Page 65 of Defending her Heart

Baking two pies—because we can never agree on one—while we watched the parade. And you can never have too much pie. We went for a walk while the turkey cooked in the oven, then played music and danced around the kitchen while we made the rest of the fixings.

It was small and quaint, just how we like it.

A few years ago, Riley and I had the hair-brained idea to set our parents up on a date. It was a major flop. Her father wasn’t—and never will be—over the death of his wife. Not even two decades could diminish his love and boat loads of depression.

On the flip side, my mother is happily single, not ever wanting a repeat of my deadbeat dad. He’d been an okay husband and father—from what I can remember—until Dani was born. Having a child with special needs was too much for him, and he blamed Dani for causing a rift in his marriage.

Mom didn’t waste any more time with him. Choosing her daughters over her husband was a no brainer. I’ve thanked my mom countless times over the years, especially since I became an adult, for sacrificing her life and happiness for us. To which she continuously scoffs and says it’s her mission and her pride and joy to live her life for her daughters.

She’s self-sacrificing and not in a martyr way. She’s never once begrudged Dani for the constant care she needs. I love and respect her more than any other human on the planet.

I’ve tried a handful of times to set her up on dates, but she says men will distract her from us. I love my mom, but I don’t understand how she can live without sex.

Unless she’s been sneaking it on the side. Ugh. I don’t want to think about that.

We go to bed Thursday night with full bellies, and in the morning, I stop at the store to pick up fixings for pumpkin cheesecake. It’s been our tradition since meeting Jackson to have a Friendsgiving.

Since he has a gorgeous penthouse, he hosted for five years up until Riley married his brother. Now Walker and Riley are hosting. I pick up Rowan on the way and we’re the first to arrive, as planned.

We like our girl time, baking and gossiping throughout the morning while Walker is at the stadium. Last year, Miles and Declan joined us while Jackson and Taylor invited two of their friends.

“Are you going to tell her?” Rowan asks when Riley goes upstairs to use the bathroom.

“Tell her what?” I rinse off the mixing bowl and hand it to Row to dry.

“Don’t be obtuse. You’ve slept with him again, haven’t you?”

“Slept? No.”

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that hickey Sunday night either. Real convenient for Nash to spill cranberry juice all over you.”

I bite my bottom lip and hand her a clean rubber scraper. “It wasn’t a hickey.”

“Please.”

“He bit me, Row.”

“Like a vampire?” She clutches her chest.

My dear best friend is so innocent. She would freak out if I told her how Nash tied me to the bed Wednesday night and shoved my underwear in my mouth to muffle my screams.

“Yeah. Like a vampire, except there was no blood. I don’t think he realizes how much he marks me when we’re in the heat of the moment. It’s not until the next time he sees me that he shows his concern about my bruises.”

The bite mark on my neck didn’t seem to bother him, but he was worried about my thighs, not that it stopped him from spanking my ass red Monday night, then soothing my ass tenderly Wednesday while he left a trail of bite marks inside my thighs and on my left boob.

“How many next times have there been?”

“Four total.”

“Kendall! You have to tell Riley. She’ll never forgive you for keeping this secret.”

“What secret? Do tell.” Riley rubs her hands together and takes a seat at the counter.

Rowan takes the dish rag from me and pushes me to the counter. “I don’t want this to be awkward for anyone, because we’re totally not making a big deal about it.”

“Awkward for who, and who iswe?”

I tug at the collar of my loose turtleneck sweater and Riley’s eyes go wide. Shit. I didn’t mean to show her the bite mark. I meant to give myself some air.

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