Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
His gaze moved past Ricco to the midsize sedan still parked in the furthest lot, directly in front of the Reservations employee entrance door. The tan four-door had similarities to an older model Toyota. The outline of a single head could be seen in the driver’s side seat. It was too far away to make out any other details of the driver.
“He’s been parked there all morning. Shortly after you arrived,” Ricco said and started to turn to look at the car. “I checked the security video.”
“Don’t look!” Julian hissed, startling Ricco but managing to keep his face and eyes focused forward in a hilariously frantic swivel of his head. Julian would have laughed at Ricco had his heart not completely connected to Beckett’s obviously protective move. “I had Aaron Stuart run his plates this morning. The car belongs to an ex-navy officer who retired from San Diego PD. I’m certain Beckett hired him to watch out for me.”
Ricco nodded and threw out an awkward elbow bump while staring woodenly straight ahead. Good thing Ricco wanted a life in business because his acting skills were shit. “I told you so.”
Ricco’s superior, all-knowing tone had Julian’s brows lowering, annoyance instantly building. He stopped just short of returning the elbow bump. “You told me what?”
“You and Beck being a thing. I called it first. I might have even won the betting pool,” Ricco said, slowing Julian’s step as his cell phone vibrated in his slacks pocket.
“I keep telling you dumbasses that Beckett and I aren’t like that.”
Ricco was a dumbass, and Julian’s tone reeked the sentiment as he fished the phone from his pocket.
“I’m passing the time with him, because I literally have no friends anymore...” The words ran dry in Julian’s mouth. He couldn’t finish the lie as Beckett’s handsome, smiling face illuminated his cell’s screen for a video call. “Go on without me and stop spilling your junior high tea. I have to take this.” Julian tried for a professional tone even when giving his final dig before pivoting around, walking several fast-paced steps in the other direction, trying to create distance between him and Ricco before he answered.
“You made it home?” Julian said as he accepted the call.
The happiness of the day was made better by the man whose profile was partially on the screen, with Woofer in the distance, leaping around, chasing after something unseen in the air. There was nothing more than utter wilderness for as far as the eye could see with both the males in his life looking joyful, fresh, and content in their forever environment.
Julian’s happy heart lifted several notches. He grinned as he struggled with whether to pay attention to Woofer or the handsome cowboy. It was reminiscent of the very first time he had laid eyes on Beckett as he’d walked through the front entrance of Reservations. Beckett wore a pair of Oakley sunglasses with a ball cap positioned backward on his head. The sun accentuated his suntan. He wasn’t certain Beckett could be more alluring than he was right then.
All the deep feeling that only Beckett had ever reached inside Julian burst free, drawing a grin from him. More than anything, he wished he was right there with his two guys, which was all sorts of weird. He’d never been an outdoorsman. Flushable toilets always superseded the idea of wide-open spaces of the wilderness.
“We’re here. I planned to call you at the airport, but Woofer didn’t handle the flight very well. He was skittish when we got off the plane. He didn’t seem to understand what was happening to him. When we pulled in, he saw a squirrel and practically jumped out of the truck to play. The squirrels here aren’t as friendly as in your neighborhood, but a butterfly caught his attention. That’s what he’s doing now.” Beckett moved completely out of the screen to let Julian see Woofer joyfully jumping in the air, trying to catch and eat his new friend. Julian’s heart swelled. He hadn’t made the wrong decision in sending Woofer to his new home. Beckett’s face came partially back into view. “I think he’ll do okay here.”
Julian gave into his desire to stare at the rugged Beckett. “I like that look with your ball cap on backward.”
Beckett’s handsome face filled the frame, stealing the remainder of Julian’s words. “I’m casual when I’m home. This is pretty much how I always look. I flip the brim around when I need it. You know I always like how you look. I had to hire a personal shopper, so I could try better to fit into your world,” Beckett confessed the obvious, making a little noise out of the corner of his mouth. “The calendar on my phone somehow synced with your calendar. I’m not sure how it happened, but I saw you were in a meeting all morning. How’d it go? You ready to jump in and take over Reservations?”