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“You know you’re extremely embarrassing, right?” I mutter to dad as he checks on his dinner in the oven.
He doesn’t offer a response, other than a grunt of acknowledgement.
The conversation flows easily after his approval. They bro out so badly it makes me want to barf, but I secretly love it too. When Jaxton tells him he has four brothers, Dad practically spits with excitement. They’re acting like we’re already married and literally family. The images of an amazing future reel rapidly as we laugh throughout the night. He blends seamlessly in with our dynamic, sharing stories of his youth, and the troubles he and his brothers concocted around the house.
After a few hours, we say our goodbye’s well into the night—dad exchanging numbers with Jaxton to take part in a ‘guys’ day.
“Love you, dad.” I kiss his cheek as he waves us away for the night.
“Night, sweetheart. You get my girl home safely, son.” He nods to Jaxton, as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders.
“She’s always safe with me, sir,” Jaxton vows, causing my heart to flutter and my eyes to roll at the same time.These two are going to need a room.And like the southern gentleman that he is, he holds my door open until I’m safely inside, before making his way around to the other side.
We’re backing down the drive when Jaxton starts in. “It looks like your dad loves me already, Kitten. Now you’ll never escape—he’ll take my side on everything.” His chuckle is pure evil.
I turn toward him, so he sees my serious face. “Did you orchestrate this to gain my father’s favor, sir?” My voice takes on a southern drawl, and my lashes flutter like butterfly wings.
There’s a pause before both of us are crowing. “Not orchestrated, but on my best behavior, because he’s great.”
It’s nice to see they enjoy each other’s company. “He likes you too. He loves to visit, so you’ve just marked yourself on his weekly call list.”
Jaxton shrugs, not minding one bit. “I’m sure we’ll visit again soon, so it’ll be good to keep in touch.” His right hand leaves the steering wheel and grips my thigh.
The electric shock is instant, thickening my voice when I ask, “Are you staying over again tonight?” I weave a silent plea with the words, desperate, and wonton. The little she-devil on my shoulder has turned into a complete hussy, constantly looking for her next fix.
Jaxton pulls down the driveway and parks before turning towards me, nostrils flaring. “I promised Liam we’d kick it, since we’ll be able to Skype with the rest of the family tonight.” Regret shines brightly back, reflecting as fiercely as the desire. “But if you want me to tell him to go fuck himself and stay over with you, I’m completely on board.” He grips my neck and slams his lips against mine.
The eccentric kiss bubbles a giggle between our lips, and before he pulls away, his laugh meets mine. “No.” The biggest one-word whine that’s ever passed these lips slips out. “Family is important. You don’t get to see your brothers enough—I don’t want you to miss your call. Plus, I’ve hogged all your time, and you’ve barely seen Liam since you’ve been here. Go have a good night with them.”
His lower lip pouts, which is just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen him do. “But I want Kitten time.” He slips both our seatbelts and starts nuzzling my neck, tickling the sensitive spot below my ear, drawing another giggle.
“No, Kitten time. Family time.” I object, trying to find the strength to push him away.
“You’re family time too, Kitten.” He nips my lips, his golden orbs colliding with my ocean blues. “Don’t you ever forget that.” He pecks me once more before hopping out and helping me from the car.
His casual admission rocks my entire world. From the moment we met, there’s been thisconnectionthat’s unexplainable. Each time it’s validated or reciprocated, my stomach drops. “I won’t. The same goes both ways, you know.”
“Love you, baby.” He whispers, takes the keys from me, and unlocks the door. He grips my hips and tucks me safely inside the living room. “Now, tell me you love me, and lock the door after I’m gone.”
“Love you, too. Now, go see your brother, and tell him I’m sorry for hogging you.”
He closes the gap between us, snagging the back of my neck in his grip, and bringing our lips a breath apart. “You can have me all to yourself any time you choose, baby. Love you. Get some rest.” One more quick kiss and he’s off, refusing to back out until I close the door.
When the giant wood door separates us, the fatigue hits. The day was eventful and long, and I want nothing more than my pjs, and bed. The change into my night gear is as quick as Clark Kent in a phone booth, turning into Superman. Only I’m the couch-bum version.
Now that the lounge gear is in place, I go for a late-night snack, flicking the fridge open to investigate. Of course, there’s nothing worth snagging, so I end up eating a banana over the garbage. As I’m turning back to my room, the flowers catch my attention, reminding me I never read the card or told Jaxton thank you. Rolling my eyes, I snag the little rectangle and pop it free of the envelope.
Roses are red, violets are blue, you’re not going to survive what I do to you.
Heat flares, wishing that he’d stayed over, but not wanting to be one ofthosegirls, and monopolize his time. Which is fine because fatigue weighs heavily, so I crawl under my covers and send him a thank you text.
Only the doorbell rings, dropping flutters of anticipation into my stomach. My heart leaps in my chest, excited that Jaxton returned. Excited, I hop up to answer the door, tossing my cell to the side for the real thing.
A quick sprint to the living room has the door flinging open, a giant smile plastered to my face. “I knew you couldn’t lea…” The words trail off. There’s no one there, but another bouquet of white roses.
Goosebumps skitter across my skin as I step onto the porch, sensing a change in the atmosphere. I pick up the flowers and grunt as a thorn immediately stabs my finger, then another. “Ow, shit!” Flipping the flowers to hold them from the petals, I check the wounds, realizing they’ve stabbed me repeatedly. Blood trickles from several areas, smearing crimson across ivory. Another bloody bouquet—and this one comes with a creepy sensation that’s crawling across my skin, screaming for me to run.
And I’m just about to heed the warning when a familiar voice chimes, “Roses are red, violets are blue, you took him from me. Now I’m coming for you.”
