Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
“Fuck it,” I growled as I cupped her face and kissed her again. When I drew back, I dropped my forehead to hers. “Night, Kip.”
“Open the door, Hunter,” Jack said in my ear.
Turning, I grabbed the knob and turned it. The door opened, and Kipton nearly ran out before climbing into the car. When I shut the door, I stared at it for a minute before I shook off the emptiness I felt at her leaving.
Back in the living room, I went to the cooler, grabbed a beer, and started for my bedroom. I didn’t give two shits about the recap. When I stepped inside, I turned and looked at the camera aimed at the room. I smiled, then shut the door.
“And we’re out,” Jack said. “Production, fill in our extra few minutes with bonus footage about Friday night’s show.”
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. “Hunter?”
I rolled my eyes and sighed before I said, “Give me at least five minutes, will you, Jack?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
KIPTON
My entire body tingled as the limo drove me back to Brock and Lincoln’s house. I wasn’t sure if Jack had the cameras rolling in here or not, but I knew if it was up to Travis, they would be. The second the car came to a stop, I burst out the door and up to the safety of the house. The front door opened just as I got there, and I nearly dove inside.
Once it shut, I stood in the foyer, covered my face in my hands, and cried.
Warm arms wrapped around me and guided me through the house. “Brock, make her some tea.” Lincoln sat down on the sofa, bringing me with her. “Why are you crying, sweetheart?”
I shook my head.
She kept her arms around me, rocking us gently. The movement caused a memory to come to mind. Another time when I’d been crying, and my mother—my biological mother, Carol—was holding me and rocking just like Lincoln.
“Shhh, Kip. It’s okay, angel. It’s okay.”
The memory of my mother using the same endearment as Hunter caused me to cry harder. Of all the times to have a memory of my mother, why now?
“It’s okay, darling. It’s all going to be okay.”
The sound of Brock coming into the room and setting down a mug made me drop my hands to my lap and hiccup before I said, “We kissed.”
“We saw,” Lincoln said. Brock nodded as he sat beside his wife.
Eyeing her, I muttered, “He’s going to be so mad that you watched.”
With a soft smile, she took my hand in hers. “I don’t think so. Not tonight.”
I wiped a tear away and drew in a shaky breath. “It was like everyone simply faded away, and it was just the two of us. Jack had to say something for us to break apart. Now everyone’s going to know.”
“So what if they do,” Lincoln stated. “Kipton, have you stopped for a moment and wondered why the audience voted to have you go on a date with Hunter to begin with?”
I shook my head.
“They saw the chemistry between the two of you. Go back and look at some of the episodes, and you’ll see the way my son looks at you, and you at him.”
I blinked a few times, surprised, even if I shouldn’t have been. “Really?”
Brock smiled. “Love is a crazy thing, and it’s pretty damn clear you two are head over heels for each other. Millions of people watching you two were bound to see it, as well.”
Lincoln put her hand to her chest. “The way that boy looked at you tonight…my goodness.” Her eyes moved to Brock, then back to me. “It brought back memories of when his father first looked at me that way.”
“But the show—” I started.
“The Truth Booth is on!” Rose said as she burst into the house with Lily on her heels.
“Holy crap, the way he looked at you before he said, ‘fuck it’ and kissed you again!” Lily declared with a dreamy look on her face.
“Lily, language,” Timberlynn said, appearing in the living room, Tanner holding her hand. I could only guess Brock texted for reinforcements.
Turning to glance at her parents, she said, “I’m only repeating what Hunter said.”
Timberlynn winked at me as she sat down across from us. “It was rather romantic.”
“That’s because he’s a Shaw,” Tanner said, his expression smug. “It’s in our blood.”
Timberlynn and Lincoln both snort-laughed.
“Are you saying I’m not romantic?” Tanner asked his wife.
“I’m not saying that at all. In fact, I’ll say that the boys have had excellent role models for the way to treat a woman.”
“Hear, hear!” Lincoln stated.
“Shhh! He’s on!” Lily cried out.
Rose had synced her laptop to the living room TV, and when Hunter appeared, looking as handsome as ever, I felt my breath catch in my chest.
He nodded his head, looked at the camera…and then smiled that same Cheshire grin Rose had. “I don’t think I’m going to kiss and tell this time. Sorry, folks. But I will say this—I get to pick the next movie, Kip.”