“You relax,” I spit out. “This was your dumbass idea, and I don’t even want to be here.”
“Oh, he’s feisty,” Shooter teases with a chuckle. “Come on, Grady. You know we wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you. Daddy over here”—he nods toward Boone, a smirk playing on his lips—“would never allow it.”
Without my permission, my gaze flits to Boone, the way Shooter referred to him asDaddyrolling through me like molten lava. Thatreallyshouldn’t turn me on, yet here I am, strapped up, about to soar twenty-three hundred feet across a canyon, and my dick is twitching inside my pants.
My face warms, and I swallow thickly as our gaze connects. I quickly look away, like if I look at him too long, he’ll be able to read what’s going through my mind, and hell, maybe he can.
Shooter glances between me and Boone, an amused look on his face. “You’re up, little Wilde,” he mutters.
“I am not going next.”
“Yes, you are,” he counters. “It’s time to get it over with. It’ll be fun, trust me. We do this every year.”
“Then you go next,” I say, standing my ground, really, really not wanting to do this. The pit of dread in my stomach grows and I feel like I’m going to be sick.Why the fuck did I agree to this?Oh, that’s right…I didn’t. I was forced. Against my will.
Shooter steps closer to me, and my palms start to sweat. He wouldn’t like…push me off the cliff, would he? But then his features soften, and with a lowered voice, he says, “All joking aside, Grady, this is going to be fine. I’m sure it’s hard to believe, but the first year we did this, I was feeling exactly like you are now and, once it was done, I was so glad I did it because it’s fun, it’s exhilarating, and the rush that comes with it is too good to pass up.”
“Why do I have to go next?” I ask, somehow feeling a little less anxious after what he just said.
He smirks, lowering his voice even more. “Because I like to go last, and Daddy Boone will go right after you.”
I feel the blood rush to the surface of my face again. “Why do you keep calling him that today?”
Shooter shrugs, lip tugged into a crooked grin as he leans in and whispers next to the shell of my ear, “You got a little something right here on your neck.” I suck in a breath as I feel the pad of his finger brush over a spot right below my ear…a spot I know Boone had his mouth on last night. How did I missthat?
Before I can even think of formulating a response—an excuse—Shooter is pulled off me. My gaze swings to Boone, who’s now watching Shooter with narrowed eyes. “Get the fuck off him,” he growls.
My eyes go wide, and I swallow hard. I don’t think Boone heard what Shooter said, but he looks pissed regardless.
“What’s the matter, Booney boy?” Shooter drawls. “Don’t like me touching little Wilde?”
Boone takes a step toward Shooter, but before he can get any closer, Colt inserts himself between the two of them. “Alright, guys,” he mutters. “Calm down.”
Shooter steps back, shaking his head with a chuckle. Colt glances over at me, and I watch in horror as his gaze dips to the spot Shooter touched a moment ago before he looks up at Boone, a grin sliding on his face. “Hmm, would you look at that,” he muses, patting Boone on the chest as he breathes out a laugh and walks away.
What the actual fuck is happening right now?It feels like I’m the odd man out on some inside joke between the three of them.
Boone works his jaw, the muscle clenching, before he looks over at me. “You’re going to be fine, G,” he says, tone much softer than it was when he was talking to Shooter. “And I’m going right after you. I promise, you’ll be glad you did it when you’re done.”
I nod, letting out a deep breath. “I know, I’m good. Let’s do this.”
And I do it… I take a few centering breaths, and I jump off the huge, tall, scary cliff and soar through the sky. The wind whips around me, and my stomach bottoms out. A scream rips from my throat, but I also can’t deny, like Shooter said, how exhilarating this is. By the time my feet are planted on solid ground again, my chest is heaving, and I feel high. I feel good. I feel proud because I fucking did that.
Sterling, Daisy, and Jessie all high-five me, and the entire time, I’m now hyper-aware of the hickey on my neck. I can’t help but wonder if everybody can see it. Trying to adjust the collar of my shirt, visions of Boone pulling Shooter away from me replay in my mind. It almost looked like…jealousy. But that can’t be right…
27
Boone Stanton
In my current state of half-asleep, I feel the bed dip. Little hands land on my shoulder as I don’t let on that I’m awake yet. “Daddy,” Suzy whispers loudly, giving my arm a solid shake. “Daddy, wake up!” The bed dips again, and when I peel an eye open, I see Mabel lying on the bed, her tongue hanging out of her mouth as she watches me. I drag my gaze from the dog over to my daughter, and a smile splits her face. “You’re up!”
“Not really,” I grumble, rolling onto my back. “Morning, princess.”
“Morning, Daddy. Can you get up now?”
“What’s the hurry?” I ask as I scrub a hand down my face.
“Wanna watchMoanawith you!”
