Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 137310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137310 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 687(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 458(@300wpm)
An unhappy thought occurred to me right then.
“With Maddy going, and Resurrection taking over, does that mean you’re leaving?” I asked.
He shook his head, and the tension that had begun winding through my body subsided.
“The last few days, Buck’s been trying to reach out to Imran for a parlay. He’s not responding. Part of what Buck wanted to talk about was to be certain you and your dad were off their radar. Since Imran isn’t gonna sit down for a chat so we can get some shit straight and set some ground rules, we gotta keep you and your dad covered until we know neither of you is in play.”
“So you and Big Petey are staying?”
This time, he nodded. “And Dutch, Jag and Coe. Eight, Muzzle and Linus are going under.”
I hoped those boys were safe after they went “under.”
“What about Core?”
“Core has a woman. He’s heading back to Denver. Once a brother of Resurrection claims a woman, Wash assigns them duties that won’t get their asses arrested or dead.”
Eep!
“Okay,” I forced out, deciding to sidestep that particular discussion.
“Though, just sayin’, you and me are doin’ this, so even if things were copacetic with you and your dad when it comes to the Babićs, I’d be staying so we could see to this.”
On his this, he gave me a squeeze.
My mood shifted immediately, I smiled big and repeated, “Okay.”
“Now we need to talk about the sleeping arrangements for tonight.”
Another mood shift. “Harlan—”
“Babe, we’re not there.”
“No, but you need some good sleep and the situation at my place demands you do it here, and you’re not going to do it on the floor when there’s a bed in this room big enough for two. I talked with the boys, and both Ink and Cruise have air mattresses. They’re delivering one for Elias.”
I took a chance with his no-touch policy (that still included a great deal of touching, which reminded me I needed a new list, one of things to talk to Hugger about) and stroked his beard.
It felt great, and he didn’t quibble, so I kept doing it and returned to speaking.
“It’ll be hard, I know, but I figure we can keep our hands off each other for one night.”
“Hard enough getting sleep knowin’ you’re down the hall. Probably impossible with you right beside me in a big, soft bed.”
I really didn’t want to do it, but the situation warranted it.
I smirked.
Hugger moved his hands to my waist and squeezed.
“You getting off on knowing what you do to my dick isn’t helping matters, babe,” he noted.
“Sorry,” I lied.
He sifted his long fingers into the side of my hair, tucking it behind my ear, adding a nuance to the touch he’d given me last night, which I liked, making it better, which I loved.
“I don’t want you thinkin’ I’m taking advantage,” he said softly.
I blinked.
I stared.
I shoved my face in his neck and did it hard.
Who was this man and what did I do in this life to deserve being cornered in an elevator by him?
“It’s Big Petey’s idea,” he went on. “Not yours. And you got a heart the size of Alaska, and it’s so golden, it’s blinding. You want me to get good sleep. And you constantly put everyone else in front of yourself and—”
I lifted my head at the same time I rested my fingers on his bearded lips.
“I wanted to offer it to you last night,” I told him. “I was ecstatic when Big Petey made that suggestion. And yes, that’s about you, and me wanting you to get good rest. But it’s also about me, because I like you, I’m attracted to you, I’m loving getting to know you, and I foresee, eventually, you being here anyway.”
This time, he pulled a bunch of my hair over my shoulder and started twirling it.
Reluctantly, I shifted my fingers from his lips.
“And it’ll be nice, not having to be alone on the last night we have Maddy with us,” I whispered.
With my hair still in his fingers, he stroked my jaw. “Then I’m in here with you in your bed tonight.”
How did I know that was what he’d say?
Seemed I wasn’t the only one with the bent of putting others before myself.
“Can you take tomorrow off too?” he asked. “Give yourself some time to deal with losing her.”
My boss was a hands-off person in the sense that she pretty much didn’t notice anything going on except what she was in the middle of doing.
Annie would notice if I didn’t get work done.
She wouldn’t notice if I didn’t show up for three days, and when I returned, she’d say something like, “I thought something seemed off at the workshop.”
It was good she wasn’t a professor, or she’d be the example that proved the stereotype.
“My boss is pretty cool. I’ll call her, because that’s a good idea.”