Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 37854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Max reached out for his cell phone, which lay on his desk. He opened it up, going to his pictures and clicking on the last one he’d taken.
It was of Dylan and Raine, asleep in his bed.
This was the perfect picture.
The one he’d taken in private, knowing he was going to constantly look at it because there was just no way he couldn’t.
Raine looked so peaceful in sleep, as did Dylan. They were his, and he would protect them, even if it meant protecting them from himself.
****
Dylan arrived at the house to hear the spooky sounds of Halloween music coming from upstairs.
After dealing with Max, he needed to get home to see Raine.
He put his briefcase in the office and went to find her. She was in her sewing room, looking over Lake’s shoulder as the young girl fed something into the sewing machine. Glancing around the room, he saw a load of little fabric pumpkins with images attached to them.
“I got it. I got it,” Lake said. She pulled out the piece of fabric and held it up.
Raine smiled. “You sure did, pumpkin.”
Dylan cleared his throat.
“Uncle Dylan!” Lake threw herself at him and then held up the piece of fabric she’d been working on. “Look, look, look. It’s a spooky house.”
“This is amazing,” Dylan said.
“She is learning how to applique.”
“Now that sounds real complicated.” Dylan kissed Lake’s cheek.
“It’s fun,” Lake said.
He adored this little girl, and he knew deep down, Max did as well. The biggest problem with his best friend was that the guy was so fucking stubborn.
“Right, I think it is time for some homework though,” Raine said.
Lake groaned. “Homework is boring.”
“I agree, but you know what comes after homework, right?”
Lake shook her head.
“The best cookies in the world.”
The little girl let out a giant squeal, but from the look on Raine’s face, he had made a big boo-boo.
“Go and get your work, sweetheart. Take it to the table,” Raine said.
“Did I do something wrong?” he asked.
“Besides teaching her to have dessert before dinner?”
He moved to Raine, pulling her into his arms. “But dessert is so good. No one can resist.”
With Lake not around, he took possession of Raine’s lips, feeling her melt against him.
“You don’t play fair.”
“I don’t even know what fair is.” He nipped at her lips. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. How is … Max?”
He sighed. “He’s doing good, but I do think it’s time for you and I to have a little talk.”
“Oh,” she said.
“Don’t do that. Don’t worry. I just … I wouldn’t have done this before, but I think you need to understand him.”
“I’ll go and make some coffee and get Lake settled,” Raine said.
Dylan reluctantly let her go. He did take the few seconds he could to admire her ass. She had such a sexy ass.
Be good.
Max had forced him into this. He knew his best friend. There was no doubt in his mind Max was in love with Raine. Probably had been from the first moment he met her.
Raine ticked every single one of Max’s boxes. She was sexy, fun, smart, kind, loving, not to mention creative. All of Max’s life, he’d been drawn to the clinical, to rules, to labels, to doing everything by the book.
The one piece of true Max in the office was the fabric coaster Raine had made him. That told Dylan all he needed to know.
He found Lake at the top of the stairs and took the bag from her, offering her his hand. They arrived in the dining room where Raine already had a small plate of homemade cookies waiting with what looked like chocolate milk.
This woman was a miracle worker. If he had her growing up, he would’ve found so many reasons to study.
He sat at the table and watched as Raine helped Lake through some of her homework.
“Are you sure you’re okay to do these while I talk to Uncle Dylan?” Raine asked.
“Yes.” Lake had a big smile on her face. She was such a good kid.
Raine nodded at him, and he followed her into the kitchen.
“Anyone tell you that you’re good with kids?” he asked.
“All of my previous employees. Do you want a coffee?”
“I’d love one.”
She rounded the counter and Dylan watched her. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Max isn’t like anyone I’ve ever met before,” he said.
Raine paused, grabbing a cup from the top shelf and turning to look at him. “What?”
“Max has always been a little different. He doesn’t … feel things most of the time.” He groaned. “I wanted to try to explain it to you in a way that will make sense. Max doesn’t regret what happened the other night.”
Raine put the cup down and moved closer to him. “Dylan, he hasn’t said a single word to me.”
“And there’s a reason for that,” he said. “He is afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. Like I said, he’s not programmed like … us.” He sighed. “I know this doesn’t make a lot of sense. Look around you. He’s a successful businessman. He can read people easily and knows when he’s getting a bad deal, but when it comes to matters of the heart, he’s like a stone. He doesn’t know how to voice his feelings or even how to show it.”