Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 118693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
“Damn, I love your kisses,” Finn said as he gazed into my eyes.
“I love yours.”
He winked and turned around again. “Jump on—I’m starving!”
I hopped onto his back and ducked when he slipped out of the large tent.
“Oh wow!” I gasped as I took in the site around me. “It’s beautiful here.”
“It wasn’t a bad place to grow up, that’s for sure.”
“I wish I could remember when we were little. My mother said you had a crush on me.”
Finn tickled my foot, and I let out a scream. “I had the crush? I’m pretty sure it was the other way around.”
Leaning in closer, I placed my mouth near his ear. “Aren’t you the one who declared to my father you were going to marry me?”
With a laugh, Finn nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. But hey, I was a smart kid. Knew something special when I saw it.”
My heart felt like it tore a bit as I held on to him a little tighter. How am I ever going to be able to let him go?
The sound of a dog barking caught my attention. “Flash!” I cried out when I saw the Dalmatian running toward us.
“No!” Finn shouted. “Flash! No!”
Before I knew what was happening, I was on the ground and Flash was licking me like he hadn’t seen me in weeks. “I take it my father said you can keep taking Flash home with you?” I asked, laughing.
“Well, he hasn’t told me to stop yet.”
Finn pulled Flash off me, reached down, and picked me up. Our eyes met. My chest ached as I saw the concern in his. “Are you hurt?” he asked worriedly?
Yes. But not in the way you think.
“No, I’m okay.”
The tenderness in his voice was unmistakable. He loved me, and I knew deep in my heart Finn would never hurt me like my father insisted he would.
I almost blurted out for Finn to run away with me. We could go live on an island somewhere, just the two of us.
Together.
Forever.
“Let’s get some breakfast, Éan.”
Smiling, I wrapped my arms around his neck as he walked toward the house. Flash was barking and running back and forth, too excited to hold it in.
“He loves it here,” I said.
Finn let out a loud laugh. “Hell yeah he does. He has room to run and isn’t locked up in a crate. Bastard hasn’t done one thing to the house. Nothing.”
With a giggle, I leaned my head into him. “I could get used to you carrying me everywhere. I may have to forget my shoes all the time.”
“I don’t need an excuse to hold you in my arms.”
Thud. There went my heart. I was convinced only Finn would ever make me feel so loved and cherished. Like I was his entire world.
“They have emerged from their lovers’ quarters.”
My cheeks instantly heated.
“Rory, you remember my older pain-in-the-ass brother Wes.”
With a smile, I nodded and held my left hand out while still hanging on to Finn’s neck. “It’s great seeing you again, Wes. Thank you so much for doing everything with the…um…tent.”
Wes threw his head back and laughed, then motioned for us to follow him into the house.
The moment Finn walked up onto the porch, the front door flew open. “Rory!”
Finn’s mother, Jenn, came rushing over to us. Then she stopped on a dime.
“Are you hurt? Did that dog knock you over? Where are your shoes?”
Setting me down, Finn walked up to his mother and gave her a kiss on the cheek before drawing her in for a hug.
“Ma, catch your breath, will you? I forgot to pack her shoes, and yes, the damn dog knocked us over, but no one is hurt.”
Jenn wore a wide grin as she kissed Finn back, pushed him out of the way, and walked up to me. Taking my hands in hers, she slowly shook her head. “My goodness. I still can’t get over how beautiful you’ve grown up to be, Rory.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Ward.”
“There will be none of that ‘Mrs. Ward’ crap! I told you to call me Jenn,” she said as she waved her hand about. “Now, let’s get you some breakfast. I’m sure you worked up an appetite.”
“Ma!” Finn said as I stared at her with a horrified expression.
“What? All that dancing last night at the gala? Then making the poor girl sleep in a tent? She probably didn’t get a wink of sleep.”
Jenn turned and headed into the house as I covered my mouth to contain my laughter. Wes chuckled and hit Finn on the back while tossing me a wink. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”
Breakfast was a mix of chaos and pure fun. Wes talked about his life in New York City while everyone was glued to his every word. I was pretty sure I was the only who caught the sadness in his eyes. He even hinted at moving back to Boston, at which Jenn perked up, though she didn’t push the matter. I honestly couldn’t imagine having parents who weren’t pushy or in my business every second of the day.