Total pages in book: 190
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
I frowned, my head rearing back slightly. “But aside from liking to dish out a spanking during sex or whatever, you’re not into that stuff.”
“No, I’m not. But some of Redwater’s population liked to make out differently. It made good gossip, I suppose.”
I let out a sound of disgust. “People suck.” I cast a look at his empty tumbler. “Want a refill?”
“No.” He set his glass on the table between our loungers and then patted the spot between his spread thighs. “I want you to come kneel right here.”
I narrowed my eyes as his own began to heat and darken. “What’ll happen if I do?”
“Many, many things,” he replied, the words practically dripping with liquid sex.
He wanted to forget, I realized. Wanted to shove everything out of his mind and seek the most basic form of oblivion. “You know, most people would just ask for a hug when they’re feeling down.”
“Most people don’t have a wife who’s as good with their mouth as you are.”
I laughed, taken by surprise. “All right. I’m game for whatever you’ve got in mind.” I stood. “You’ve sure never let me down sexually before.”
His lips kicked up. “Right back at you.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
A week later, Drey plonked my heavy shopping bags in my trunk with a grunt. “What have you got in those? Bricks?”
Feeling my lips wing up, I shrugged. “Christmas gifts, mostly.” I’d had more to buy this year, since my family had expanded on my marrying Dax. Which wasn’t at all a complaint. I loved shopping for gifts, especially during the holidays.
The creases on Drey’s forehead smoothed out as his mouth tipped up. “Did you get anything for me?”
“Of course.” I poked his arm playfully. “As if I’d leave out my favorite brother-in-law. What do you take me for?”
He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Favorite. Sure.”
I’d unexpectedly come across him, Jag, and Jag’s girlfriend Leonie a few minutes ago as I was leaving the mall. All three were on their way to the nearby bowling alley, where they would be meeting up with a few other friends. Drey had insisted on carrying all my bags to the parking lot for me first, the gent. And since he was a mountain of pure male strength—seriously, his muscles had muscles—I hadn’t objected. My damn palms stung from where the bag handles had been digging into my skin.
Using my key fob to close the trunk, I swept my gaze over the trio as I asked, “Have you guys done all your Christmas shopping yet?”
“Almost,” said Drey. “I do mine online.”
Jag grunted. “Same.”
“Yeah,” began Leonie with a curl of her upper lip, “who wants to walk around a mall?”
I gave her a bright smile. “Me.”
She let out a snooty scoff. “I guess shopping sprees are nothing new for you. Must be nice to have been loaded all your life.”
Eye roll. It was safe to say that Leonie hadn’t warmed to me. She still felt it necessary to hold my trust fund and financial security against me … as if I didn’t know what it meant to “struggle” or fight for what I wanted and needed in life and so wasn’t worthy of her respect.
I’d met people before who held such a viewpoint. I’d probably meet more in the future as well. And while I understood where they were coming from, I felt that they often failed to consider that everyone experienced struggles of some kind. Financial security didn’t provide a buffer from pain, problems, or loss. In fact, having money often came with its own set of issues.
But I had no intention of discussing it with her—I was too damn old to care what perfect strangers thought of me. So, ignoring the bitchy portion of her comment, I instead said, “Well, malls sure aren’t for everyone. In fact, they—Drey, no peeking in my bags!”
My brother-in-law straightened. “I was only looking at the wrapping paper. Do you really need that much of it?”
I smiled at the memory of one roll almost giving him a hellacious bitch slap when he earlier lifted my bags to stick them in the trunk. “Yes, because I have other gifts to wrap as well. Most of it is stuff I ordered online. I’m planning to do all my wrapping this weekend so I can stick the presents under the tree.”
“I still can’t believe you got Dax to help you put up a Christmas tree,” said Drey, blowing out an astonished breath.
“I still can’t believe he’s good with having a tree,” remarked Jag. “How did you get him to agree?”
As I wasn’t inclined to share the very sweet and private things Dax had said to me on this matter, I simply shrugged one shoulder and flashed Jag a mysterious smile. “I have my ways.” I then refocused on Drey. “I heard from Harri that Sabre’s doing better.”