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“Of course, darlin’. You can have anything you want,” he whispers against my ear in the voice that makes my insides turn to jelly and I feel my cheeks flush as he turns away, reaching for two coffee mugs.

???

A quarter of my huge cinnamon roll still sits on my small plate as I sip what’s left of my coffee. They were as delicious as they looked, but also incredibly filling. I can’t believe James polished off two of them.

“You done, baby?” he questions softly.

“Yeah. It was so good, but I just can’t take another bite,” I smile back, lightly patting my now full stomach.

I watch as he pinches it between his fingers and pops the last little bit into his mouth, chewing and swallowing it quickly.

“How about we take a little walk out to the garage so I can pull out that spare bike and make sure she’s running smoothly? Then we can go for a ride and I’ll show you the sights,” James offers.

“You go on ahead to check on the bike. I’d like to sit here for another minute and finish my coffee,” I tell him.

“You sure?” he asks, his brows pinching.

“Positive. I’ll find you when I’m done,” I assure him.

“Okay, I’ll see you in a few,” he says before leaning down and covering my lips with his.

After James steps out of the room, I finally take a minute to check my phone and find a new text from Roxy.

*You little sneak. I can’t believe you ran off with him without telling me. And I really can’t believe that Ray let you. You better give me all the gossip when you get back home. Xo

Hearing a noise, I lift my gaze just in time to see Carrie step back into the room. I offer her a smile before lifting my mug and taking another small sip. She immediately goes to work, adding a few plates to the dishwasher before starting a cycle.

“I’m happy to help, if you need me to do anything,” I offer.

“That’s nice of you to offer, darlin’, but you’re a guest in this house. Just relax and enjoy your coffee,” she instructs with a smile.

“How long have you been taking care of this crew?” I ask.

“Well, I’ve been around them since I was about seventeen,” she offers setting her dishrag down on the counter and leaning on her elbows. “But the real work didn’t start until I was closer to your age. That was when E. finally made an honest woman of me,” she laughs and I can’t help but giggle.

“So, you’ve known James a long time,” I state, hoping she’ll offer more.

“Since he was just a baby,” she answers. “Can’t say I’ve ever seen him like this though.”

“Like what?” I question.

“In love, sweetheart,” she offers and I feel my chest flutter as heat starts to rise in my cheeks.

“He hasn’t told you yet, has he?” she asks and I shake my head, still too shocked to find words.

“Trust me, he does. I’ve seen a few of these boys fall. More often than not, it takes them a minute to realize it themselves. But he’ll tell you,” she says.

“Believe it or not, I met your dad and some of the Vegas boys years ago at a rally. I think you were probably just a tiny little thing back then though. And I have to say, I’m glad to see that you’ve grown up into such a well-adjusted young woman. I know this life can be hard, especially for the women who live in it and around it,” she acknowledges a fact that most just ignore.

“Thank you. It definitely wasn’t the easiest way to grow up, but it’s all I know. But now, being with James, it feels more comfortable,” I share.

“Hopefully you can say the same for the rest of this crew after tonight. Everyone was so happy to hear that Shark was making a trip home that they planned a little barbecue for later today. I think the ladies are hoping to keep it tame, but you know how much these guys love their parties,” she smiles and I can’t help but release a short laugh.

I swallow my last sip of coffee and Carrie instantly reaches out her hand. “Let me take that for you,” she offers.

“Thank you,” I reply, standing from my seat. “I think I’ll go see if I can find James out in the garage.”

“Have fun, sweetheart. I’m sure I’ll see you later,” Carrie offers as I make my way back out of the kitchen. She’s definitely a mother hen. It’s easy to see why James made the comparison between her and Trish.