up enough to kiss her.
“Incredible,” she moans, licking across my lips.
“Better than that, I’d say.” I smile against her lips.
“Can we do this all night?”
“Gonna have to feed you, I think. You know my three-date rule?” I feel her grin against my lips, and she nods. “Well, you just literally fucked it.”
She laughs against my mouth. “Never was a rule breaker.”
“How’s it feel?” I push myself up to a standing position, my feet still on the damn ground.
“Like I can’t wait to do it again.”
“Well, I’ve never fucked in the back of a vehicle, bare arsed in the middle of the woods.”
“How’s it feel?” She lifts her hand, waiting for me to pull out of her.
“A bit chilly.”
She laughs, and so do I as I help her out.
And then, a horn blasts from behind me.
“Oh my God,” Nikki whispers, throwing an arm over her face.
Grabbing one of the footballs, I turn around, holding it over my dick and trying to block her from view. The used rubber, meanwhile, is in my other hand.
A tall bearded man, who actually may be more bear than human, in Carhartts no less, climbs out of the quietest Ford I’ve ever seen in my life. With a shotgun in one hand, he growls, “You’re on my property,” and proceeds to point the gun at me.
“I wasn’t aware it was private property.” I stay as calm as I can be in a situation this screwed up. Meanwhile, my arse is turning to ice.
“Are you aware that you’re on the wrong side of the pond, butt ass naked, in forty-degree weather? If so, I may have to call the asylum.”
“Shep?” Nikki squeals from behind me.
“Who’s there?” the man snarls.
Nikki sasses, “Turn around so I can get my clothes on, and I’ll tell you who this is.”
He attempts to look around me. “Maybe I’d rather see for myself.”
I hiss at him, “You’ll have to get through me.”
“Turn around, Shepard Granger, or I will kick your ass just like I always used to!” Nikki laughs as she fumbles around, likely trying to find her clothes.
“Only one girl from these parts would make threats like that. Nikki Winterfield, that you?”
“Turn around and give me a minute, and you can find out for yourself.”
“If you’re trying to pull a fast one on me, there will be hell to pay.” He chuckles as he turns around. “Meet me at the cabin. That is if you can remember how to get there.”
Rule Number Eighteen
Naked introductions are never good ones
Nikki
I squeeze Raff’s hand as we walk over sticks and leaves toward Shep’s cabin. I haven’t been here since we were in high school. Our parents were best friends in this life and died together in the boating accident. Whereas I was lucky enough to have my aunt and uncle take me in, Shep had his aunt Sissy who came into town just for Shep. Suffice it to say, she hated the fact that he forced her out of the city because he needed to be watched. She smoked herself into oblivion with her long, skinny Capri cigarettes, frequently left Holiday Springs for singing auditions, and brought shady men home almost every Saturday night. She wasn’t evil, but she was neglectful. But the men she brought home? One piece of shit after the next. One even stole money straight out of Shep’s wallet while he thought Shep was sleeping. I think that incident was just the tip of the iceberg, but Shep never opened up about it, and I was always too chicken to ask.
This cabin was part of Shep’s dream life, or the one place he could always hide away from the world. I think it took him over three years to build, and of course, he did it all with his bare hands. That’s just the type of man Shep always was. And from the looks of it—still is.
When the cabin comes into view, I have to pause and stare. It’s breathtaking. Raff stops with me.
“Wow, this is incredible!” he exclaims, shaking his head in awe. It’s a traditional log cabin, but whereas I remember the logs being worn looking, these look sanded and stained. It’s a beautiful golden brown color. The roof is triangular and pushes out longer than the body of the cabin. I’m guessing to make shade and keep the cabin cool. The cabin is also perfectly symmetrical, with square windows on each side and a beautiful door in the center. I can’t help but laugh about that. Shep always