Page 108 of Delicate Escape

THEA

I grippedthe wicker basket full of fruits and veggies from my garden and greenhouse as Shep turned off the main road and onto a gravel one. I could see a house and outbuildings far in the distance, but they were surrounded by what felt like miles of fields dotted with cattle. And past those, forests with endless trees. And pastthem, the Monarch Mountains and Castle Rock.

I knew the view from the Colson family home had to be breathtaking, one I would kill to have day in and day out. But the idea of seeing it for the first time didn’t set me at ease. My nerves were at an all-time high.

Shep dropped a hand from the steering wheel and rested it on my thigh, giving me a gentle squeeze through the sundress I now second-guessed. “You want to turn around?”

“What?” My gaze jerked away from the breathtaking landscape and toward the man next to me.

His eyes flicked to me before returning to the road in front of us. “You haven’t said a word since we got in the truck. But I can feel youwinding tighter and tighter.” His thumb traced circles on my thigh. “My family will be here. There’s no rush if you’re not ready.”

I let out a long breath, my throat working with the action. “What if they don’t like me?”

Shep slowed the truck and pulled over to the side of the road. “First of all, you’ve met everyone but my mom, Arden, and Cope. Mom and Arden will love you, too. If Cope was here, he’d probably try to hit on you, and I’d have to deck him. So, it’s better he’s not.”

My mouth curved the barest amount at that.

Shep brushed a meticulously curled strand of hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear. “You wanna tell me what this is about?”

I worried a strand of the wicker basket with my thumbnail. “This is new for me. My family…it wasn’t like this. We aren’t close like you guys are. What if I say the wrong thing? Or do something that offends someone?”

He studied me for a long moment. “You don’t talk about them. Your family, I mean.”

Of course, Shep got to the heart of it. I stared down at the produce in my lap. It was the only gift I could think of, along with a bouquet from my garden. I wasn’t even sure about that.

“I haven’t talked to them since I was in college. My mom and dad had a dysfunctional relationship at best. My dad came and went, sometimes for work, and other times just to escape. When he was home, the two of them were always fighting. Screaming at each other. Half the time, they forgot I was even there.”

“Thea,” Shep whispered.

“It wasn’t bad. I always had what I needed, but I don’t think either of them really wanted a kid. I think my mom thought a baby would make things better between the two of them, but it never did.”

Shep pulled me into him then, his hands cupping my face and forehead pressed to mine. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

“I wanted what you have,” I admitted. “Used to dream about a huge family with all these siblings. Wanted to share a room with a sister and stay up half the night talking about anything and everything.”

Shep’s thumb stroked my jaw. “We’re not perfect, not by a longshot. Cope used to flush the toilet when he knew I was in the shower. And Fallon always stole the last brownie before I could get it.”

I chuckled. “It sounds perfect.”

“You’re building that for yourself now. Don’t you see it? Rhodes, Sutton, Luca. Hell, even Anson looks at you like a little sister now.” He pulled back so he could peer into my eyes. “I know better than anyone, just because you don’t share blood with someone doesn’t mean your tie is any less strong. Sometimes, it’s stronger. Because that tether is a choice.”

A burn lit along my throat and spread to my eyes. “Shepard.”

“You use my full name, and you know I’m gonna wanna fuck you. And, Thorn, then we’d be late for dinner, and you’d be even more nervous.”

I burst out laughing, tugging him to me by his shirt and kissing him hard. Those three words scorched my throat, but I didn’t let them free—still holding on to that flicker of fear.

“And now I’m going to have to walk into family dinner hiding a hard-on.”

I grinned at him. “I promise to deal with that when we’re home.”

“Fuck,” Shep muttered, but put the truck in drive again. My nerves flared once more as he guided the vehicle toward the massive, white farmhouse that looked like something out of a storybook. But I didn’t let the feelings engulf me. I breathed through them.

Shep’s family was a part of him. And that meant I’d love them. All I could hope was that they saw how much I cared about him.

He pulled in next to a black truck with intricate detailing along the sides. I knew from our night out that this one belonged to Kye. But there were countless other vehicles lined up in front of the home. Everything from a sedan to a massive SUV.

I stayed focused on my breathing as I slid out of Shep’s truck. He was by my side in a flash, taking my hand in his and leading me toward the house. We hadn’t even reached the porch before the front door flew open.

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