Jeremiah (Stud Ranch 5)

Everyone had been worried about us when we got back the next day, but more than that, they’d been surprised when we told them what happened that we’d actually managed to spend almost 24 hours together without choking each other.

I’d mostly managed not to blush and bit my tongue against commenting that I’d choked on Jeremiah’s cock when I’d briefly deep throated him, but it had been quite mutually pleasant.

Outwardly, we’d gone on bickering like usual, but the occasional hot looks he’d shoot me would make my toes squirm in my sneakers—and give me a shot of adrenaline to keep on keeping on.

The four of us—me, Charlie, Reece, and Jeremiah—had been up till past two a.m. last night finishing up the last touches on the parents-in-law suite. Charlie and I were decorating while the boys finished up the plumbing work in the attached bath.

By the end of the night the room looked like something out of a magazine. And the toilet flushed! So it was a win all around.

“Don’t worry so much, it’s gonna go great.” I reached down and squeezed Charlie’s hand.

She looked over at me. “You think? I haven’t seen them since May and that was only for a few hours when Reece and I stopped by on our vacation in San Francisco. I’m not really sure my mother and I can stand being in each other’s presence for much longer than that.”

“You don’t have to be,” I assured her quickly. “I’m here to be your shield. Anytime you need. The wedding’s in five days anyway. And then you’re off on your honeymoon.”

“Still.” Her eyes went wide. “Five days.”

I grinned at her. “And then you’ll be married to your man.”

Her face eased into a smile and her shoulders relaxed. “That part I can’t wait for. Everything this year’s been such a whirlwind. I mean, eight months ago, I didn’t even know him. But now I can’t imagine life without him.”

“Which is hilarious because it took you two forever to get together.”

“But once we did,” she laughed, “there was no going back. He’s my one.” She got that starry-eyed look in her eyes she always did whenever she talked about Reece. “As soon as I got out of my own way, I could see that.”

But then she looked back up at the escalator full of people and started nervously nibbling on her lip again. “If only I can get to the happily-ever-after part.”

“Girl! Don’t worry. It’s only five days! I’ve got a ton planned, plus there will be more and more people coming in to help take the heat off you ever having too much one-on-one time with your mom. The guys’ boss and his family will be coming in tomorrow, and they’re bound to be a great distraction.”

She nodded rapidly. “Yeah. Yeah. You’re right. There’s nothing to worry about.” I wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince, me or herself.

“Besides, my car’s still in the shop, so there’s always the excuse of needing you to drive me around to check on catering or something. If she ever starts driving you crazy, just give me a hand motion, and I’ll say I need you to drive me somewhere.”

Charlie’s forehead scrunched up. “But you don’t need me to drive you. You know you can borrow my car anytime. I borrowed yours often enough before I got mine.”

I lifted an eyebrow significantly. “Mom doesn’t know that.”

Charlie laughed. “When do you get your car back, anyway?”

I made a face. “I don’t know. They called and said something had gummed up the engine, they weren’t sure what. But God, don’t tell Jeremiah. He’ll just get all holier than thou about how I shouldn’t have always run my car barely above empty and let the sediment or whatever pile up on the bottom of the gas tank.”

Charlie rolled her eyes. “You two will have to put aside your differences and make friends sometime. You’re my maid of honor and he’s Reece’s best man, for God’s sake! You’ll be walking down the aisle on his arm.”

A little shiver went down my spine at the thought, but I shook the feeling away, quickly reassuring her. “Don’t worry, we’ll behave ourselves.”

“You better.”

“You worry too much.”

She shrugged, her eyes narrowing. “Shit,” she said under her breath. “There they are.”

She pasted on a big plastic-looking smile and lifted her hand to wave. I followed her gaze to the top of the escalator where an impeccably dressed woman in a cream-colored pantsuit stood stiffly beside a harried-looking man clutching onto several large pieces of luggage.

Her mother strode off the escalator once it reached the bottom while her husband struggled to get the luggage off, creating a small bottleneck until he was able to shove the two large suitcases forward while dragging another behind him, along with another carryon and a large duffel on top of them.