Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 143382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
Jeff made a frustrated snarly noise when I used his street name.
“She doesn’t want to know how you earned that, brother,” Javi remarked.
“She really doesn’t, but I’ll tell you,” Titus said to Henny, then bent his neck to where my cat lay on his chest and whispered something in his pointed ear.
Since Henny had no reaction, I sensed he was unimpressed by this news.
But they were right.
I really didn’t want to know.
However.
I turned my gaze to Javi. “You’re in this too, hermanito.”
“No, I’m not,” Javi said, taking a pinch of grated cheese from the bowl Eric had put it in and sprinkling it in his mouth. He swallowed that and said, “If someone was gonna roll on them, we were going in with them. Those boys took care of business before we got there, and I don’t blame them. That shit had to end. It did. Done.” He then popped a black olive in his mouth.
“Instead of eating it all, you can help Eric by slicing those olives,” I stated.
Not missing a beat, Eric got a knife and put it in front of Javi.
At this juncture, I noticed my guy hadn’t waded into any of this, not at all.
It was like he was inured to crazy.
And I loved him for it.
Javi got up, walked around the bar, repositioned the cutting board while corralling the rolling olives, and got to work.
“Speaking of olives,” Titus said from the couch. “I wouldn’t say no to another one of your martinis.”
Now someone was speaking my language.
I headed straight to the bar cart.
“Jess, we’re not finished discussing this,” Jeff declared.
I picked up the kickass shaker Javi bought me and turned to my brother.
“Yes, we are. Everyone I love is alive, breathing, healthy. I don’t have to do stakeouts anymore. And I’ve got a new mission of finding sexier nighties than the off-the-chart sexy ones I already have, because Eric has seen all those.”
Jeff raised a hand. “TMI.”
“You came in, mouth a’blazin’, you deal with the fallout,” I returned.
“Lucky man, honcho,” Titus said from the couch to Eric.
Eric just smiled at the guacamole he was forking together.
“To end,” I continued, “you also don’t have to be in a safe house anymore, another plus. Now, fortunately, before another shitstorm hits, I’ll have time to find the perfect Taser holster. Life is good. Take a load off, stop distracting me from my cocktail shaker, and let it be good, Jeff.”
He glowered at me.
I took it.
He kept doing it.
I kept taking it.
He kept doing it.
I got over it and turned to Javi, lifting the shaker. “This is pure class, Javi. I don’t think I thanked you.”
Javi winked at me.
His wasn’t as good as Eric’s, but it was still nice.
Jeff got on the stool beside the one Javi had used, asking, “Please tell me you have chips.”
I turned to the counter, grabbed the bag of tortilla chips, and tossed them at my brother, who caught them.
Then I opened the freezer to grab my vodka.
As I was closing it, I felt a touch on the small of my back and looked to the side and up at Eric.
“Life is good,” he whispered.
Him standing right there?
“It sure as hell is,” I replied.
His onyx eyes were twinkling as he bent his head and kissed me.
And there it got better.
He went to the kitchen bar, slid the bowl of guacamole to Jeff and moved to the stove to start warming up tortillas.
I should have been making margaritas, but that wasn’t requested.
Anyway, martinis went with everything.
Though, in the end, it was just me and Titus with a fancy glass.
Eric, Javi and Jeff drank beer.
Everyone was gone.
I was brushed, cleansed and moisturized, looking forward to a good, quick fuck and bed, as I walked into the bedroom.
Eric was coming out of it, and I moved to step out of his way, when he caught my hips.
I dropped my head to catch his eyes.
“Now,” he said.
“Now?” I asked.
“The men are gone. The case is closed. The day is done. Now, you’re safe to do it, Jessie.”
I stared at him, having no clue how he knew.
But he knew.
I then allowed myself to feel the ghost of gratitude and fondness and the precious gift of human connection pressing against my forehead.
That was when I did a faceplant in Eric’s chest, my shoulders heaved, the sob scored my throat, and the tears came.
Eric held me while I got it all out.
And when I was done, he lifted my face with his hands cradling my jaw and used his thumbs to wipe away the tears.
“Better?” he asked tenderly.
So falling in love with this man.
I nodded. “Though, I think I have to reapply moisturizer.”
He smiled a sweet smile, touched his lips to mine, and said, “I’ll bring it with me from the bathroom.”
He headed that way, and I turned as he did, calling to his back, “That might have been a tender moment, but I’m not in the mood for gentle sex. We’re fucking.”