Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Havenwood has a way of bringing people together.”
“I’m seeing that.” I smiled, and Remy gave me a kind, somewhat shy one in return, just as we heard more people at the door.
“So like, can I start singing Knoxy and Callum sitting in the tree?” Kellan’s voice came from the other room.
“Yes!” I called back playfully, hoping it was okay. A loud round of laughter followed, Knox’s the loudest. We grabbed the drinks, I got Knox a beer, then went into the living room. Frankie Blue and Bear were all over a German shepherd. I didn’t know who it belonged to, as Kellan, Chase, Griff, Josh, and Natalie all arrived together.
“Hey, Knoxy.” I bumped him with my hip.
“Not you too,” he said playfully. “I thought I was your lumberjack? I need a tough name like that.”
“Oooh, so tough. Hard Knox,” Kellan teased.
“Why is it always you causin’ trouble?” Chase said to his boyfriend.
“Because I’m more fun than the rest of you?” Kellan looked at me. “Though I have a feeling Callum and I could get into some trouble together.”
“Ah, hell, we’re screwed,” Josh added. “But at the same time, I want to get into trouble with you guys too.”
Another round of laughter followed, and any nerves I had melted away with it. I felt at home, not just with Knox, but with these people.
“Come on. Let’s head out back,” Knox said. We all started to go, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head.
“K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” Kellan sang as we went.
First time with a man or not, Knox didn’t shy away from touching me, and that meant more than I could ever say.
We’d put extra chairs and tables in the back. The three dogs were running around, poor Frankie Blue the youngest and littlest of the bunch. Our girl held her own with them, though.
We played horseshoes and cornhole, and Kellan and I kept making jokes about the name. At one point, Josh tossed Kellan over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and I was struck by how close they were, the bond they had, and that it didn’t seem to bother Chase at all. But then, the way Kellan looked at Chase was all it took to know who he loved.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many vegetables or fruits at one of your barbecues,” Griff said.
“That’s him.” Knox pointed at me.
“They’re good for you! I swear I’m going to start a class on healthy eating in this town. I don’t know how all of you look the way you do.”
“I know, I’m hot, right?” Josh teased.
“You’re conceited is what you are,” Griff countered.
“Aw, you like it, Griffy. It’s your favorite thing about me. You just don’t want to admit it.” Josh winked at him.
With a stern, serious look on his face, Griff shook his head. “No. I used to think you were the responsible one out of you three.” He pointed to Josh, Kellan, and Natalie. “But now I’m not so sure.”
“Hey! I’ve always been the responsible one!” Natalie countered.
“One can be sensible and fun at the same time,” Josh replied. “You should try it sometime.”
Griffin flipped him off, but there was a small smile on his face as he did so.
I looked around, trying to figure out if I was the only one who noticed the simmering sexual tension between Josh and Griff, but everyone else was acting business as usual, so maybe I was imagining it. The whole group was close, so I guessed those two would be no different.
A few minutes later Knox got up to go flip the chicken on the grill. I went over with him. Things had been so busy since everyone arrived, we hadn’t had any time to check in.
“How are you doing?” I asked softly. The grill was far enough from the group that they couldn’t hear us.
“I’m doing great. Happy. Feels good. I didn’t…I didn’t realize something was missing until I found it,” he said without looking at me, as if he hadn’t just said the sweetest thing I’d ever heard. God, the things this man did to me. He’d broken my heart open and filled it with him, bigger and more whole than it had been before.
“I kinda wanna drop to my knees for you after that,” I said, trying to play it smooth.
Finally, he looked at me. “Maybe not in front of everyone. You’re all mine.”
“I am. I want to be, for as long as you’ll have me.”
Knox tugged me to him, pressed a soft kiss to my lips. I loved the feel of his hard body against mine, the contrast between his gentle kisses and the roughness of his beard.
“It’s not fair. I want a boyfriend!” Natalie said, while Kellan was singing in the background, “K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
Knox answered by pulling me tighter, taking my mouth again, and doing just as Kellan said.