Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Suppressing emotions was always a good idea.
It took us ten minutes, and then we were in a cab heading south.
I kept my gaze fixed out the window, and part of me felt the need to pinch myself. A whole week we’d be here. In the warmth, in the South, in reptile territory. I wondered how fast we could make it to the Everglades. I’d done my research, and the Everglades was essentially the backyard to this part of Florida. I guessed, technically, it was the Everglades…? Like, the entire bottom of the state. But obviously not everything was marshlands.
“Is Corey friends with anyone we’ll see down here?” I asked. “Close friends. Friends enough that they talk a lot.”
Mack weighed his answer. “Yeah, Kit. But we’re all pretty close. Why?”
Figures.
“Just doing the math on when Corey finds out I’m here with you.”
He grinned. “Yeah, that cat is definitely coming out of the bag. I think you’ll have a text from Corey within twenty-four hours.”
Eh. So be it. We had no real reason for being discreet anymore. What’d once started as a fuck-buddy thing that we’d wanted to keep to ourselves had morphed into a lot more. We were dating.
The main reason I’d kept my relationship with Macklin from Corey—the guy I usually spilled all the beans to—was because I’d never hear the end of it. He’d wanted me to join their community for so long, and my dating someone in his kinky pool would refuel that argument.
I glanced down between us and threaded our fingers together, then met his gaze again.
He smiled carefully and squeezed my hand. “You ready to go public with me?”
If I wasn’t, coming with him on this trip was a horrible idea.
“Absolutely.” I leaned over and brushed a kiss to his lips, both of us smiling like dorks.
“Baby, wake up. We’re here.”
Oh shit. I wrenched myself from Mack’s arms and had half a mind to accuse him of being too comfortable to be around. I hadn’t slept in the car since I was a kid. Christ. I scrubbed my hands over my face and yawned, then squinted out the window.
So fucking beautiful.
For some reason, we were meeting up with our ride right next to a marina. Not a cloud in the sky, just the white masts of sailboats and turquoise water. And more palm trees.
While Mack paid the fare, I stepped out of the cab and stretched my arms over my head. I needed to get out of my pants ASAP, but at least I could do something about the sweater. I yanked it over my head and tugged down my tee.
As I grabbed our luggage from the back of the car, my stomach tightened with hunger, and I started looking around to see if there was a coffee house or fast-food joint where we could pick up something to eat before we got back on the road.
I wouldn’t mind hitting up a store too. I needed more chewing gum and snacks.
Macklin joined me on the curb a beat later and checked his phone. “He should be here.” He looked up and scanned the parking lot.
I was more focused on the ice cream kiosk near the entrance of the marina. Ice cream was an acceptable meal for a late lunch, wasn’t it? “I’m hungry.”
“Yeah, me too. We’ll get something on the way.” He yawned.
He looked so inviting and comfortable again, so I stepped closer and slid my arms around his midsection. My face went straight for his neck, as if it had its own will. He smelled so damn good.
He squeezed me to him. “My beautiful boy.”
I hummed and yawned once more. “Can I take you out to dinner while we’re here?”
He smiled into the kiss he pressed to my temple. “If you let me pay, for once.”
“We’ll see.” I was paying. Most of the time when we met up at his restaurant or he came over after work, he either brought food or cooked for me.
“There he is.” Macklin straightened and loosened his hold on me until he just grabbed my hand instead. “Reese!” He held up his other hand to get his friend’s attention. “They must’ve road-tripped down here. That’s not a rental.”
I turned around just as a big truck pulled up alongside the curb.
A drop-dead-gorgeous, bad-boy-looking man stepped out with a charming grin that went against the sinister feel of his neck tattoo. “Fancy seein’ you in Florida, kid.”
“How are you already tanned?” Macklin grated out. “Un-fucking-fair.”
The man, Reese, laughed and joined us on the sidewalk, forcing me to notice he was significantly taller. Macklin was only a couple inches taller than my five-nine, so I still felt grown-up next to him. This hot Sadist right here clearly didn’t wanna make me feel that way.
“So this is the elusive boyfriend you’ve been ravin’ about.” Reese eyed me up and down.