Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“I know,” Birdie says with a little shimmy in her seat. “We’re going to have so much fun.”
“And I’ll see you on Sunday.”
“Okay.” She’s not concerned at all, and I love that my girl doesn’t get separation anxiety when it comes to being away from me.
After parking in the lot, I walk Birdie over to the sidewalk where teachers are greeting kids.
“I’ll see you Sunday,” I say as I squat down to hug my daughter. “Be good and have fun, okay?”
“Okay.” She kisses my cheek. “Bye, Daddy.”
And with that, she rushes inside of the school, and as I stand, my eyes lock on Dani.
She’s in khaki pants today that hug her curves, and a navy blue button-down top that shouldn’t be provocative at all, yet, I want to strip her out of it and have my way with her.
“Good morning,” she says as I approach.
“Good morning.” I reach out and tuck her hair behind her ear. I want to kiss her and pull her in for a hug, but she already set the boundary of no affection at work, and I won’t cross it. “So, Bee is picking Birdie up from school today. I wanted to give you a heads-up. She’s already listed with the office.”
“Oh, thanks for letting me know. You must have to work?” She chews on her lip and frowns. “Not that it’s any of my business.”
“No work,” I reply easily. “I have a date.”
She blinks, and hurt moves into her eyes, and I feel like a giant asshole.
“Oh, how nice. Have fun.”
“No.” I step closer to her. “Sorry, that was a really bad way of saying, I’d like to take you out on a date.”
She swallows, licks her lips, and then glances up at me. I hate that she still gets so nervous around me, so apprehensive.
I want her to trust me.
“What time were you thinking?” she asks, trying to keep her voice casual.
“Seven. I’d like to take you to dinner.”
“You would?”
I can’t help but feel a mixture of humor and frustration. “Why wouldn’t I, Dani?”
“For a whole host of reasons.” She blows out a breath. “Yeah, dinner at seven sounds good. Casual?”
“I was thinking pizza or BBQ. Are you craving anything?”
“Pizza sounds good, actually.”
“Pizza at seven, then.”
“We can just order it in, if that’s easier for you.”
God, I want to touch her. We’re going to have to talk about this rule of hers. “No. It’s not easier for me. I want to take you out to dinner, Dani. Seven o’clock.”
“See you later.”
I wink at her and then return to my truck. I have flowers to buy, and I need to make a phone call.
The phone rings through my speakers, and Holden answers on the second ring.
“Hey, man,” he says.
“Hey, are you busy right now?”
“I’m just working on some paperwork in my office. What’s up?”
I clear my throat. “The office at your barn at the ranch? Can I pop out there?”
“Sure. Door’s open.”
He ends the call, and I head out of town, toward the Lexington ranch. Holden inherited it after their dad died earlier this year. One of the first things he did was have me and my guys come out and burn every building to the ground to purge the property of his bastard of a father. It was a great training exercise for my guys, and as the flames destroyed everything, I could almost see the weight lift off my friend’s shoulders.
I’m glad that I could be there for him and help with that.
I also wonder if Dani’s been out to her family’s property since she and her sisters collected whatever they wanted from the farmhouse.
It’s a twenty-minute drive to the turnoff that leads me to the barn, and I park next to Holden’s truck, then hop out and walk inside, finding my friend in his office.
“Hey.” I grin and lean against the wall opposite him since he’s in the only chair in the room. “How’s Millie?”
“Fucking gorgeous and perfect in every way,” he answers and then narrows his eyes at me. “What’s going on? Is someone dead?”
I might be, if this goes poorly.
“I need to have a conversation with you about Dani.”
Holden stands and crosses his arms over his chest. “What about her?”
“I’m taking her out on a date tonight.”
A muscle clenches in his jaw. “Why?”
“Why?” I scoff at that and push my hands through my hair. “Because she’s amazing. Because she’s funny and beautiful, and I want to see her. I want to date her, actually.”
Holden’s sigh is loud and full of frustration. “What else do you plan to do to my sister?”
“I don’t think you want me to answer that question, man.”
“Fucking hell.” Holden paces away, hands on his hips, and then turns back to me. “You hurt her, I end you.”
“Obviously.”
“No, that’s not an idle threat. My girls have been to hell and back, and nothing is ever going to hurt them again. So if you so much as look at her sideways, I’m coming for you, and I don’t give a rat’s ass if you’re my best fucking friend.”