Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“Gina,” I whispered against her skin, my voice rough with desire and an aching tenderness. “Let go for me, baby.”
Her response was a strangled cry, her body arching as she reached that crest. She screamed, a sound that echoed off the walls and reverberated deep in my chest. Her climax washed over her in waves, and I held her through it all, my mouth still working gently to bring her down as softly as I could.
She cried out again, a sound mingled with my name and something like relief. In the aftermath, she lay trembling, her breaths coming in jagged sighs.
I pressed a gentle kiss to her bare mound before I crawled up beside her, our sweaty torsos sticking slightly as I pulled her into my arms. She nestled against my chest, still catching her breath. Her fingers traced idle patterns on my skin as we both lay there in the quiet.
“I’m scared,” she whispered after a while. Her voice was so faint I might have missed it if not for the stillness of the room. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“I know you’re scared. You’re not gonna lose me, honey. Not as long as you’ll have me.” My hand stroked her hair in long, slow strokes. It soothed me. Like petting a contented kitten. “I swear it.”
“You don’t know that. What if she has a perfectly reasonable explanation and wants you back? What if she needs you?”
“Like I said, baby. She had any number of opportunities to let me know she was alive if she’d wanted to. Before she went over there to infiltrate that cell, anyway.”
“Sounds like she’s a hero.” Gina didn’t sound wistful or anything, just resigned.
“Yeah. If what Rocket was told is true, then yes. She is.”
“You know, I can never be that kind of woman. I’m not built for it.”
“Did anyone say you had to be a covert operative to be a hero? Sunshine and Rainbow think you’re a hero. Effie and Aneshya think you’re a hero. Luke too.”
“I don’t know about that. They like my cookies.”
“You think that’s why all of them, even Luke, are at your house several times a week begging for cooking lessons? Aneshya swears she’s gonna be a chef. Effie says she’s going to open her own bakery when she grows up. And Lemon caught Luke building a Cookies and Lemonade stand for the girls. You don’t think they’d have been so excited about all that if you hadn’t come into their lives, do you?”
She shrugged. “They might have.”
I chuckled and pulled her closer. “No, baby. They wouldn’t. Now. I need to get ready. I’ll come say goodbye before I leave. Let Lemon look after you. She’ll never admit it, but I think she needs to mother everyone. You’ll be doing me a favor because if she’s fussing over you, I might get started on this mission without her calling me Pigeon Nuts in front of anyone.” As I’d hoped, that got a small laugh from her. “That wasn’t much, but I’ll take it.” I smiled before kissing her once more, then heading to the bathroom to get ready.
Thirty minutes later, dressed and my duffle packed, I sat on the edge of the bed and once again, stroking my hand down the length of Gina’s hair. She blinked up at me, tears glistening in her lovely, copper-colored eyes.
“Be safe while I’m gone.”
“You’re the one going into danger. You be safe. I’ll be fine in the compound.”
“I’m telling Rocket and Lemon you’re my old lady. The club would look after you anyway, but if something happens to me, I want it official so there’s no pushback.” Then I frowned. “Except Lemon won’t allow there to be pushback. But I still want you to have my protection. So, while I’m gone, I’ll have Lemon put in an order for your property cut.”
Gina didn’t really look convinced, but I could see how badly she wanted this. Wanted to be mine. I knew she was nervous. Under normal circumstances I’d never leave her for something like this. Especially not when our relationship was this new. But I couldn’t let this go. I might not have known Joilyn was part of my team, but she still was. Which, in my mind, made it my responsibility to get her back. And I would. I was done letting down people I cared about.
“I’ll look forward to it,” she said softly, giving me a sad smile.
“Good. Get some rest. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Chapter Seven
Gina
I spent most of my time at home. In my house. Lemon and some of the girls had come by every day, but I just couldn’t get out and walk around the compound. It had only been twenty-four hours since Falcon left, but I had fallen into despondency. The man I was in love with was on a mission to save the woman he was supposed to marry. No reason to be down about that, right? Yeah, I was moping and I knew it.