But The Barn was full of the brothers who weren’t on the committee, some of the prospects and even a couple of sweet butts. Mostly playing pool, throwing darts, drinking and smoking.
The atmosphere was relaxed, unlike Reilly.
Even though he didn’t run to her, he power-walked and almost didn’t stop even when he practically knocked her off the chair. He grabbed a handful of her hair and used it to tip her head back before giving her a long, deep kiss.
He was claiming her right there. He’d done it at the table, now he was doing the same in front of everyone else. Whistles, hollers and hoots came from several directions.
When they both came up for air, he whispered, “Now you’re fuckin’ stuck with me.”
She wasn’t worried about that part. “And?”
“And hope you don’t regret it.”
She wasn’t worried about that, either. “No, the rest.”
Rev shrugged. “Don’t know. They’re gonna discuss it. Told me to get fuckin’ lost and they’d let me know.”
“What? My stomach is already in knots! And now we have to wait?”
“It is what it is, buttercup.” He grabbed the drink from her fingers and downed half of it. He blew out a breath when he was done and cocked an eyebrow at the cup. “Damn that’s probably fifty-fifty.”
“Something like that.”
“Don’t worry, long as they don’t strip my colors, we’re good.”
She tugged at his T-shirt under those colors. “We’re good even if they do.”
His bright blue eyes hit hers and held. “Need to fuck you right now.”
“Right now? Like right here?” Her lips twitched. “You really want to claim me in front of your brothers, don’t you?”
“Yeah, no. Not right here. Got a better place.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Not your gross room.”
“It’s got a bed.”
“Mmm hmm.”
“And a bathroom.”
She grimaced. She knew what the guys’ rooms looked like. Not too many of them cared enough to be neat. Or to clean. Most of the time they had to get one of the prospects or sweet butts to do the work for them. And that wasn’t often enough.
“I’m going to take a big ol’ pass on that. Especially since you probably haven’t changed the sheets since you last did a sweet butt in there.”
“Haven’t done a sweet butt in…” He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling in thought.
“Right. And how long ago have you changed your sheets?” She faked a gag.
“Not a conversation I wanna be havin’ with you, anyway.”
She nodded. “Ditto.”
He grinned. “Gonna burn those sheets.”
“All right,” she patted his gut, “but until you do, we can go check my apartment for a leaky roof.”
He abandoned her drink on the bar and snagged her hand, yanking her off the stool. “Think I got an idea where the leak’s comin’ from.”
Having listened to their whole conversation and not giving a shit they knew it, Easy asked, “Since when did you become a plumber?”
“Didn’t you know he’s a master plumber?” Reilly winked at E.
Rev snorted, gripped her hand even tighter and dragged her out of The Barn before Easy could respond. “You sayin’ I got skills, woman?”
“You have some master skills, yes. Some others you need to work on.”
“Practice ’til perfect.”
“Great minds…” she whispered.
Once he walked her to her car, he hooked her around the waist and turned her into him, dropping a quick kiss on her mouth. “Meet you at your place. Parkin’ out front tonight.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Might even park in the rear, too.”
As he pulled away, she grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Rev…”
He paused.
“Are you sure you’re okay with giving up your freedom?”
He grinned. “Ain’t givin’ up shit. Just takin’ you along for the ride. How ‘bout you?”
“Ain’t givin’ up shit,” she echoed. “Just taking that ride along with you.”
“It’s gonna be one helluva ride,” he said and walked away, heading toward the storage shed that held his sled. “Buckle up, buttercup!” he yelled into the dark.
“Buckle up,” Reilly whispered. She got into her Hyundai and went home.
The leaky roof was never fixed.
Funny how her roof happened to leak at her new place, too…
Had to be fate.
Epilogue
And it came to pass
“The neighborhood’s gone to shit.”
“Judge said the same thing when you two assholes moved next door,” Rev told Cage, who stood next to him with his baby girl perched on his hip.
Cage, Rev, Reilly and Rook watched the flurry of activity on the newly prepared lot. Two tractor trailers held both halves of Reilly’s new modular home as a large crew scurried around to get them set into place on the poured concrete foundation.
Reilly’s new place.
Not Reilly and Rev’s. Just Reilly’s.
For now.
Because that was the “deal” he struck with Reese. He didn’t like it but he agreed since waiting was part of his “punishment.”
It would be fucking torture. But it was better than being clubbed upside the head multiple times by the bearded Un-jolly Green Giant.