Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
“Did you always want to have a big family?” he asked.
“Yeah, I did. I guess it’s why Christmas is so hard for me right now. I don’t have a lot of family. I don’t have anything but this bar. I’d always hoped to have a big family. It gets a little too lonely on my own.”
Rebel glanced down at Willow and saw that her eyes were closing. She was falling asleep. He didn’t want to wake her, but he did want to hear more. “You want a big family?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’d love a big family.” There was a small, tired giggle. “Like your club. Do you think they’d love to have a place like this? I could cook them a big dinner and then I wouldn’t have to make myself feel so sick about how much food I make.”
He didn’t get anything else out of her because in the next second, Willow had fallen fast asleep. Rebel waited for the annoyance or the fear to come clawing at him. Nothing happened.
He kissed Willow’s head and kept his arm around her, waiting, expecting, but nothing happened. Willow stayed curled up against his side, and her warmth soothed him.
Rebel had never slept with anyone in his bed. He always believed it was because of the years he spent being forced to share a bed as a kid. When it came to women, he always kept his distance, but with Willow, he had broken a lot of his own rules.
He kept pursuing her even when she didn’t show any interest in him. It had taken time for him to realize that Willow liked his company. She even looked forward to his arrival every Friday night. The truth was, he didn’t want to just wait until Friday.
The club—his brothers, his men—all wanted to know when they would get to meet this woman that had stolen his heart. The guy who asked him had gotten a punch to the face, but they had all laughed it off.
Willow had stolen his heart. She just didn’t realize it. If what she said was true in her exhausted words, then he could call his boys.
He didn’t want to leave the bed, or Willow’s warm embrace, but he slowly slid out and immediately missed the feel of her surrounding him. For several seconds, he stared down at Willow. He just didn’t want to leave her alone.
He went in search of his pants and grabbed his cell phone. Bringing up his VP’s name, he pressed the dial button and waited. Rebel knew it was a long shot, but after a few minutes, Brick finally answered.
“What’s up, Prez?”
“I want you guys, all of you, at Storm’s bar, by New Year.”
“Really? We’re going to meet the chick you’ve been falling for?”
“Just be here!”
He hung up his cell phone, shook his head, and then climbed back into bed. It didn’t matter if Willow didn’t mean it now. The guys were coming and he’d get to see just how serious she was about the two of them.
There was no turning back now. Only forward.
****
Willow woke up to the sun shining through the curtains and a delightful soreness to her body that suggested she had a very good night.
At the feel of the naked man beside her, the memories of the previous night came flooding back. She opened her eyes and looked up to find Rebel still asleep. He looked so peaceful. The blanket had fallen away and she pulled it back up and over him, because he felt a little cold to the touch.
Rebel was in her bed. She had sex with him multiple times, and she hadn’t gotten to bed until nearly seven in the morning on Christmas Day.
Willow sat up and then groaned. It was close to one in the afternoon. The bar was always closed on Christmas. It was one of the few days she took as her own. She didn’t have a problem with Rebel being her present.
She breathed him in. He smelled of her soap and his underlying manliness, she couldn’t quite put her finger on what the scent was. For several minutes she allowed herself the pleasure of just being in his arms, but then her need for the toilet started to call, and of course, some coffee. Slowly, so as not to wake him, she slid out of bed and made her way toward the bathroom.
She used the toilet, washed her hands, and took a quick glance at her reflection. She was completely naked, but she didn’t mind that. Her hair was all over the place as if it had a life of its own. She never wore makeup and in that moment she was grateful, otherwise, trying to clean up the mess would have been a lot more work. So, she grabbed her toothbrush and worked at her teeth, swilling with mouthwash after she was finished.