Mercy (Somerset University #3) - Ruby Vincent Page 0,21
a kiss on his lips. “Sawyer is on the robotics team and Aiden is roping Maverick into football. I’m breaking my promise to forget all of this craziness too. Teagan and the other sisters staying on campus want us to hang out this summer. I can’t be around her and not wonder where she truly went.”
“If you’re going to hang around the sorority, you need—”
“Please don’t say bodyguards.”
“—a security detail,” he finished. “Val, you just said they’re sucking you back in.”
“It’s four girls wanting to get together for food and Theo James movies. I don’t need protection for that. And I’ll let you in on a secret, I suggested martial arts training as a physical requirement so that I or one of the other girls could defend ourselves if a Leighton-double appeared to take us away. I’m not giving up on my normal summer.”
“How stubborn are you going to be about this?”
“Extremely.”
The corner of his mouth quirked up. “The usual, then.”
I flicked his nose. “And don’t have them covertly tail me or put any trackers on my phone, Ryder Shea. You don’t want to get in trouble for that again.”
“I promise,” he said, holding up two fingers.
“You’re lying through your teeth, aren’t you?”
He almost lost it. “There’s that stubbornness. I’m in trouble even if I agree with you.”
“Chalk it up to how well I know you.”
Ryder expelled a breath, his grin melting away. “I just want you safe, Val.”
“I know you do,” I whispered.
“If anything happens to you, Maverick, Ezra, Jaxson, and I will burn that sorority down with everyone in it. Can’t have our story end with triple life sentences.”
I kissed him—slow and sweet. “No, we can’t have that.”
“Look. We said we wanted to put this aside for the summer, so let’s do it.” Ryder flipped us over, laying us on our sides, and brushing his nose against mine. “Forget the Sallys. Tell me where you want to go on the surprise vacation I’m taking you on in two weeks.”
“What? Are you serious?!”
“I’m told I don’t joke, so I must be serious.”
“Just the two of us or everyone?”
Ryder snuggled me tight to his chest. “Just the two of us. I plan on locking you inside the bedroom and not letting you out until we break the world record for chain orgasms, and to that end, don’t pick a place you’ll be tempted to explore. We’re not doing any sightseeing.”
“Unless the major sights are at the end of your cock?”
“Now you’re getting it.”
Giggling, I kissed his jaw and nose. “Sign me up for a cabin in the woods.”
“I’ll book it now.”
Ryder got on his laptop.
I draped myself over his shoulder, laughing and messing around with him while we looked for a place to stay. We decided on the Kana Kura cabins in Costa Rica. Our own piece of jungle to relax, reconnect, and screw each other’s brains out.
“This is how you spend a summer,” I said. “It’s almost time for dinner. I’ll check if Adam’s up and get him ready.”
We kissed like we weren’t about to see each other in a few minutes. Leaving his room, I poked my head into Adam’s and landed on an empty bed. I went to Caroline’s room to search for him and found it empty too.
He must have woken up and latched on to one of his dads. Jaxson is at work, so...
I pushed into Maverick’s room and there they were. All three of them.
“We’ll keep her comfy.” Maverick packed more pillows around the dog. “Should be any day now.”
“Why am I walking into every room today feeling like I’m missing something big?”
Maverick, Adam, and the blue heeler lifted their heads at my arrival.
“Hey, babe. I went to see Mom today and she sent me off with an extra.”
I joined them at the foot of our bed. Maverick had made her a fortress of blankets and cushions. The pup dropped her head on my hand as I petted her soft, fuzzy head.
“Is she sick?”
He shook his head. “Mom’s been looking after her for a friend who is out of town. Said friend never got her fixed and this little madam made a break for it several weeks ago and gave it up to whoever was offering.”
“Maverick,” I hissed, laughing even while I nodded at Adam. He didn’t need to learn about her Jezebel-ing ways. “You’re telling me she’s pregnant. Ready-to-pop pregnant?”
“I was just telling Adam she should have the puppies any day now.”
“I see,” I said slowly. “And is she having these puppies in