Page 19 of Big Timber

“Clothes.”

“Not helpful!” I shriek, wondering why I even bothered to ask him.

Jenna will be the first of his brother’s wives, or Ol’ Ladies, that I’ve met and while he’s talked about a few of them, I can’t help but to be intimidated at the thought of spending the evening under the watchful eyes of the brooding president of the Royal Bastards.

Running up the stairs two at a time to my room; I tear through my closet, as if abiker babeoutfit has magically appeared after years of wearing sarcastic T-shirts, flowy tops, and jeans.

“Talia?” Tarak’s voice calls from the top of the stairs, and I can tell his breathing is labored.

I peak my head out of my room to see him holding onto the stair rail. “You shouldn’t have climbed up without help,” I scold him.

“Baby, it doesn’t matter what you wear. Not tonight. Not ever,” he says as he enters my bedroom for the first time.

Pausing for a moment, I study him, watching for his reaction to the room I’ve turned into my sanctuary and hoping that it appeals to him.

“Come sit down,” I coax him, pointing to my king-sized bed.

“Why the fuck are we sleeping on that small-ass bed downstairs when this is here?” he asks, not three seconds after sinking onto my sleep number bed.

All thoughts of my wardrobe fly out of my mind as I emphatically point at his ankle. “You could barely make it up here tonight! A week ago, you would have been scooting up on your ass.”

“It would have been worth the humiliation,” he groans, stretching backward with his arms raised above his head. “Christ, fuck Declan, we’re staying in tonight.”

“No, we’re not,” I insist, turning back to my closet to put on a different top. “What do you think about this one?”

“You look hot,” he sighs.

“Can you at least open your eyes when you say that?”

Crossing to my nightstand, I grab the remote control and elevate the head of the side that he’s on.

That gets his eyes open. “There’s a remote?”

“How do I look?” I ask, holding the controller behind my back and trying to grin as he narrows his eyes in thought.

“I think teal looks amazing on you,” he replies.

“Should I bring wine or flowers?” I ask him, knowing we’ll have to make a stop on the way.

“I got chocolate and flowers earlier,” he tells me, and I try to hide the surprise from my expression. “When your brother picked me up on Sunday, he stopped at the store to grab some flowers.He said that your family expected everyone to bring something, even if it was just a bag of chips or a small hostess gift.”

At those words, I sit down beside him, stroking his cheek. “I come with a lot of people, Tarak. With a lot of opinions. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize for that, Talia. Not ever,” he replies, sitting up to kiss me as he wraps his hand around my neck to hold me to him. “They are great. It just wasn’t anything I had ever learned about. Honestly, I looked it up online afterward. I felt like an ass, so I left some money in Tanner’s cupholder—I didn’t want him to wave it off and I appreciate him trying to make me look good.”

“Even though you were kidnapped?”

“Again,” he says with a laugh. “Is that another weird Workman family tradition?”

“I’m sure Jenna’s little brother will love the chocolate.” I smile against his lips as I change the subject, and almost reconsider going out if hereallywants to stay in.

“Come on,” he groans, slowly standing up then shaking his head when I wrap his right arm around my shoulder to give him support on the way downstairs. “Babe, I can make it.”

“Shush,” I hiss at him. “I’m a trained professional.”

“Couldn’t have been a nurse, huh? At least that way you could take care of me in a sexy costume,” he grumbles, even as he accepts my help.

“Plentyof people think firefighters are sexy,” I tease him back, getting a bark of laughter.

---