Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“Sure. Thanks.”
I walk toward Emily, not thinking, but when she meets my gaze I turn and make a beeline toward June, who headed out onto the deck. I find her by the grill, watching Desi’s assistant cook the chicken. I inhale the savory and spicy aroma. Despite all the drama, the meal will be delicious.
I touch her shoulder. “You okay?”
She smiles up at me. “I’m fine.”
“Feel a little bad for the lobsters?”
“Not bad enough that I won’t eat them.” She shrugs. “Hypocritical of me, I suppose.”
“No. I get it.” I shuffle my feet on the wooden deck. “I’m a rancher, remember?”
“Oh!” She clasps her hands to her mouth. “Of course you get it. But you told me the first night that feeding people is a noble calling for an animal.”
I did say that. To both June and Rachel. My heart squeezes a little at the memory that seems so distant but was only two days ago. So much has happened since then.
June and I walk off the deck and away from the chef and the grill. “I stand by that statement,” I say. “But I also treat my animals well. They’re pastured and grass-fed, and they live happy lives. That’s how I show my love for them. But they’re not pets, June. I made that mistake when I was younger. I got too close to a calf once, and I learned that lesson the hard way.”
“God, River. That’s awful.”
She’s not kidding. I don’t know of any ranching kid who hasn’t been scarred by that kind of loss. “It was a lesson I’ll never forget. After that, I only got close to dogs.”
“Do you have a dog?” she asks.
“I have several. They love the ranch. I’ve lost count of how many dogs I’ve had over the years, but there’s one that stands out over all the others. A mutt I had when I was a kid. Ernie.”
I stop talking then. Thinking of Ernie reminds me of things better left buried for the time being.
“Tell me about him,” June says.
“Maybe another time. We should get back. Desi said he’d blanch all the lobsters so you don’t have to. He’s probably done by now.”
She nods but then grabs onto my arm. “River?”
“Yeah?”
She doesn’t reply. Instead, she stands on her toes and brushes her soft lips against mine. I’m taken aback, but the kiss is nice. Gentle. Sweet. Not raw and passionate like those I’ve shared with Emily, and not unbridled and savage like those Heather and I shared in the shower earlier. This one is like delicate flower petals against my flesh.
I part my lips, slide my tongue over her plump bottom lip. She opens, and we kiss for a moment, tenderly and sweetly.
She pulls back after a few minutes and smiles. “I wanted to know what it was like.”
“And…” I ask.
“It wasn’t what I expected,” she says, “but it was lovely.”
I look at June. Really look at her. She’s supermodel beautiful with a body to die for, and that yellow thing she’s wearing suits her sunny personality. What kind of kiss was she expecting?
“Let’s try again, then.” I bring my lips down on hers.
She opens for me once more, and I kiss her—really kiss her, complete with dueling tongues and clashing teeth. My groin reacts, and I let myself enjoy the kiss, enjoy June’s beauty and love for life.
When I break the kiss, she looks at me with wide eyes and brings her fingers to her lips.
“Better?” I ask.
She doesn’t have a chance to reply, because Desi appears. “There you two are. Ready to get back to work?”
“Of course.” June beams at him, and we return to the kitchen.
It takes about twenty seconds for June to get over the lobster murders, and soon she’s watching raptly as Desi shows us how to split the lobsters in half lengthwise and remove the vein and any roe or tomalley if we find them. I say a silent thanks that June doesn’t ask him what the tomalley is. We rinse the lobsters under cold water, set them aside, and then listen as Desi explains how to make the marinade.
“We’ll mix some garlic and other spices into lime juice and olive oil,” he says. “Since the jerk chicken will be so spicy, we’ll leave the Scotch bonnet out of the lobster marinade. I like to add some allspice and just a pinch of sugar as well.” He hands June a few cloves of garlic and a small cutting board. “Miss June, please mince this finely. And River, you’ll be our grillmaster for the lobster.”
June chatters on to Desi as she peels and minces the garlic, while I try to figure a way to get Emily alone and find out what’s going on. She still looks tense, and there have been no more kitchen accidents, but I’m not going anywhere near her if it means dealing with Misty.