Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 143842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
I swore, my sister always made the effort to ensure those around her knew how important they were.
Appreciation deepened Savannah’s features, and she lifted her copper mug. “To family we didn’t know we had.”
“And you…” Paisley suddenly pointed at me just as I was sliding onto a free stool.
My brow lifted for the sky as I slung back in the seat. “Yeah?”
“I want you on your best behavior.”
I let a smirk slide to my mouth. “Come now, Paisley-Cakes, I’m always on my best behavior.”
I tossed the nickname my sister had called her for her entire life back at her. The two were ridiculous with the names they gave each other.
Eyes narrowing, she jabbed that finger harder in my direction. “And that right there is exactly the kind of behavior I don’t want to see. I haven’t seen Hails Bells in years, and I don’t want you chasing her off by trying to get into her pants.”
Hails Bells? Case in point. But damn, I had to admit, it was kind of cute.
I lifted both hands in surrender. “Now why would I go and do that?”
“Oh, I don’t know, because she’s stunning and you are…you.” Paisley gave a snarky tip of her head. “You’ll turn on all that charm and take off with her, and then she’s never going to talk to me again since you’ll ditch her before the sun comes up.”
“I would never—”
Dakota cut me off with a disbelieving laugh as she polished off the last gulp of her drink. “Cody Cooper, don’t you dare say you aren’t guilty of that every single weekend.”
“Well, I can promise you I’m going home alone tonight.” It flew right out like truth.
Because I truly wasn’t in the mood. Normally, I’d already be making the rounds, scoping out the crowd, waiting for someone to catch my eye.
“Really?” Paisley challenged, her brow shooting for the sky.
“Really.” I said it like an oath.
Signed and sealed.
Dakota reached out and placed her palm on my forehead. Clearly, she was lacking any real concern since she giggled when she asked, “Are you sick, big brother?”
I swatted her hand away, only half annoyed when I said, “I am not sick.”
Though maybe I really was coming down with something because nothing was sitting right.
My stomach coiling in knots and my thoughts residing in a place they completely shouldn’t be.
“I don’t know…you feel a little…feverish.” My sister drew the jeering out.
I rolled my eyes while Dakota’s own brown pools danced, though I could tell she was trying to actually look deeper, delve down into the parts of me that I kept buried beneath the smiles and easiness. Down to the places I’d never let her see.
She’d hate me if she knew.
“I see you all invited me out to give me a hard time rather than actually celebrate my accomplishment,” I said, keeping the roughness out of the retort.
“Who else is such an easy target?” Savannah asked.
Ezra chuckled from where he’d been silently watching the exchange. “Yeah, and we all know the way you like to celebrate. What’s up, brother? Someone finally knock you down a peg?”
Yeah. Someone had knocked me down a peg.
Right onto my fucking knees.
But I sure as shit wasn’t going to admit that.
“Hell, no. I just feel like blessing my family with my complete attention tonight.” I set my palms out like I was offering a gift.
Amusement rolled through Ezra’s expression. He wasn’t buying it for a second.
“Oh, there she is.” Paisley’s shouting pulled my gaze back to her. She had her arm lifted overhead and was waving it frantically as she bounced on her stool. “Hails Bells, over here! Over here!”
I followed her line of sight, through the roiling crowd that writhed within the dusky shadows of the bar. Lights strobed, faces flashing in time with the music that thrummed over the speakers.
I caught a glimpse of the movement, of the woman who was making her way through the crush. Flickers of lush blonde hair woven with honey and maple. The hint of a profile, cheeks full and chin sharp.
The pucker of a sexpot mouth.
Energy flash-fired, careening straight through my nerves.
It took her one more second to fully break through.
I realized I hadn’t caught Paisley’s friend’s actual name. Hadn’t made the connection that it was very likely Paisley had been out at Wagner Ranch sometime in the past, even though I didn’t know the two of them had ever met.
But there she was.
Hailey Wagner standing there in this short as fuck, glittering silver dress that clung to every luxurious curve of her body.
No doubt about it.
The woman’s shape was the definition of my perfection.
My fingers twitched, and I didn’t know how I remained sitting as my gaze gulped down the sight of her.
The dress’s neckline plunged deep between her breasts, those enormous tits barely concealed in narrow swaths of fabric that were held up by thin spaghetti straps that bared soft shoulders. My stare roved, riding down the curve of her legs to the pair of sky-high ankle boots she wore.