“Dear God, you again? Don’t you have anything better to do? Like scare children away from their mothers?” Mrs. McCray and Trace warned me that Blakely was a spit fire, but I had no idea she’d be the one to put these two in their place.
They’re both speechless. Maybe they didn’t think it was true that Trace and I are together. Now that they see us all together, I’m beginning to think they’re getting the hint.
“It was great seeing you,” I tack on as they turn on their heels and leave. By the looks on their faces, I’m praying this is the last I’ll have to deal with them.
“If Blakely didn’t come out when she did, I might be going to jail for manslaughter,” Trace grunts. I saw the clenching of his jaw as he kept it shut. Since my body is so close to his, a sheet of paper couldn’t have wedged itself between us.
“Thank you,” I tell her.
“Tongues will be wagging now, darlin’,” Knox states the obvious, causing us all to snort.
“Let ‘em. It’ll give all of our mommas something to brag about,” Blakely says.
“What are y'all up to?” I ask them. Now that their house is built, they don’t always come to the main house for breakfast. Something I’m noticing I’m at more and more. I think it’s Trace’s way of luring me into never leaving the ranch, plying me with food, sex, and the land.
“Just left the movies. It was boring. I’d suggest skipping it if that’s where you’re headed.” Blakely points to the theatre.
“We’re getting ice cream. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like,” I offer.
“That sounds like fun, but maybe next time,” Knox states with a smile. I’m not understanding it until I look at Trace and see him shaking his head in a firm no. It makes me laugh and slap him lightly in the stomach.
“Sure, come on, grumpy alpha man,” I tell Trace, rolling my eyes and waving goodbye to Blakely and Knox.
“I’m going to show you grumpy alpha man the second we get home,” Trace whispers into my ear before we walk into the ice cream shop. A shiver takes over my body because I know Trace is good for it.
“I’ll be looking forward to it.” The place isn’t crowded, and it doesn’t take us long to order our ice cream. I got two scoops of pistachio ice cream in a waffle cone, and Trace got rocky road in a normal cone.
“How boring of a cone. You know you’ll want mine.” We’re sitting outside enjoying the night breeze and the chatter of the people passing by. I’m watching him lick his ice cream, my body blazing with heat when Trace says, “You like what you see?”
“You know I do,” I respond. A yearning can be heard in my voice.
“Good, because you see the way I’m lapping up this ice cream, it’s going to be my tongue on your pussy as soon as we’re home,” he promises.
“Yes, please.” Trace winks at me, but he doesn’t stop what he’s doing. If anything, he redoubles his effort, teasing me the entire freaking time.
Seventeen
Trace
Two Months Later
“Holy shit, Trace. How did this happen so fast?” I don’t tell her the truth that while she’s been knee-deep in writing, editing, proofing, along with all the ins and outs of her career starting to take off, I hired an extra crew to get shit done. I love the place we’re staying in now, but it’s getting smaller. Dove needs an office like yesterday, my spare room doesn’t offer enough space since it’s set up for a weight room.
“It took some finagling, but they got it ready in time for us to figure out the finishing touches, and then we’ll get moved in,” I tell her. The drywall is up, along with kitchen cabinets and windows. All that’s really needed is fixtures, painting, and any little shit that crops up.
“Have I really been that self-involved that I haven’t come out here? God, I’m such a jerk,” she tells me, her arms going around my middle and hugging me.
“Don’t worry about that. Plus, I’ve kept you busy and away from it for a while.” I kiss the crown of her head, soaking in her scent.
“I’ll say. The moment I’m done working for the day and dinner’s done, you’ve had me in some shape, way, or form.” She backs away, her hand grasping mine. “Show me around?”
“You bet your sweet ass I will.” I pick her up. She wraps her legs around my waist, her hands delving into my hair, a sweet smile on her face.
“It really is beautiful.” I look over her shoulder, taking in the rock she helped me pick, a metal roof that meshes with the stone, a wraparound porch we both were adamant about needing, and that’s not even the half of it.