Page 54 of It's Holy Matrimony, Baby

“I’m not. I promise.” She rests her hand on my arm and it eases the heat in my chest. “I’m just trying to help.”

“Then stop trying to push me.” I clasp the back of her head and press my lips to her hair, breathe in her sweetness. “I’m done with that life. I’m not going back. So drop it.”

“Okay,” she whispers.

“We should go inside,” I say. “Get this over with.”

Peeling away from the truck, she walks ahead of me into my own family’s house.

“Glad you could make it.” Jack meets us at the door. “About time you introduced us properly.”

“What for? You gave her the key to my cabin a couple weeks back. You’ve clearly met.”

“Liv’s very convincing.” He grins. “Besides, I did you a favor.”

“Suppose you did.” I clap his shoulder.

Liv throws her arms around Beck like they haven’t seen each other in years, though it’s been much shorter than that. “Come with me. We have so much to talk about.”

Jack and I watch the two girls disappear into the kitchen and then Lou calls out a greeting.

“Where are Finn and Dean?”

“Dean’s on the way. And Finn is here, but he’s a little busy at the moment.” Jack leads the way to the kitchen where Lou is making salad with the help of a woman I’ve never met. “Penny. Finn’s friend,” Jack says. “Nox. Another brother.”

The girl gives me a smile and a nod that she got my name. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

“Come on.” Jack snags a couple of beer cans from the fridge and heads outside. “We better grill.”

I take the can he offers and stride toward the barbecue. Burning meat to perfection will keep my hands and head occupied. Give me some time to calm down and drown out the niggling voice in my head that’s telling me Beck might have a point.

“All good?” Finn comes up beside me. His voice breaks my concentration.

“Huh?” It takes me a second to work out what he asked me. “Yup.”

“Married life not suiting you?” he asks, narrowing his shrewd gaze on me.

There’s no way I want to go into the conversation I’m having in my head. Or even what’s happening between me and Beck. Not with Finn, who will analyze the shit out of it and probably try to help me fix it. Or tell me this is all happening too fast, or that I’m letting my dick lead me. Best to keep him in the dark for now. Lifting two fingers, I say, “Two months. That’s all.”

“It’s not long in the scheme of things.” He squeezes my shoulder.

No. It’s not long enough at all.

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