. I’d been so stupid, thinking I could play without being fully invested in the moment. Submitting without surrendering. I’d been wrong, of course, and he’d seen right through me. I did recall him being patient, but he had his limits. I understood him completely. I wouldn’t have played with me either.