Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
The last part was growled. Come to think of it, I did remember not arming it. I also remember my brother calling to tell me that it wasn’t armed, and wondering how he even knew that little tid-bit of information.
I gave him an accusing look, but he looked unrepentant. “So that’s how Sam knew. His only explanation was ‘Do you think I’m stupid.’”
“Yeah, I should’ve known something was up then when he wasn’t upset that I’d followed you home and knew that you didn’t arm your alarm. He was happy that I’d called, and that I was watching out for you. My fucking sister.” He snarled.
After I closed the door, I put my hand on his shoulder. “Hey, this wasn’t your fault. I’m sure Cheyenne had a really good reason.”
“You know, she probably didn’t have a good reason at all, but I’ll let her explain it to me in a few days. Maybe then I won’t be so pissed off. This five weeks has really been sheer hell.”
I watched him lift his fingers and scratch his beard like he was contemplating saying something else, and when it continued on for another minute or so, I decided to give him some time and explore.
The first room I came to was a formal dining room. However, there was a Lego wonderland dominating the eight-foot glass table that gave it a ‘lived in’ feel instead of a ‘don’t spill a goddamn thing’ feel. Hell, the chandelier over the table had a string of army men hanging from the crystals.
“Yeah, my mom would have a fucking cow if she saw this right now. However, she informed me last week that the house was mine, and that she planned on moving in with Todd Masterson when she got home from her next assignment.”
I gasped and spun around. “Your mom is fucking your lawyer?”
His eyes squeezed shut as if he was in pain. “Yeah, from what I can tell. They got close during my first trial for custody of Janie ten months ago. They’ve taken it slow since they lost their significant others, whom they loved like crazy.
“Awww,” I cooed. “How sweet!”
He glared at me, took my hand, and showed me the rest of the house. You could definitely tell that it was a family home. Kid’s toys were laying everywhere. James’ socks and boots in the kitchen under the table. Dirty dishes in the sink. Cereal boxes out on the counters. Toothpaste cap of the tubes. They needed a housecleaner. Although, every bit of it is what you would expect in a home. What I didn’t expect was to walk into a dream room when I came to the door in the kitchen.
“Most houses in the South don’t have basements due to flooding and the Texas Red Clay making it nearly impossible to dig. I’m not sure why this house has it. All I know is I’m glad it does. I’ve made this into a hell of a down room. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it until I moved back here.”
When I walked down the stainless steel steps, I stepped out into the ultimate man cave. There was a bar in the far corner made to look like a traditional Irish pub. The ground was concrete. However, it was unique in that it was painted a deep black. The walls matched the Irish theme of the bar, and had a wooden look to them. A massive sectional sofa sat against the far wall and faced an even more massive TV.
Neon beer signs and metal stars lined the walls. The front wall behind the bar held a map of the United States made out of license plates. Pictures of the Free ‘crew’ were interspersed here and there. I was even more surprised to see one of me. Everything fit what ultimately defines ‘man cave’ except one thing.
“Is that a hammock?” I asked walking towards it.
“Yeah,” James answered from directly behind me.
It was connected directly to the ceiling by chains. “Why?”
He laughed. “I get asked that a lot. Normally I say it’s a sex swing because it annoys Cheyenne, but since she’s not here to enjoy my taunting, I’ll tell you the truth.”
“And?” I asked with raised eyebrows as I sat back carefully into the hammock.
“I just wanted it. It gets fucking hot in the summer, and when we were in Iraq and Afghanistan, we slept on them. Sometimes when I can’t sleep, I come down here. I can find it instantly on a hammock.”
“Oh,” I said somewhat disappointed that there wasn’t a better reason. “I like the sex swing explanation. It sounds better.”
His eyes darkened as he watched me throw my hands up above my head, which in turn exposed some of my belly. Goosebumps trailed over my body at the look in his eyes. Liquid heat pooled in my nether regions, but I didn’t rub them together. That would only bring more attention to my plight.
He leaned down and placed his hand at the top edge. “Scoot over so I can lay down.”
With a little maneuvering, I scooted over to the edge, and he rolled into place beside me. His leg seemed to buckle, though, because instead of easing down onto the hammock, he collapsed. The momentum of the shift in weight had me rolling so I was all but lying on top of him. My chest in his face. My left leg straddling his firm stomach, and my arms grabbing onto the ropes above his head.
His hands gripped my waist tightly, and it was all I could do not to rub my nipples against his face.
“Fuck,” I hissed and looked down into his eyes.
His mouth was level with my right nipple that was only shielded by a thin camisole. His eyes were dark and focused intently on my cleavage that was practically spilling out of my shirt.
From there, I’m not sure what happened first. It could’ve been me leaning down, or it might have been James leaning forward, but my nipple somehow ended up in James’ mouth. The fabric of my knit skirt slithered up my backside as James’ hand made its way up my thigh.