Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
A fucking party.
“Invite your grandparents along.”
“Give us a second.” I tug Willow far enough away from prying ears and link my hands around her waist, caging her to me.
“What’s wrong?” She searches my face.
“You tell me.”
“I’m fine.”
“What was that a few minutes ago? You went somewhere in your head.”
She casts her gaze over my shoulder and pulls her lip through her teeth. “I was touched. Rowan owns a freaking product line and everyone raves over her work. She whipped up a serum for my head. After my disaster in her salon yesterday and my ridiculous display of hysterics—twice—she still thought of me. I’ve done nothing to deserve her kindness.”
Anger burns at the way she’s turned the situation around. Chase’s warning rings in my ears. “Yesterday wasn’t your disaster. That shit happened because your sister is a spoiled bitch who tried to throw her weight around and it backfired. You are the only one who blames yourself.”
She jerks at my annoyance and tries to wriggle away. “Talon, I didn’t mean—”
“Quiet, Princess, you need to understand this. Rowan did what she did because that’s the kind of woman she is. She loves fiercely. Sometimes pushing boundaries.”
“She doesn’t even know me!”
“She knows. Same with Jay and Jewls. Three of the best women in this world, but also relentless. They are dying to bring you into their fold.”
“But why?”
“Because what’s happening between us is real, and they know that. Everyone knows that. You seem to be the slow one.”
“I’m not slow and this is very new.”
“New or too fast? Do you need them to back off?”
The color drains from her face. “I-I-I, no, I don’t need them to back off.”
“If they’re pushing too hard, I can handle it.”
“You don’t need to handle it.”
“Anytime you feel overwhelmed, let me know.”
“They invited my family tonight to make me comfortable.” Realization dawns on her.
“They did.”
“Please don’t let me screw this up,” she whispers so low I almost miss it.
“Not going anywhere.”
“This is what I was afraid of. You’re amazing and I’m—”
“Fucking perfect.”
“My relationship experience is limited. You know what happened.”
Pain pierces my chest at the vulnerability in her expression. “Never done this before, Willow. Had a few girls in high school, but the Marines held my attention for over a decade. Never met anyone who interested me until you.”
A familiar heat builds in her gaze as she squeezes my biceps. “Have you ever broken any rules?”
“All the time.”
“Like taking me home and letting me show you how much this means to me?”
My cock lurches against my shorts and I groan, dropping my head to hers.
“I hate my brother right now.”
“He is looking out for your health.”
“Sex is good for my health. Especially sex with you.”
“Jesus, babe.” I thrust my hips into hers.
“See, you need sex, too. We’re both miserable. Maybe we can—”
“Stop talking, Willow.”
She giggles, her chest vibrating against mine and sending most of my blood to my dick. “Stop moving altogether.”
Her laughter grows and she presses her lips to my jaw. “This is fun.”
“Teasing me isn’t smart.”
“Maybe not, but it’s a lot of fun.”
“Fuck,” I hiss, tightening my grip to keep her still. “Your dad is ten feet away and there is a field of kids behind us. Help me out.”
She doubles over in a fit of giggles, her body trembling all over as the sound fills the air.
Her brother and dad focus our way with identical expressions.
The surprise is easy to read, but there’s something else in their gazes.
Willow’s been living, but she’s been living on auto-pilot, functioning in her own way to get by.
The humiliation, blame, self-doubt—that shit is over.
It’s almost unnoticeable, but I catch the flicker of gratitude in Sterling’s gaze before he dips his chin and focuses back on the field.
I shift my position, tickling her until she’s howling and gasping. “Please, you h-h-ave to stop!”
People look our way but I don’t stop, letting her body jiggle against mine.
My dick throbs with each movement, and she freezes. “This is not helping your situation.”
“Love the sound of you happy, Princess. My cock will deal.”
Her already bright eyes glitter and her smile threatens to take me to my knees.
She will never feel another weight holding her down.
It’s time she knows—her happiness has become my purpose.
15
WILLOW
This is not my life.
A bout of food poisoning, my mom’s unannounced visit, and Rylee’s deranged outburst, all equal a one-way ticket on the crazy train.
Instead, I’m floating on cloud nine in another orbit.
In the span of a week, I apparently have a serious boyfriend who my family loves, a new set of friends, and I’m at a party with one of the world’s largest rock stars.
Yeah, this can’t be my life.
My eyes roam the large backyard where people are scattered everywhere. Children of all ages alternate between swimming and the games set up on the lawn. An intense battle of cornhole is happening with Talon and Ford versus Robbie Hayes and Finn Black.