Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“How are you doing, big guy?” Palmer asks. You can hear the amusement in her voice.
“Good,” Brooks grits.
“You sure, brother?” Orrin asks. He has a look of horror on his face.
“Yep.”
“You can tap out,” Declan tells him.
“Hell with that,” Ryder speaks up. “Crank it up to ten, Palmer.”
“I vote for ten too,” Maverick cackles.
“I’m in for ten,” Merrick adds.
“Damn,” Rushton mutters. “We totally should have bet on how far we thought he would go.”
“Shit, that would have been a good idea,” Archer tells him. “For what it’s worth, I think he can take ten.”
“Thanks.” Brooks breathes heavily.
“I’d have put money on ten,” Sterling speaks up from his spot beside me.
“No way,” I whisper to him. “He’s going to lose his shit if she goes any higher.”
Sterling looks over at me and winks. “I know.”
Something inside me settles. This is us. It’s who we are. We confide in one another and tease each other, and that’s something that I cherish about our relationship.
“Sorry, B,” Deacon says with regret in his tone. “I think you’re at your max.”
“Give me ten, Palmer,” Brooks says. His jaw is tight, and he called Palmer by her first name, something he almost never does. It’s “wife” or “beautiful” since they were married. He’s in pain, and I feel sorry for the guy.
“He looks miserable,” I tell Sterling.
“He does,” he agrees.
“Palmer.” Brooks drops her name like a warning.
“Are you sure?” she asks him. The glee is no longer shining on her face as she bites on her bottom lip.
“Do it.”
“Here goes nothing.” She taps at the screen, and Brooks cries out.
“Fuck!” He rolls to his side and curls into a ball, then lies back on his back and then back to his side. He rolls off the lounger onto the soft grass. The guys are laughing, all of them except for Orrin and Declan. There’s fear in their eyes as if their wives are going to make them Palmer’s next victim.
“Son of a motherfucker!” Brooks screams.
“I’m not even sure he knows what he’s saying at this point.” Merrick laughs.
“Fuck off, Mer.” Brooks manages to glare at his brother.
“That’s enough.” Palmer taps the screen, and Brooks falls to his back in the grass. He’s breathing heavily as he rips at the leads on his abs. “That thing is the devil.” He tosses the leads away from him.
“That’s not even the full effect of labor,” Palmer reminds him.
“I love you for doing this for our baby girl,” he tells his wife.
I watch as Palmer melts before my eyes. She’s all tough and fun until it comes to her husband. Brooks makes her soft. He brings out that side of her. They’re perfect for each other.
“I’m sorry I hurt you,” she tells him.
“It’s all good, beautiful.” Brooks moves to sit next to her on the lounger and pulls her to his side.
“Any takers?” Palmer asks.
“Uh, that'd be a no.” Archer shakes his head.
“Fuck no,” Rushton chimes in.
“Pussies,” Brooks taunts.
“I’m going to have to let that one fly this time,” Merrick tells his older brother. “That looked painful as shit.”
“It wasn’t exactly a picnic,” Brooks tells him.
“Well, ladies, I bow down to you,” Sterling says.
“What he said.” Ryder nods toward Sterling. “I don’t want any part of that.”
“You couldn’t handle it,” Ramsey teases.
“I’m not disputing that,” Ryder tells her. He looks over at Jordyn and grins. “That gives all-new meaning to me telling you that your body is amazing.” He winks.
Jordyn covers her face with her hands, but not before we see a blush color her cheeks. Her shoulders shake with silent laughter, and I find myself grinning. It’s a good thing she likes him already. That comment might have gotten him slapped otherwise. We know what he meant. A woman’s body is incredible for being able to grow a human, but he probably shouldn’t have embarrassed her like that with his double meaning.
“I’m starving.” Archer changes the subject.
“What are you making us?” Kennedy asks him.
“After seeing that?” Archer asks. “You can have whatever in the hell you want.” We all laugh.
“Let’s go out to dinner tonight,” Ramsey suggests. “My treat. We needed this.” She nods at Deacon. “Stressing about the wedding even though it’s all set has been a lot. It’s been nice to be with everyone and just hang out. So, yeah, dinner on me.”
“We can go out,” Sterling tells her, “but you’re not buying.”
“I want to. You’re my family. You saved me. Gave me a safe place to land and folded me into your lives with ease. I can afford to do this. Let me. Please.”
“You know there’s no point in arguing with her. She’ll just find some other way to do it if you don’t agree,” Deacon tells us.
Sterling nods and the others do as well. “Yes!” Ramsey stands and pulls Deacon to his feet. “We leave in thirty,” she calls over her shoulder as they head for the house.