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CHAPTER 1
Cora, the Fourth of July
It’sever to have all the people I love in one place at the same time Pair that with a day off from work, cold beer, barbecue, and fireworks, and I couldn’t be a happier camper
And I would have been ecstatic, if only a dark, loo, man-shaped cloud wasn’t bound and determined to rain all over my parade
It was a long holiday weekend and everyone from the tattoo shop I worked at, plus the other boys, Jet and Asa, as well as the girls, was gathered in the backyard of Rule and Shaw’s brand-new house for a barbecue and a housewar the grill, looking slightly ridiculous while doing it It was supposed to be fun and relaxing, only someone had missed the memo
I was rollingreally hard to keep my mouth shut because in a few short minutes I’d determined that Rome Archer had to be the least fun person I’d ever otten ho with some pretty serious family drama, but that didn’t excuse the fact that he seemed bound and determined to infect the rest of the festivities with his vile mood
Ever since he had walked in the back gate, he had been alternately scowling and sniping at anyone who got within spewing distance of that unchecked fury He had on mirrored aviators, so I couldn’t see his eyes, but I could practically feel the disdain and dissatisfaction pouring off of his massive body I had never ” before Roreeneveryone else feared I was getting sick and tired of watching my friends tiptoe around him and try to placate him
Hell, he should be ju had settled down and wasa real commitment to someone, that Rule had found his perfect match and was a better man for it But no, all Captain No-Fun could do was sneer and grunt at anyone trying to make conversation
No, I was pretty sure I was not a particular fan of Rome Archer in any way, shape, or foruy, or not I personally thought theout of his way to be an ass hat and make everyone else as miserable as he seemed to be
The boys who greith hi the litany that the ex-soldier really was a great guy and that he was just struggling since co I had seen thus far indicated he was anything but a gruuy was gorgeous, like it-hurt-to-look-at-hienetics, but where Rule, ifted with all kinds of troubled, bad-boy swagger, Roht-up masculine perfection
He was tall, way taller than the other guys, which was saying so since none of the creas exactly petite, and he was big He was broad and strong and strapped with muscles that looked like they had been used for survival not just show He had short, dark hair cropped close to his head, and over the reflective lenses of the sunglasses there was no h his eyebrow and down next to his eye His face had a vivid intensity about it that just made him stupidly hot, even without the body that was bound to make the opposite sex dumb I bet if he ever bothered to smile, panties across the nation would melt
I looked up as one of my other coworkers, Nash Donovan, popped up behind me and rested his hands onwith thenext to on the lawn The ca to snap under his considerable bulk at any uy as ru he and Rule pretty ured it would behooveas I could
“How goes it, Tink?”
It was a simple question, but there was a lot behind it I recently found outa hard tiuys from the shop orried about me, because I was typically unflappable
“Oh, you know, still looking for Mr Perfect”
That was my default answer In order to prevent the sa my heart away so carelessly, I was bound and deteruy as all in withless than perfection, even if I had to wait forever to find it The idea of co up as lost and broken as I hen things with Ji to consider
“Tink?” Roh as the look on his handsome face
Nash snickered and moved to take a seat on the other side of the older Archer
“Tinker Bell She looks like a punk-rock version of Tinker Bell”
A dark eyebrow lifted behind the sunglasses, and I smiled sweetly at him I do look kind of like a cartoon fairy I’m short, have spiky blond hair that kind of ends up all over the place, and my eyes are two different colors I also have a riotous sleeve of flowers and filigree tattooed from the top of my shoulder to ht I love the vibrant ink and often changed the stud into match the different colors The nickname suited me, and I didn’t hate it when the boys used it because it showed me they loved me as much as I loved them