country girl and the metal boy were. They were close, but so opposite it was hard to understand how they ever had anything to talk about. If anyone asked me, Jet moving under the same roof as the dark-haired beauty was just asking for trouble, or a really good time depending on how you looked at it. I cleared my throat and reached out for Shaw’s hand.
“My older brother will be back in a few months, too. He’s gonna need a place to crash until he figures out what he’s doing. That might be another option you want to consider.” Cora nodded and turned back to whatever it was she was messing with on the computer. I turned to Shaw. “You ready to go home?”
I loved asking her that. I loved that she knew I loved asking her that. She smiled at me and gingerly reached up to give me a quick peck. I knew her side had to be hurting her. Four hours of getting drilled was a lot and she normally sat like a champ, still as stone. I was going to put her in a hot shower and make her feel all better.
“Yep.”
We walked out of the shop hand in hand and headed toward the Victorian. She liked to run her thumb back and forth across her name on my knuckles and it never failed to make me smile.
“Do you want to put me in your portfolio, Rule?”
I wasn’t expecting that question so I looked at her in surprise. “Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “I dunno. You put all your really big pieces in there. I just didn’t know why you would want to leave this one out.”
I wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her to me so I could kiss the top of her head. “Because those are work. I put them on people and then they go out into the world where they are hopefully appreciated and loved by other people. Anything I do for you, anything between us isn’t work and it’s for you and me to appreciate. When I work on you I do it knowing what I put on you will be with us forever. Like I said, if you want it in there I’ll be happy to put it in, but if not, then I’ll be happy to be the one to admire all my handiwork every day.”
She stared at me in silence for a second and then burst out laughing. “You give the most backasswards compliments in the world but that was lovely and you’re absolutely right. The only person that I really want to see it is you.”
I growled and tugged on her hair. “That thing covers half your butt cheek. I better be the only one looking at it, Casper.”
Her green eyes glowed in a way that only I could make them. “I do love you, Rule Archer.”
Every time she said it I had an easier time telling her “I love you back” and that’s all it was. I didn’t have to question, didn’t have to worry, didn’t have to fall into the tunnel of darkness, because whatever Shaw felt for me I just gave it to her back and knew that was enough. I didn’t have to try; I just did. And every single day I did it better than the day before.
“So what about Jet or Rome going to live with Cora and Ayd?”
She snuggled into my side as we approached the Victorian.
“I can’t wait to see how that plays out.”
I snorted. “That’s what everyone said about us.”
“And look at the show we gave them.”
“True enough, and opposites don’t just attract, they freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down.”
“Don’t I know it.”
Whatever was on the agenda I knew one thing. If any of my boys were lucky enough to find a girl who made them feel the way Shaw made me feel, I would do whatever it took to make sure they saw it through to the end. Love like this wasn’t to be missed, even for those of us who had never realized it was out there. Look at me being all optimistic and shit.
Remy would be so proud.
If this story had a soundtrack this is what it would be
The Civil Wars: “Falling”
Social Distortion: “Like an Outlaw (For You)”
Twisted Sister: “We’re Not Gonna Take It”
Garth Brooks: “I Got Friends in Low Places”
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: “Ain’t No Easy Way”
Bad Religion: “American Jesus”
The Gaslight Anthem: “Film Noir”
Drive-By Truckers: “Decoration Day”
Straylight Run: “Hands in the Sky (Big Shot)”
The Black Angels: “Better Off Alone”
Lucero: “Kiss the Bottle”
The Bloody Hollies: “Raised by Wolves”
Against Me!: “Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart”
Dawes: “If I Wanted Someone”
Lady Antebellum: “Need You Now”
Defiance Ohio: “Anxious and Worrying”
The Avett Brothers: “I Would Be Sad”
Heartless Bastards: “Only for You”
About me
First of all I am a girl … Yes, I know, I didn’t think I needed to say that either, but after a few interesting emails of late I thought I would put that out there. Jay is short for Jennifer.
I live in Colorado, which is lovely, and offers up all kinds of interesting people to draw inspiration from. I love tattoos and body modification so I love that more and more stories out there now are featuring heroes and heroines who reflect what I see when I look around the world. I love to read and just love any kind of great story that engages; of course a pretty, tatted-up bad boy always makes it better. This year was life-changing for me, so I woke up one morning and decided that I was finally going to finish one of the millions of stories I was always fiddling around with. I love to write and for a long time have been pondering what I should be doing with my life. So consider yourself a valued part of me figuring out my new life plan. I hope you enjoyed this story and if you would like to contact me please feel free to email me. I love feedback in all forms, but if you’re mean we might have to box.
So let me clarify a little. I wrote this book in a frantic state of trying to pull my life together. I just wanted to prove that I could, that I could finish and do something I promised myself I always would. It was a personal challenge that I had NO IDEA would take off. That’s why it wasn’t edited perfectly or all shiny and spot-on. This copy has since been edited, but I’m still not going to claim perfection, because that just isn’t my style. For those of you who read the first copy and loved the story underneath the typos I adore you, thank you so much. For those of you who feel like you got cheated I’m sincerely
