Chapter 51 Reed
REED
“Thanks for coming out,” I said as Dax grabbed the cooler like it weighed nothing and started toward the beach. “And for helping. Appreciate it.”
He shrugged like it was nothing, but he was grinning. “No problem, man. The group has good vibes so far. It’s nice to be somewhere that’s not home or the shop.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, lowering my voice just a bit. “Also… sorry about Lena. She can be—uh—intense.”
Dax chuckled, totally unfazed. “Are you kidding? It was a total turn-on.”
I blinked. “Wait—seriously?”
“Oh yeah. That little tornado of a woman called me stupid, hot, and wanted to see my muscles. You think I’m not intrigued?” He smirked, his eyes drifting toward her again. “She’s like… chaos in eyeliner. Those long lashes? The attitude? And she’s what, five-one? How old is she?”
“Barely, and she’s around Wren’s age. I want to say twenty-five,” I muttered.
“Perfect. I could just pick her up and take her home,” he said, clearly amused with himself. “She’s over a foot shorter than me. Height difference is my weakness. Thirteen years apart isn’t that bad, right?”
I barked out a laugh. “Jesus, Dax.”
When we got closer to the pit, I spotted Wren with Harper and Lena already claiming the best log seats and handing out the blankets.
The golden hour light kissed Wren’s skin in a way that made my heart kick against my ribs.
Her laugh floated across the sand, bright and effortless. My girl looked so damn happy.
I walked straight toward her, my chest already easing the second she looked up at me.
“Hey, Little Birdie,” I murmured as I brushed my hand down her back. “You need anything?”
She shook her head, eyes soft, lips curved. God, she was beautiful.
I kissed her temple, then turned to Cam and handed him a folded-up twenty. “Go grab some more firewood from the booth up front. Take Dax with you.”
Cam squinted at the money. “Why am I the errand boy?”
“I’m not going to beg Cam,” I said dryly.
Dax clapped him on the back. “Come on, man. He doesn’t want to leave his girl. Or should I say… your sister.”
Cam rolled his eyes and took the cash.
Once they were out of earshot, I sat beside Wren and pulled her into me, wrapping an arm around her waist. She leaned her head on my shoulder without even thinking about it.
My world didn’t just feel full—it felt right.