Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 44342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Guy looks directly at him. “Yeah. It’s like that.”
My heart stops. Dad studies him for another second before nodding. “All right.”
Guy shifts his stance. “That okay with you?”
Dad lets out a laugh. “I already told you. She’s grown. I don’t get a vote.” His expression turns more serious. “But I know my daughter. She doesn’t trust easily.”
Guy glances toward the kitchen, and I quickly look down at the plate in my hands. “I know.”
My dad clears his throat. “Then don’t give her a reason not to trust you.”
“I won’t.” The certainty in Guy’s voice makes my chest ache.
Dad slaps him on the shoulder before walking toward me. “I’m heading out, sweetheart.”
I hug him. “Thanks for everything.”
“You’re welcome. Call me if you need anything.” He smiles knowingly before kissing my forehead and walking out.
Then it’s just me and Guy standing in the middle of my apartment.
I cross my arms. “You told my dad to call you if I need anything?”
His eyebrows lift. “You were listening?”
“You weren’t exactly whispering.”
He walks toward me. “I meant it.”
“I have a phone. I can call you myself.”
“Good. Do that.”
I roll my eyes, but he keeps coming until he’s standing directly in front of me. “And if you don’t call me, your dad can.”
“You two are going to gang up on me now?”
“If necessary.”
I try not to smile, but I fail.
Guy cups my cheek. “There it is.”
“What?”
“My favorite smile.”
My heart squeezes. This is exactly what I’m afraid of. I can handle the possessiveness, the way he wants to protect me. Heck, I can handle the earth-shattering sex. It’s this part that scares me. Guy fits into my life like he already belongs here. The more he takes care of me, the harder it’s going to be when this ends.
CHAPTER 19
GUY
I pull up to my brother’s ranch needing some advice, but I wasn’t expecting half the family to be here. “Hey, Ozzy.”
Ozzy is standing at the foot of the steps in front of his house and points at me. “Don’t talk to me.”
I roll my eyes. “What is it now?”
He puts his hands on his hips. If the man wasn’t my brother, I’d probably be scared of him. He’s big, and working on the ranch every day has made him even stronger than he was. I used to be able to hold my own with him, but now I’d say he would give me a run for my money.
He juts his chin at me. “Get me off the dating site.”
My mouth drops open. Shit. “How did you know?”
He grits his teeth. “I was at the feed store, and ol’ man Becker’s daughter is working the register. She told me after she asked me for a date.” He points at me. “Get me off of it.”
He starts walking up his front porch, and I follow. “Ozzy, I can explain.”
He stops and looks at me. “I don’t need you to explain anything. I just want off of it.”
I’m quick to explain. “Look, I couldn’t join under my name because the media would have a field day with that.”
He holds his hand up. “Wait. Have you been going on dates posing as me?”
I can’t help it. I blurt out a laugh. “What? Hell no. Geez, I’m not some kind of freak, Oz.”
He huffs in frustration. “Okay, then what reason could you possibly have to join a dating app with my profile?”
Fuck, this is embarrassing. “So, uh, Nicole had an account, and I wanted to see if she was still on it or not.” I hold my hand up. “Trust me, I know it’s fucked up, and I shouldn’t have done it—”
He stares at me. “Does she know?”
“Does Nicole know?” I ask. When he nods, I tell him, “Of course. I told her… I just… I was feeling insecure and… it was stupid.”
That stops him. “Hold up. You? The legend, Guy Brody, was feeling insecure?”
“Har, har, Oz. Seriously, I don’t know what I’m doing here. I love her.”
As soon as the words come out of my mouth, my sister comes out the screen door. “What did you just say?”
When I don’t answer, Skyler’s face lights up. “Did you just say you love her? Nicole, right? I’m assuming that’s who we’re talking about?”
I let my head fall back and groan. This is not how I thought this was going down. I was hoping to get some advice from my big brother. “Skyler, where’s my niece?”
She comes out onto the porch. “Oh no, mister, you ain’t getting out of this that easy. Grace is inside with her dad. Now tell me about you and Nicole.”
I walk over and sit on the porch swing. “Sis, seriously, I came to talk to Ozzy. Can you give us a few minutes?”
She opens her mouth, and I’m waiting for her to argue, but I’m surprised when she walks over and fluffs my hair. “I’m happy to see it, Guy. She’s a lucky woman.”