Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“Jesus fuck, Pierce! You can at least pretend for five damn minutes to be civilized!” Sebastian roared from the other side of the room.
“Actually, he’s fucking me. Has been for almost a year now,” I replied without missing a beat. I released Pierce’s hand and placed it on my almost flat stomach. “How else would we have a baby together? You’ll have to forgive me. I’m still trying to lose the baby weight.”
Rome tumbled off the stool he was perched on, his back shaking with choked laughter. Pierce glared at me for a second before his cold façade cracked with a huffed chuckle. Byron looked as if he were trying not to laugh, but his shoulders were trembling and he was hiding his face behind his hand.
There was no chance to add to my nonsense. An arm reached past me to rest on the bar and the delicious, cool scent of very expensive cologne wrapped around me. Declan was barely touching me, but it felt like I was cocooned in him.
“Parker is my friend,” Declan stated, and it sort of felt like God had descended to lay down a new commandment. The last of the giggles stopped, and a couple of people cleared their throats.
“Who needs a drink? Parker, you drinking? Dec?” Sebastian asked, shattering the silence as he moved behind the bar with Pierce.
“Iced tea, please,” Declan requested.
“Same.”
The hand Declan had resting on the bar moved to touch my arm lightly. “Are you sure? You can have a drink. I’m driving.”
“I know, but I’m still breastfeeding. It’s not good for the baby.” I grinned at Declan’s warning glare, but it was Rome choking on his drink that won the moment.
“Please stop trying to kill Rome,” Declan grumbled. “He’s annoying but useful.”
“Oh, my God!” Rome shouted between choking coughs. “Not only does Declan have a funny friend, but he’s also cracking jokes. I have died.” Rome straightened and looked at Declan expectantly but rolled his eyes in the end. “Not even a smirk. Come on! Gimme a little smile!” I glanced over to see Declan staring at Rome, his expression blank.
Someone bumped my arm, and I turned my gaze to Rome, who was smiling at me like a lunatic. “The man can’t smile. I swear, I think his face would break if he did.”
“Of course he can smile,” I snapped, fighting the urge to flick Rome in the center of his broad forehead.
“You’ve seen it? Really? You’ve seen Declan smile?” Pierce demanded, sounding utterly disbelieving.
“Yes, I’ve seen him smile. I’m shocked you haven’t.” I leaned my elbow on the bar and tipped my face up to Pierce, then looked at Rome. “Naturally, most of the smiles have come after he’s fucked me through the mattress, while shouting my name until he’s hoarse.”
And I’d silenced the room for a second time. They fucking deserved it. How dare his so-called friend demand he smile on cue as though he were a trained monkey! Declan didn’t have to fucking smile for anyone.
A tug on my hair got me to straighten and half turn toward Declan. I expected to see him angry, but one corner of his mouth tilted higher in an unmistakable smirk. “You’re right. You are out of practice.” To further stun me, the man kissed the side of my jaw. “Play nice.”
“You win!” Pierce was the first to throw up his hands. “We surrender. We’ll stop being nosy. How about you show me pictures of this adorable baby?”
He was not the one I’d expected to ask about Joy, but I was more than happy to show off the perfection that was my snuggle bug. Pierce moved out from behind the bar, and I pulled up pictures of my daughter on my phone to show off. Declan remained close, his hand coming to rest on my hip as he watched over my shoulder. More than once, that devil complained that my picture of the moment wasn’t good enough, and he pulled out his own phone to show the pictures he’d taken of her.
My heart melted. One big puddle in my fucking shoes.
I mean, come on! He was showing off my baby girl with such obvious pride. The reticent man began telling elaborate stories of dinners and how she was days away from speaking in full sentences, although I was still trying to get “Dada” out of her. If I didn’t know better, I would have guessed that he was already working on her application for Harvard.
Thankfully, Sebastian countered with pictures of his niece while Pierce whipped out pictures on his phone of his twin nephews, who had just finished their first summer of Little League and were about to begin the fall soccer season. We might have gotten off to a rough start, but it was ridiculously adorable seeing these uncles gushing about their niece and nephews. Rome seemed left out since he was an only child. Byron didn’t appear to mind not having a niece or nephew and was more than happy to appreciate everyone else’s kids.