Page 70 of Indecent Ventures

“It’s an Irish wedding band. The heart symbolizes love, the hands symbolize friendship, and the crown symbolizes loyalty. When the heart points out, like how it is on me, it technically means your heart is open, but what it really means is that you’re single and ready to mingle. When you turn the ring the other way, and the heart points in, it means your heart has been captured. My brother, Mac, got a tattoo of a Claddagh ring on his ring finger right before he and Ashleigh got married. He got it with the heart pointing in. I think it was a love gesture for her.”

“Aww. That’s kind of sweet.”

“He was kind of drunk. He’s generally a miserable prick. He’s lucky to have her. She’s awesome.” He sighs. “Anyway, I was rambling on and on about what a pussy-whipped loser he was. That it would never happen to me. So my brothers challenged me to put my money where my mouth was. They challenged me to get a huge arm tattoo of the Claddagh ring with the heart pointing out, memorializing that I’ll never allow my heart to be captured.”

“Is that what you want?”

“I regret the tattoo. I hate it. I was young and stupid then. I don’t know if it’s what I want now. Honestly, seeing Carter and Reagan’s relationship has changed my views on marriage and relationships. They have a perfect marriage. I’d be lying if I said I’d never want that with someone.”

I lean back and close my eyes. “If you ever find her, let me down easy.”

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

TWO MONTHS LATER

COLLIN

For the past two months Jade and I have spent a ton of time together. While the first few months were all fucking, the past two months have been something more.

We no longer have simple booty calls. We haven’t defined anything, or spoken about it, but we’re together. At least I think we are.

We just gradually started spending the night at each other’s places. Then the evenings started earlier and earlier. We’d order food and watch a movie before moving things to the bedroom. It morphed into it being assumed we’d spend whole evenings together. All without a real conversation about any of it.

We’re up in New York City for the night. My cousin from Texas and his wife are in town to gather some of her belongings that were left here when she moved from New York to Texas to be with him.

Jade and I never go out for fear of being seen, so I welcome this opportunity not only to see my cousin, but for Jade and me to get out of the house. We’re staying in a hotel for the night.

We walk into the restaurant. I see Cam and his pregnant wife, Shiloh, standing by the hostess stand, their backs to us. I quietly walk up to him and whisper in his ear, “You’re so damn handsome,” I grab his behind, “with a perfect ass.”

He turns around with a huge smile and lets out a loud Cam laugh. He gives me a big hug and then runs his fingers through my hair. “And your long locks are so damn sexy.” He bites his lip and mock shivers.

Jade looks between the both of us. “Should we leave the two of you alone?”

We chuckle as I pull her close. “No, this is how we are. He’s been crushing on me since we were kids.”

Jade shakes her head in disgust. “You guys look a lot alike, so you’re basically crushing on yourself.”

Shiloh laughs. Her thick, light brown hair is pulled into a high ponytail tonight. She’s extremely attractive with soft, kind brown eyes. “She got you there, Cam.”

Cam smiles at Jade. “Is this your fruit?”

Jade narrows her eyes at me and jokes, “Stop telling people how good I taste.”

“You do taste rather good, but he’s referring to you as the forbidden fruit.”

She nods in understanding.

“Jade, this is Cam and his wife Shiloh. Cam, Shiloh, this is Jade McGinley.”

She hugs them both. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

I’ve given her a few small details, like the fact that they were high school sweethearts who found their way back to each other after a several-year parting, but she hasn’t heard everything. I chose not to tell her about the drama in Cam and Shiloh’s life. Shiloh used to be unwittingly engaged to a mobster, and some really fucked-up shit happened to her. Of course, my cousin, being the badass that he is, rode in on his white horse and saved her. But the badass becomes a softy when it comes to Shiloh. He’s madly in love with his wife.

We’re shown to our table and have a great night with them. This is the first time we’ve been out with another couple. It’s nice.

Jade has been smiling and laughing the whole night. She’s so beautiful. She and Shiloh hit it off immediately. At some point, they leave for the restroom.

When they’re out of earshot, Cam turns to me. “I’ve never seen you like this. You haven’t taken your eyes off her the whole night.”

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