Page 75 of Thornhill Road

He was going to cook me dinner, and after the sun went down, we were going to go for a ride.

We’d reached July, which meant the days were hot, but the evenings were cool, and the forecast was all but begging us to get out on his hog. I hadn’t been on the back of his Harley in a week, and I was itching for a chance to feel the freedom I could only find wrapped around my man, out on the open road with the wind in my hair.

As I pulled into my garage, I was mentally going through my closet, trying to decide what I wanted to wear for a date nightin. I hadn’t yet made up my mind when I walked into my house and immediately forgot what I was thinking.

This was because it smelled like fresh paint.

A lot of fresh paint.

I dropped my purse at the foot of the stairs, my eyes staring at my walls, paintednatural linen, a shade I’d so carefully selected ages ago. I walked further into my house to find that no longer were my living room and my kitchen—two rooms that shared a wall—different colors.

'Tell me what color in what room. Brothers and I’ll come finish the job one day while you’re at work.'

I coughed out a laugh of disbelief, shaking my head even though there was no one there to see me do it. Then I hurried for the stairs, curious to know if they got it all.

I smiled huge when I hit my bathroom and found it was painted a beautiful subtle green with gray undertones—the shade titledsea salt.For a moment, I just stood there, gaping.

In one day, Mustang and his brothers had done what I’d only dreamed of doing since I’d bought the house. I barely even remembered he’d made the offer. I’d seen him that morning before I left to start my shift, and I had no idea how he planned on spending his day.

Now I knew.

I still didn’t have any idea what to wear for a date night in, but I hardly cared anymore. All that mattered was I get to him as soon as I possibly could.

I raced into my room, grabbed my overnight bag, and started chucking clothes inside. I stuffed it full, thinking I’d sort an outfit from the mess later. After a quick return trip to the bathroom for a few toiletries, I was bounding down the stairs. I snatched up my purse on my way out, and I was behind the wheel restarting my engine in no time.

It took me ten minutes too long to reach the compound. I parked on the side of the garage and left everything inside of my car, not even bothering to lock it as I headed for the clubhouse.

I was dating a Wild Stallion. I wasn’t worried about leaving my car unlocked on Stallions property. I was on a mission, and it was quite urgent.

I took two steps into the clubhouse and stopped, my eyes hunting for Mustang.

When I clocked him, near the back of the room playing pool with Maverick, I started in his direction. I was still in my sneakers, which meant he couldn’t hear my approach over the music that played through the sound system.

I was twenty feet away when I called, “Hey!”

Both he and Maverick looked my way, but my gaze collided with two pools of hazel-blue and held on—my feet carrying me straight to him without missing a beat.

I knew he understood what I was after when he set his pool cue down and braced. I took my last few steps at a run, then leapt toward him, daring him to catch me.

He didn’t disappoint.

My legs wrapped around his waist, my arms circled around his neck, I brought my lips down on his for a long, hard, flippinggreedykiss.

Maverick laughed.

Someone whistled.

I didn’t care who was watching—I was too busy thanking my man.

After I’d kissed him until I couldn’t breathe, I pulled away only far enough for me to bring my hands to either side of his face and look him in the eye as I murmured, “I’m seconds from the bottom, babe. If you don’t catch me, I’ll die at the rate I’m falling.”

I felt as much as I saw his face break out in a grin before he replied, “Sugar, you already fucked your man on the landing pad.”

“What?” I asked in confusion, still trying to catch my breath.

“You think I let just any bitch in the bed under my roof?”

This time, I didn’t bristle at his question.

---