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“I don’t care if you’re an artist or a hockey player or anything else. I don’t care about all of that. I just want to be with you.” I link my arms around his neck. “I love you.”

He tilts his head and kisses me. It’s the best kind of kiss. The only kind of kiss I ever want to experience again, and I think I knew it the very first day we met.

We part slowly, and he looks around my room. “Your room is a lot messier than I expected.”

“That’s because I’ve spent the last two days cleaning and packing.”

His eyebrow lifts. “Packing?”

“I didn’t just come home to deal with my family and David. I also came to pack up the rest of my belongings.” I nod over to the desk where a heavy coat is draped over the chair. “I needed a coat.”

“So you’re…” he prompts.

“Coming back to Wittmore. I know I can’t stay at the Manor permanently, but since Mike said I can come back to work, I figure I can save money to get my own place.” He grins down at me. “You know, if you guys are willing to let me stay for a while.”

“GG, there is nothing I want more than for you to come back to Wittmore, but I’m not sure about you staying on the porch–”

“Oh. Sure.” I interrupt. “I understand.”

Axel would probably lose his mind anyway.

He lifts my chin, those brown eyes warming as he looks at me. “If you’re coming back to our house you’re staying in one place.” His hand splays across my lower back, keeping me close. “And that’s my bed.”

27

Reid

I grewup in a lot of homes. Nine, ultimately, if you consider the time spent with grandmother before she passed away and I entered the system. Due to that, I was intimately familiar with all kinds of inner family dynamics–especially the dysfunctional ones. I knew both Axel and Shelby had issues at home, but the vibe in the Rakestraw house was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.

Not only that, but holy shit, they’re rich. I knew Axel’s father was the head of a megachurch. I knew it was successful and streamed on TV and had a huge following. I’d been stunned when the Uber pulled up in front of the house. I understood better why Axel called it his father’s little kingdom.

I’m not sure my NHL money could even compete with this. No wonder the security of coming back here had been a draw for Shelby. It would be hard to give up.

I hadn’t thought about what we would do after we got to Shelby. There was just one goal, getting out here and letting her know how much I want her. It was a risk. She could havemade up with David. She could have been in the middle of picking out China patterns. She could have been pissed at what I’d said to her before she left. I didn’t have much of a grand gesture planned other than maybe punching David in the face and begging Shelby to be my girl. Turns out, I didn’t need one. GG had handled everything by the time I got here.

Not only that, she told me that she loves me and is coming back to Wittmore.

Thank fuck. I could probably do a long distance relationship, and once I get in the NHL we may have to figure that out, but having her close by, snug in my bed, is a win I’ll take.

“How do you want to handle this?” I ask Shelby. This is her territory and her family. Things are rocky at the moment and I sure as hell don’t want to make things worse.

“I don’t want to hide this relationship any more,” she assures me as we walk down the sweeping staircase. Axel texted that it was time to come out of hiding for dinner. “But I don’t want to put you in the crosshairs. They’re going to be upset. Daddy’s little plan to keep me barefoot and pregnant while David worked with him in his ministry has been fucked up.” I raise an eyebrow and she scowls. “You’re a bad influence.”

“I love it when you speak your mind.”

“Yeah?”

“It’s sexy,” I say, dipping my mouth to her ear, “as fuck, GG.”

She looks up at me and that charged heat between us comes roaring to life. No woman has made me feel the way Shelby does.

“Jesus Christ.”

Axel stares up at us from the landing, disgust written on his face. “Mom and the Rev are in a mood so I’d keep the eye fucking to a minimum.”

“Is that for their benefit or yours?” Shelby asks when we get to the bottom of the stairs.

“It’s for everyone.” He pauses and grabs me by the sleeve. “I told them I brought a buddy of mine with me. They think you were upstairs resting after the flight. They’ll be on good behavior, because that’s what they do, but unless you want shit to hit the fan, keep your goddamn hands to yourself while you’re in this house, hear me?”