Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Now, this sounded way more interesting than her back pain.
“What did Deputy Hottie do now?” Opal asked.
“Deputy Dickhead more like,” Ryleigh muttered. “Apparently, I’m far too innocent and sweet to go drinking and dancing without him. What does he think is gonna happen?”
“Wait. You went drinking and dancing without me?” Opal asked.
“It was last Thursday night when you had a headache,” Ryleigh reminded her. “Hannah and Raid offered to look after Kye while I went out with Lilac, Clem, and Lara.”
“Oh yeah, damn it. I miss out on all the good stuff.” Her headaches were rare, but when they came, they were vicious.
Could be because she didn’t take any painkillers.
Or it might be because Stefan had once slammed her head into a wall and given her a concussion.
Who knew?
But damn. It sounded like she’d missed a hell of a good time.
“Linc came in and loomed over her, demanding to know what she thought she was doing,” Lilac said. “We pointed out that we were with her and that our men didn’t mind us being out without them.”
“Butch was lurking in the background the entire time,” Ryleigh reminded her. “And I saw him on the phone a lot, probably talking to my other brothers.”
“Did Linc drag you out of there?” Opal asked Ryleigh.
“He tried, until Clem threatened to turn her killer chicken on him. And then we all got kicked out.”
“Why did you get kicked out?” she asked.
“Because Clem actually had her killer chicken with her,” Lilac said dryly. “None of us realized there was an actual live chicken in her handbag.”
Okay.
That was just fucking hilarious.
“Next night I’m coming,” she announced. “I cannot miss out on killer chickens just because I’ve got a small headache.”
“A small headache? I don’t think a small headache would stop you from going anywhere,” Lilac said. “It didn’t look small when we came the next day to check on you.”
“Yeah, why didn’t you tell me what happened then?” she asked.
“Because you looked like death warmed up,” Lilac told her dryly.
“You didn’t look that bad,” Ryleigh said. “Just, yeah, not so good.”
“Anyway, seems you’ve been keeping stuff from us too,” Lilac said. “Renard? When were you going to tell us?”
“And is Renard his first name or last name? Because I’ve never been clear on that,” Ryleigh said.
Opal opened her mouth, then closed it. “Crap. I have no idea whether Renard is his first or last name.” She should probably know that sort of thing.
But her brain was fried by his bossiness.
And his ability to kiss.
Wow.
“Opal? We lost you?” Lilac asked dryly.
“Sorry. Just thinking about the way Renard kisses. Lord, I’ve been kissed before but never like that.” She fanned herself.
“Yeah, Tanner is an amazing kisser too,” Lilac said.
“So is Linc. The asshole,” Ryleigh muttered.
“He kissed you?” Opal asked.
“Yeah, we’ve kissed. But then he usually says something dickish and ruins the moment.”
“Men often do that,” Opal told her. “They can be complete assholes.”
“Amen to that,” Lilac said. “You know, until they do something really nice and then they’re the best.”
“They sure are.” Opal sighed.
“You really like him, don’t you?” Lilac asked.
Did she?
“He’s an all right guy,” she replied.
“You do,” Ryleigh squealed.
“Hey, don’t make that noise,” Opal grumbled. “We aren’t serious. We’re just seeing where this goes. He doesn’t want anything serious.”
“He doesn’t?” Lilac asked softly.
“We don’t,” she amended.
Well, lied.
Because she felt more for him than she ever had for anyone. And she had a feeling that when this did end, she was going to be in a whole lot of trouble.
But did that mean she was going to call things off before she got further entangled in him?
Nope.
Because Stefan had been right.
She was as dumb as a sack of bricks.
“I’m so stupid,” she muttered. “I’m walking right into heartache and I’m gonna fall off the cliff and it will be my own damn fault.”
“Been there,” Lilac commiserated.
“Yeah, but Tanner was there to catch you,” she replied. “I’m going to end up battered and bruised and in pieces. I just fucking know it.”
“Why doesn’t he want more?” Ryleigh asked. “If he’s a good guy, then you should be able to trust him with who you really are.”
“He’s a good guy. And he does know me.”
“The real you?” Lilac asked skeptically. “Because we know you, Opal. And you don’t show just anyone the real you.”
Right. Because that part of her was easily hurt. Could be destroyed. And she didn’t want anyone to have that power over her.
At least not anyone but these two women. They’d sort of wormed their way into her life.
“Look, this isn’t a serious relationship, because there’s only room for one rocker on his front porch.”
Ryleigh and Lilac shared a look.
“Doesn’t he live in an apartment?” Ryleigh asked, sounding confused.
Opal waved a hand in the air. It was really getting hard to ignore the pain she was in. “I assume it’s not a literal porch.”