Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I roll my eyes as I bring my phone up to text him.
Me: Smile.
I watch as he digs his phone out, and then I see his brows come in. He looks around, his eyes searching for me, but I know he wouldn’t be able to see me all the way from across the square. Plus, a fountain is blocking his view and is currently spurting orange water because Tennesseans tend to be a bit over the top when it comes to winning. I can see the frustration on his face when he can’t find me before the text comes back.
Riggs: No. I want you by me. Your hand in mine. I want people to know that you are mine.
I feel as if electricity is running through my body at his words. He is so intense, and I adore that about him.
Me: It’s better we wait till after the wedding.
Riggs: I have regrets about suggesting that.
Me: And I have regrets about agreeing, but it’ll be all good. I’ll just stand to the side and ogle you until you’re able to slip away.
Riggs: What am I slipping away for?
Me: To ravish me against the nearest surface. You look so damn good today.
I glance over at him, and I can’t help my smile at how his cheeks fill with color. He looks so bashful, so damn cute. So in love.
God, I love him.
Riggs: Where are you?
Me: Look ahead. By the fountain.
I look up just as he does, and when we lock eyes, my heart stops dead in my chest. His eyes are intense, shamelessly focused on mine. When he looks at me like that, like I’m the prey and he’s the hunter, I feel like an exposed nerve. Like one touch and I’ll explode. I lick my lips as my phone sounds in my hand.
Riggs: I want to eat you up, my love.
Me: I rather love when you eat me, snookums.
I hear his deep, rough laughter, and when I look back up, everyone is looking at him like he’s lost his damn mind. His laughter always makes me hot, but watching others react to his amusement as if he’s grown six heads makes giggles bubble out of me. I love who he is with me. Before I can write him back, Louisa wraps her arms around my waist. I lean back into her, cupping her wrist with my free hand as Austen wraps us both in a tight hug. I press my cheek to hers, inhaling her sweet, floral scent. Austen has always been so classically beautiful, with her little button nose and long brown hair. She reminds me of an elf from Lord of the Rings with her sharp cheekbones and stunning blue eyes.
Louisa used to mirror Austen’s looks, but over the years, she’s smoothed out, gained the weight she needed, and now she’s all curves and softness. Being in their arms is like being taken back to when I was six and there was a storm that scared me to my core. I fully expect to be hit by the bad memories of my childhood, but thankfully, all I feel is the love my sisters give me.
“Why are you over here by yourself?” Austen whispers against my temple.
“We are telling Peepaw after the wedding. We didn’t want today or the wedding to have any drama if he decides to pull his regular shit,” I explain, and Louisa lets out an exasperated sigh.
“I don’t like that. I want you to be happy—don’t worry about me.” She smiles. Though, I shake my head.
“No. I won’t allow anything to ruin your day.” As much as I hate the thought of going to my sister’s wedding without Riggs at my side, I will do it for her. “We can wait.”
She waves me off. “No. You’ve waited enough. I can tell how badly you want everyone to know.”
I smile shyly. “Yeah.”
Austen chucks my chin. “Love looks good on you, sissy.”
My grin grows as a pair of huge arms wrap around Austen’s waist, pulling her away. Dimitri Titov stands like a thick wall behind my sister, all gorgeous with his Top Gun mustache and blazing light-blue eyes. Eyes that are only for my sister. He kisses Austen’s cheek loudly before whispering in her ear in Russian.
He may not realize I can hear him. But one thing is for sure—I’d rather not hear my sister’s boyfriend tell her that his cock is weeping for her.
Instead, I wish it were Riggs telling me that.
I glance up to look for him, but I don’t see him. My heart falls a bit, but then Elliot and Eliza come to stand with us. “Alex says he’ll meet Ciaran at the venue tomorrow to help with the arch. I would help, but I feel like this kid is trying to escape through my belly button.”