Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 155037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 517(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 517(@300wpm)
Hmm.
She grabbed the last mimosa and headed outside
Remy couldn’t believe that Loki had invited him to come here.
He kind of felt like he’d been let out of jail, but didn’t want to make a wrong move for fear of being sent back.
Not the best analogy . . . but you got the idea.
First, Loki opened up to him at the Wishing Well. Now the two of them were sitting in silence having a drink. He could only have one more and still drive.
But he wouldn’t have this any other way.
Only problem is while he might like the silence, he got the feeling that Loki wasn’t used to it. The other man was shifting around on his chair as though he couldn’t get comfortable. Or had excess energy. Remy heard some cars approach and fully expected Loki to get up and leave him here to talk to Isa’s friends’ men.
But he stayed where he was.
Interesting.
“So, um, you like sports?” Loki asked.
“Ice hockey.”
“Yeah? Fuck, me too. You ever play?”
“Nah.” There hadn’t been much of an opportunity for him to play sports growing up. He’d always been too busy helping Pa on the ranch. “You?”
“Fuck, yeah. Or I used to. Mostly I just go out with the guys now.”
Remy wondered if he wanted to go back to playing. “Why is that?”
Loki shrugged. “Contact sport. Don’t trust myself if someone knocks into me that I won’t have a flashback or go off.”
“The flashbacks happen often?”
“Not anymore. That one the other night was the first one in probably a few months. The nightmares are more frequent. I often wake Isa up, but I don’t like her to come in. I’m scared that I’ll hurt her.”
Remy nodded. “You’ve taken good care of her.”
“She’s everything to me.”
“I just want to supplement that, never replace it.”
Loki let out a deep breath. “Thanks. Appreciate you saying that.”
“I get you don’t know me well, but you want to talk. I’m here. Anytime.”
Loki shot him a glance and nodded, but didn’t say anything.
That was fine with Remy. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
The back door opened and a small figure stepped out. “Do you guys mind some company?”
“Like you have to ask,” Loki replied.
She moved over to him and Remy frowned. “Uh-uh, get your ass inside and try again.”
They both froze, staring over at him. Loki let out a warning noise, but he wasn’t backing down. Not on this. And Isa should know better.
“No jacket. No socks. Get back inside. Get them both. And a blanket.”
“Oh, drat! I forgot.”
“Not an excuse, Princess,” he told her in a low voice.
“Here, you go sit with Mr. Gruff and Grumpy and I’ll get your stuff.” Loki stood and picked her up.
Before placing her in his lap.
And that was when the tension inside Remy finally started to loosen. When he started to really have hope of this working.
He wrapped his arms around Isa. “You just broke the rules, baby. Do you know what that means?”
“Umm.”
“It means that you’re getting your butt spanked.”
36
It means you’re getting your butt spanked.
“I don’t think that’s fair!” she said.
“Really?” Remy drawled as he held her close to his firm chest. Damn, he ran hot. It was like sitting on a giant heating pad. Even his hands, which were covering her bare feet, were warm. “Considering how often I’ve warned you, I think it’s more than fair.”
“Rude.”
“What’s rude?” Loki asked, walking out carrying a hoodie, blanket, and fluffy socks.
The hoodie was one of his that she’d commandeered.
That was something best friends were allowed to do.
“Remy thinks he gets to spank me for forgetting to wear my jacket.” She pouted, certain that Loki would take her side.
“Well, it is a rule,” Loki said. “And you broke it.”
“It was just an itty-bitty rule. Not an important one.”
“All of the rules are important, baby girl,” Remy told her in a low grumble as he took her mimosa and set it down so he could help her put the hoodie on.
Loki slid the socks onto her feet.
Oh, that was so much better.
The blanket over her wasn’t really needed, but it was nice to be all snuggly under it with Remy.
He was sitting on the large oversized loveseat that she was certain could hold all three of them.
So when Loki stood, she reached out and grabbed his hand. “Sit with us?”
“Tink, I don’t know if that seat can take all three of us.”
“Seems sturdy enough to me,” Remy replied.
“Please,” she begged.
Loki shrugged and sat down. She pulled the blanket over him as well.
“You’re not going to spank me right now, though, right? Because it’s cold and so I shouldn’t really bare my butt.”
“Pretty sure I can manage to spank it while keeping you warm,” Remy replied.
He spun her around until she was lying over both of their laps. Her hips were over Remy’s lap, the blanket over her legs. While her head landed in Loki’s lap.