He gently clasped her wrist, feeling the bracelet underneath. “I wasn’t going to say her name. What I was going to say was not even in my wildest imagination.”
“Wild man, I find that hard to believe,” she teased. “You’ve been a Last Rider for a long time, even before you were engaged. I might not have gone upstairs, but I have ears. I came in early one morning and caught Lucky and Rider dressed as pirates, chasing Willa. I can totally believe you might have played a few of those adventures yourself.”
Bursting out in laughter, Reaper shook his head in denial. “Woman, I never played a pirate a day in my life, not even when I was a kid dressing up for Halloween.”
Narrowing his eyes at her menacingly, he raised her hands above her head. “But if you want to fantasize about having sex with a secret agent, then baby, I’m your man.”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
“Where’s all the jelly? I saw sitting on the counter yesterday.”
Ginny looked up from the frying pan. “I gave it to Viper. Silas is going to bring more from the storage building when he comes back this afternoon. There’s some grape jelly in the refrigerator.”
“It’s store bought. You took all those jars to the storage building. Why didn’t you leave one here?”
“Actually, two were meant for here, but when I asked Viper to take a couple to Lily, he asked for a couple for the club.”
“You gave them my jelly?” Reaper asked through clenched teeth.
“Technically, those jars are mine. I don’t understand what the big deal is. I have ten more jars in—”
“The problem is I don’t want Shade eating your jelly. It’s mine.” Knowing he was being ridiculous but unable to stop himself from making a bigger ass of himself, he plopped back down on his chair at the table to stare sullenly at the unappetizing toast.
Ginny placed a plate of bacon in front of him. “You could make yourself a bacon sandwich,” she suggested.
“You made some to send to Shade.”
Rolling her eyes at him, she turned toward the kitchen.
Pulling her down onto his lap, he forced a lackluster apology out. “I’m sorry.”
Winding her arms around his neck, she called his bluff. “You don’t look sorry.”
“I’m not.”
“Didn’t your mother teach you to share?”
“All the women in the club cater to Shade.”
Ginny frowned. “When I worked there, I didn’t see anyone catering to him.”
“I’m not talking the wives.”
“Oh … I see. The women who live there?”
“Yes.” He put his hand on the back of her neck, tracing imaginary circles in her skin with his thumb. “Don’t make him any more? Please?”
“I won’t make him anymore jelly. Satisfied?”
He stared at her suspiciously, trying to read her mind. It wasn’t like her to give in so easily.
“What are your plans for the day?” she asked, turning the tables on him by playing with his neck.
At her mentioning the day ahead, he switched topics, not wanting to discuss the two situations that he was going to have to straighten out before he returned. “I’m going to the clubhouse to have a talk with the brothers. They want to return a few of the gifts I gave them.”
“I bet.” She grimaced. “That’s one gift I’m glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of.”
Raising her enough, he pulled out a small box from his pocket, then held it out for her.
Fear came to her eyes.
Shaking his head at her, he explained, “I bought these because … I know the bracelet means a lot to you, and I wanted a piece of me with you. I didn’t mean to buy them like I meant to buy the brothers’ watches. I bought them spur-of-the-moment because I was missing you.”
She gave him a gentle smile. “Then I’ll accept your gift.” Pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth, she jiggled the present in front of his face. “Let me guess.” She jiggled the small box again. “They’re charms.”
“Good guess.” He mockingly laughed. Then he nervously watched as she opened the box, waiting for her reaction.
“Aw … they’re beautiful.” Kissing him, the second kiss started spinning out of control when she leaned against his chest, her head naturally going to his shoulder.
Breaking off the kiss, he straightened her on his lap. “Behave. Viper will be here in five minutes.”
Her face fell. “So soon? I thought we would have at least an hour. Silas just left, and I was ….”
At seeing her blush at what he was sure she had been about to say, Reaper decided to tease her. “You thought you’d get a little nookie after Silas left?” He gave her an unapologetic, I-told-so smirk. “You should have taken my suggestion and sneaked down to my room after he went to bed last night.”
“Your room doesn’t have a door,” she reminded him.
“Which is one of the chores I have to take care of today if you will go ahead and open my present so I can leave.”
Ginny stared at the unopened present in her hand. “If I don’t open it, will you just please stay here with me?” she whispered.
Taking her chin, he lifted her eyes to his. “The most I’ll be gone is a couple of hours. I wouldn’t go if I didn’t have to.” Releasing her chin, he then took the box back and opened it for her. Taking out the charms, he placed the star, then the moon, and finally the pair of diamond angel wings into her palm. Closing her fingers around the charms, he lifted her fist to his lips. “The next charm I’m going to buy you is a four-leaf clover, to remind you of our first date.”
“Our first date?”
He shrugged. “I refuse to think of Dirty Dan’s as our first date.”
“You’d rather be reminded of us having to sneak out before morning to bury a mirror?”
“Yes, I would. I’d rather completely forget about Marty, and you’re going to help me do that by not mentioning he’s moving to Treepoint.”
“But—”
“No, butts … unless it’s yours,” he joked, tapping her on the side of her bottom to get her to stand up when they heard the sound of Viper’s car outside.
Taking her hand, they walked to the door. Raising her wrist, he stared down at the bracelet, looking at the charms. A new one had been added that he hadn’t seen in Nashville.
“When did you get this one?” Reaper touched the fragile gold sand dollar.
“T.A. gave it to me.” Ginny didn’t lift her eyes from the bracelet.
“Why’d T.A. give you a charm? It looks expensive.”
“She gave it to me for singing at her wedding.”
“That was nice of her.”
“She’s a nice person.”
The loud honk from the yard had them going outside.
Uncaring of Viper watching, he placed a kiss on her lips. “When I come back, I’ll be bringing that door.”
“You going to tell Silas why you’re wanting to put that door up?” she teased.
“I’ll leave that up to you,” he said, going down the steps. Seeing her expression, he came right back up the steps. “I’ll talk to him, okay?” Rubbing a thumb over her trembling bottom lip, he pulled Ginny into his body. “If it’s going to make you uncomfortable, when I come back, we’ll talk it over and find another place for us to stay. Now, will you behave, or am I going to have to shove that horn up Viper’s ass?”