Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
There was a pause.
“Um, well, I have my older sister, but she lives in Louisiana with her husband. But other than her, pretty much all males. And I have seven male cousins—at least who live here in Madison.”
Seven, huh?
“And uncles? And aunts?” I added the last word just so it didn’t seem like I was focused on the males.
“Six uncles and two aunts.”
Two aunts? Were the others divorced or just single?
I wasn’t going to keep prying. It would get weird. But the niggling that I was missing a vital piece of information was there.
“Big family,” I said.
She let out a short laugh. “Yeah. You could say that. What about you? A big family?”
Not like that, I didn’t.
“Older sister—married, two kids. Older brother—married, one kid. Older brother—divorced, no kids. Mom was an only child, and her parents are dead. Dad had one brother, but he lives in California. Only met him, like, twice in my life.”
“You’re the baby of four. I didn’t peg you for a youngest child.”
I grinned. “And why is that?”
“Because you’re so responsible.”
I looked down at my cock that I needed to put away. “Really? You sure about that?”
A soft laugh came over the line that I wished I could record to listen to whenever I wanted. “Responsible and having a sex drive are two different things.”
Maybe. But right now, I was happy. And I couldn’t remember feeling like this in a very long time.
A small voice in my head taunted, You’ve never felt like this.
I shoved that thought away. I wasn’t going to accept that. Because I had. Sex hadn’t been a part of it, but I had been happy with Delana.
“My eyes are getting heavy. I need to get some sleep. Good night, Jude.”
“Good night, Dimples.”
Nineteen
Saylor
By the time Gathe dropped me off outside the clothes closet, it was after two, and I was annoyed. Car shopping had been a battle with Dad, and when we agreed on one, I was then informed it had to be equipped with some extras before I could have it. Meaning Dad was having bulletproof windows and God knew what else added. The tracker was a given, but those were a fast addition. The windows, not so much.
I hadn’t finished yesterday’s list of things to do in my binder due to the tornado, and now, we had cleanup to do at the church. The large debris had been hauled away already, and so had the sign that would need to be replaced. The street in front of us was also cleaned up from all the mess, and dumpsters were outside several businesses as they cleaned out the things that had been damaged.
None of that, however, was why I was annoyed.
I had woken up, anxious to get here. Anxious to see Jude. Last night had been so unexpected. Phone sex with him was great, but we also talked. I’d found out about his family. I felt as if he was opening up to me more and letting me in.
I put my bag of things I had brought with me on the counter, then decided to go find Jude. See if there was anything he needed help with. Possibly something that kept me close to him instead of all the way over here. I did need to get things sorted here, too, before we opened back up tomorrow, but seeing Jude ranked above everything else.
Before I could reach the door, it opened, and the object of my obsession walked inside. The faded jeans that hung on his hips, held up by a work belt with tools in it; his beaten-up leather work boots; and the navy-blue T-shirt he had on, its sleeves fitting tight around his biceps, took any words that I might have said and sent them flying out the window. Forgotten.
“Hey,” he said, letting the door close behind him, then reaching to lock the bolt.
Why was he locking it?
Don’t start getting all tingly between your legs, Saylor. He isn’t coming in here to bend you over the counter and fuck you. Oh, but what if he did?
“Hey.” My reply came out too raspy. I cleared my throat.
“Saw you got dropped off. No car?”
Had he been watching for me? The idea made me warm.
“I found one after much debate with Dad, but he wanted to have some things added to it first.”
His brows drew together. “Things?”
My gaze started drifting down his wide shoulders, stretching the cotton material of his shirt. If he lifted his arms, a slice of his abs would show since those jeans hung so low.
“Saylor?”
My name snapped my eyes back up to meet his. “Oh, sorry. What?”
A crooked grin curled his lips. “I asked what things you were getting added.”
I scrunched my nose. “Dumb things. Not important.” My eyes dropped back to his shirt again, then lower.
“What kind of car did you get?” he asked as he moved closer.