Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Jordan thinks for a moment, considering it, then peers up at me anxiously, reminding me so much of her mother. “I don’t know,” she admits. “I want to, but I’m really scared.”
“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to,” I tell her, kneeling in front of her. “But I promise, I’ll keep you safe.”
“Pinky promise?”
She extends her pinky, and I take it, locking it with mine. “I pinky promise.”
“Okay, I’ll go.”
“Hey, Greg,” I yell to the kid who’s running the mountain. “Can you grab me a two-person tube?”
He exchanges our individual tubes for a two-person tube, and then, after I climb on, I help Jordan get on in front of me.
“You ready?” Greg asks.
“Jordan?”
“I’m ready!” she yells, excitement and worry mixed in her tone.
“Let’s do this!” I say, making sure my legs are caging her in securely.
Greg gives us a shove, and we slide down the mountain, the wind whipping around our faces. Jordan screams the entire way down. When we get to the bottom, I have no clue if she was scared shitless or loved it.
But then she climbs out of the tube, and I spot the biggest grin on her face. “That was awesome!”
“What took you so long?” Kelsie asks.
“I was scared,” Jordan admits, her eyes as wide as saucers. “But Pierce pinky-promised to keep me safe, and it was so much fun. We went so fast!” She mimics our speed with her hand, making me chuckle at her dramatics. “Did you see us?”
“I did,” Kelsie says. She glances my way, and mouths thank you, and I nod once in acknowledgment.
“Can we go again?” Jordan asks.
“Sure,” I tell her. “You wanna go with me or by yourself?”
“By myself. You can go with Pierce, Mommy!” Jordan exclaims. “Pierce, pinky promise my mom ’cause she’s afraid like I was.”
Kelsie looks my way, horror mixed with embarrassment etched in her features, knowing she can’t say no to her daughter or she’ll be setting a bad example.
I extend my pinky and look at her, waiting to see what she’ll do. She eyes it for several seconds before she hooks her pinky around mine and glances up at me with fear in her eyes.
With our pinkies linked, I gently tug her toward me, so our bodies are almost flush. “I pinky promise to keep you safe, Kels,” I swear, tightening my hold on her finger. “Always.”
She swallows thickly and looks up at me, nodding in understanding that I’m not just referring to the mountain. I’ll always keep her and her daughter safe, no matter what it takes.
When we get to the top of the mountain, Jordan insists on going down first. We cheer her on, and once she’s cleared the way, Kelsie and I get into our tube. With my thighs clenched around her, my front is pressed against her back, which is stiff as a board.
“Breathe, Kels,” I whisper into her ear, causing a tremor to visibly course through her.
She does as I say, her body relaxing against mine, and I can’t help but note how her body fits perfectly with mine.
Greg gives us a shove, and we take off down the mountain. Kelsie immediately latches on to my legs, and I wrap an arm around her waist. She screams the entire way down, and when we get to the bottom, she turns around, her bright green eyes locking with mine.
“That was so much fun! Thank you!”
With her body tucked against mine, our faces are only inches apart. All I would have to do is lean in slightly and our mouths would connect. I’m thinking about how I wouldn’t dare do it when her mouth connects with mine, her soft lips brushing against my own.
I don’t kiss her back at first, shocked that her mouth is on mine, but the second it settles in that she’s kissing me, I take full advantage of the moment and kiss her back.
It’s not a long kiss, but it’s damn good, filled with chemistry, want, and the promises of more. When she pulls back, her gaze is a mixture of lust and shock, her lips are slightly puffy and pink, and all I want to do is kiss her again and again.
“I… I didn’t mean to do that,” she admits, her cheeks tinting the most beautiful shade of pink.
“It’s all good,” I say, trying like hell to sound nonchalant. “Feel free to kiss me anytime.”
I shoot her a wink, and she opens her mouth to say something, but before the words can make their way out, Jordan runs over.
“Mommy, you did so good! Wanna go again?”
Kelsie’s gaze leaves me so she can look at her daughter. “Sure. Wanna ride with me this time?”
“Yes!” Jordan squeals.
We spend the next hour tubing and chatting while we’re in line. Kelsie doesn’t bring up the kiss, but she doesn’t have to for me to know that I’m slowly getting to her, burrowing under her skin, and soon, she’ll be mine.