Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
I tilt her chin up, capturing her lips. I need her kiss. I have to taste her. I deepen the kiss, sliding my tongue against hers, as my hand slides under her T-shirt, needing to feel her breast in my hand…
I’m almost there when Tillie puts her hands on my chest, pushing me back.
“Ryder,” she whispers. “We're in public.” Her cheeks are bright red, but the hunger in her eyes can’t be hidden.
“Are we? I didn’t even notice. Everything stopped when I saw you. It just ceased to exist,” I tell her, and she’ll probably think I’m lying, but I’m not.
I grab her carry-on bag from her, taking her hand as we walk towards the exit. “So, we have to stop by the field because our team is having a big party for our coach. We’re celebrating his six-hundredth win as head coach for River City Roosters.”
“Oh, well, you can take me to your place and go. I don't want to be in the way,” she says, with a shrug.
“In the way? Are you insane?” I ask. “Baby, you're never in the way. I want you with me. All the other wives and even Faye—she’s the club’s dietician—will be there. You'll really like her. Plus, I'm looking forward to showing you off.”
She's already shaking her head, no. “I'm not dressed for a party, Ryder.” I look as she tugs on her shirt, clearly uncomfortable.
“It’s not a fancy party, baby. It's a cookout. There will be a cow and a rooster there and family. Stop worrying, please? We do this kind of thing a lot because the team is like family, and you are my heart. I need you there. I've been miserable without you.”
She nibbles on her lip a second, her eyes searching mine as if seeking the truth. I let her look her fill. When it comes to Tillie, I have no secrets.
“I’ve been miserable, too,” she admits. She stands on the tips of her toes to kiss me and the minute she gives me that, I feel whole again.
Tillie
AT THE BALL FIELD….
We get to the party and it's much more crowded than I anticipated, but Ryder's right. It's not fancy. I can’t help but worry, though. My heart is racing because I don’t want to embarrass Ryder. I’m praying everyone likes me and that I don't stand out like a sore thumb.
That worry fades a little when we get to the middle of the field. It looks like a giant tailgating party with a huge grill that is sending delicious smells into the air. That’s not what sidetracks me, however. Off to the side, there's a pen with a cow lying down and a rooster, seemingly asleep, nestled against the curve of the cow's neck.
“I kind of understand why the rooster is here, but why is there a cow on the field?” I ask, staring at the scene before me and wondering if my eyes are playing tricks on me.
“Oh, this is the week he stays here,” Ryder says with a shrug.
“Stays here?” I ask in surprise.
“Yeah. Coach brokered an arrangement for Gladys to have visitation with Hamburger every third week here. Then Gladys goes to the farm to stay with Hamburger, the other three.”
“Hamburger? Gladys?” I ask. One name could make sense, I guess, but they both seem a little crazy.
“You must be Tillie,” a woman says, walking up with another woman trailing a step behind her. She’s got sandy blonde hair and is drop dead gorgeous. The other lady is just as pretty—maybe more so. She’s got this flaming red hair that surrounds her dainty features like a crown. They’re dressed similar to me, but I suddenly feel very inadequate—and kind of like I need to go have a makeover.
“Yeah,” I answer, surprised. They clearly know who I am, meaning that Ryder's been talking about me. That kind of thrills me but makes me uneasy, too.
“I'm Mary. This is Kage,” she says, hooking a thumb at the redhead. Instantly, I like them both. They have kind smiles and a welcoming presence that I appreciate.
“How'd you end up with someone so obviously out of your league, Ryder?” Kage asks Ryder, making him laugh as he hugs me to his side.
It sends a thrill through my body. I never thought someone would be so proud to be with me. Ryder is open with the PDA, and I'm starting to really enjoy it.
“She took pity on me,” Ryder says while I blush.
Ryder turns me with him as two men walk up. Geez. What is in the water here? These men are hot with a capital H. One is older, dusty brown hair that’s a little longer than fashionable with the haircut he’s rocking, but it looks really good on him. The other is a tall, built Black man that looks like he belongs on the cover of GQ.