Chapter 25
TWENTY-FIVE
Kinsley
“You look different,” Natalia says, dragging her gaze along my body, scrutinizing every inch of me.
“It’s because she got laid,” Mom says with a giggle, making my aunts, Celeste and Willow, join her.
I thought I was only meeting Natalia at The Black Cat, but it turned into a girls’ night when our moms and Willow crashed.
“Mom,” I groan, glaring at her.
“What?” She shrugs. “It’s just us girls.”
“So, is this thing with you and …”
“Shane,” Mom answers Willow. “His name is Shane, and he’s a single dad, firefighter.” She waggles her brows, and my aunts laugh.
“I’m going to need to get massively drunk to get through tonight,” I murmur to Natalia, who laughs.
“Well, to take the heat off Kins, I’ve met someone,” Natalia says, making everyone look at her. “His name is Kevin, and he’s?—”
“Oh my God!” Celeste cuts in. “Is he one of the attorneys on retainer for Leblanc?”
“Yeah.” Natalia blushes. “I’ve been working with him on a case, and we’ve gotten close.”
“Oh, honey!” Celeste wraps her arms around her. “I can’t wait to meet him. He seems very nice over the phone.”
“He is,” Natalia says.
While she tells us all about Kevin, I think about the fact that for the first time, instead of being jealous or envious of someone finding love, I feel like I can relate to them.
We spend the night drinking and dancing and talking about guys, and when Shane texts me, telling me that he’s thinking about me and is hoping I’m having a good night, I’m drunk enough to respond with something flirty.
I’m having fun, but I think I would be having more fun if I were with you right now.
And because Shane knows me too well, he replies with:
How much have you had to drink?
Me
Enough to make me hot and horny.
“Are you sexting with your boyfriend?” Natalia asks with a knowing smirk.
“What? No.” I shake my head, but she just laughs since my translucent skin is no doubt bright red and giving me away.
“I heard he’s getting a sleeve done from you,” Willow says over the music.
“Yeah.” I laugh. “He was a tattoo virgin. It’s been fun, getting to create something cool for him.”
I pull up the most recent photo to show her, and while I’m explaining what each piece means, Shane must respond because she snorts out a laugh.
“Oh, to be young again,” Willow says. “Speaking of which, I think I’m going to call it a night. It’s way past my bedtime.”
“Me too,” Mom and Celeste agree at the same time.
“What?” Natalia pouts. “It’s still early. You wanted to crash, and now, you’re bailing early?”
“Sorry, honey,” Celeste says, kissing Natalia’s cheek and then mine. “You look wonderful, Kins. I’m so glad to see you so happy.”
“Thanks,” I tell her.
After saying goodbye to my mom and Willow, who I promise to have lunch with soon, I pull up my messaging thread and find the reason for Willow’s laughter.
Shane
Just say the word, and I can have you screaming my name.
With a smirk splayed on my face, I type out my reply.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
“So, how serious are things with you two?” Natalia asks, leaning over and trying to read my messages.
I close out of it quickly, wondering how Shane will respond.
“He told me he loves me … and I said it back.”
Natalia’s eyes widen. “Wow, coz, that’s pretty serious.”
“Yeah,” I admit, taking a sip of my drink. “I think I’m going to move out of the pool house.”
“Are Aunt Quinn and Uncle Lachlan giving you a hard time?”
“No, not at all. And honestly, we spend most of our time at Shane’s since he has Taylor. But I think it’s time. I want a real place I can call home. A place with a separate kitchen and a dining room I can decorate. A room for a library …”
“I get it,” Natalia says. “I told Mom I want to slow down on the traveling. I think I’m ready to settle down.”
“Wow, are you and Kevin talking marriage and babies?”
“Yeah,” she says with a soft smile. “What about you? I know after everything, you said you didn’t want any of that again, but …”
“I think I’d like another baby one day. Shane and I have talked about it since we haven’t been exactly careful. The doctors said it will most likely be harder for me to conceive, so I’m pretty sure we’re okay, but I’ve made an appointment to get on birth control anyway.”
“Well, if you need anyone to help you find a place, I love house shopping.”
“I might hold you to it. Now …” I tip my drink back and down it in one fell swoop, then drop it onto the table. “What do you say we dance?”
Natalia’s eyes light up. “I say, hell yeah!”
She downs her drink, and then we head onto the dance floor. On our way, I spot Shane’s friend Trudy, who waves and then walks over.
“I heard we’ll be seeing you tomorrow at the station barbecue.”
“Yep, should I bring something? I asked Shane, but he just said all I need to bring is myself.” I playfully roll my eyes, and Trudy laughs.
“He’s probably just so excited that you’re going.” Trudy grins. “We’re all happy he’s finally found someone. The man has always been such a recluse when it comes to women. I tried setting him up too many times to count, but everyone was a dud. Now, we know why …”
“Why?” I ask, not really wanting to think about Shane dating other women even if that’s ridiculous since we both had lives before each other.
“Because he was waiting on you, sweet girl.”
“Damn right I was,” a masculine voice says, making me twirl around.
Because of the drinks I’ve had, I stumble slightly, and Shane catches me.
“What are you doing here?” I breathe.
“Keeping my promises.” He winks, and I swear my panties dampen.
Trudy laughs, and Natalia snickers.
“I think that means it’s time to call it a night,” Natalia says.
“Don’t leave on my account,” Shane says. “I am one hundred percent on board with watching you dance.”
He pulls me into his arms, so my back is flush against his front. In this position, I can feel his hard length pressing up against me, and I can’t help but rub my backside against him.
My face heats up, and Natalia laughs.
“Neither of you will make it through a single song without jumping each other’s bones. Let’s go. Maybe Kevin will be up still, and we can have phone sex.” Natalia winks playfully, and I groan at how vocal and open my damn family is.
Shane insists on taking Natalia back to her parents’ place, and thankfully, it’s a small town because the entire drive, all I can think about is how badly I want Shane.
He’s dressed casually in a pair of jeans with a blue shirt that has his station’s logo in the corner. The shirt isn’t super tight on him, but it showcases his toned arms and shows off the ongoing tattoo I’ve been working on.
“Like what you see?” Shane smirks when he catches me looking at him.
“I love knowing that I’m the only person who has inked you,” I admit despite Natalia being in the back seat. Then, a thought occurs to me. One that has my blood boiling. “You’d better not let anyone but me finish that sleeve.”
Shane grins and reaches over, taking my hand in his. “You think I’d let anyone touch me but you?” he scoffs. “Not happening.”
“I need to get out of this truck before it combusts with the sexual tension that’s filling the space from you guys,” Natalia whines.
Shane pulls into her driveway, but before Natalia gets out, she leans into the front between us. “I expect a thank-you in your wedding speech since I’m the reason you two met and fell in love. You’re welcome.” She leans over and kisses my cheek and then hops out of the truck, slamming the door behind her.
“I like her,” Shane says.
“Me too.”
“But you know what I like even more?”
“What?”
“Time alone with you,” he says, his lust-filled gaze searing into me. “Taylor is spending the night at her friend’s, so we have the place to ourselves.”
“Mmm.” I scoot closer to him. “Looks like I’ll be screaming your name after all.”
“Damn right you will be,” he says, putting the truck into reverse. “Several times.”