Page 44 of Property of Riptide
“Thank you, Rio.”
“Anytime, Van. Gotta go. Give me three minutes to catch Zoey up and then head where Teddy instructed.” The line disconnects without him letting me know he was fixing to hang up, making me snort. Men act like a civilized goodbye is beneath them.
Zoey and I couldn’t stomach any food, but we made sure Elodie got something and I fed Gagey one of his pouches I dug out from the travel cooler before we came inside the diner. It feels like days instead of a couple of hours before the roar of motorcycles ride into the parking lot. “They’re here,” Zoey says, releasing a sigh of relief.
“Thank God,” I say, my voice muffled. “I didn’t realize we’d gotten as far ahead of them as we did.”
“Going ninety miles per hour will do that,” she teases. “In another life, you must’ve been a race car driver.”
“I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that I was able to keep my car inside the lanes going that fast. It’s a first for me,” I humorlessly snicker. “I was scared to death that I would veer off the side of the road and crash.”
“You handled yourself like a pro, Van. I took my cues from you. Elodie thought it was fun and laughed the entire time, me however, I was shaking like a leaf.”
“I’m still shaking,” I tell her, holding out my hands as evidence to show her the proof. “I was luckier than you though because the steady lull of the car kept my boy fast asleep.”
The bell over the diner rings and both of our heads swivel in that direction. Our men come charging in and their shoulders don’t relax until they spot us. My ass is glued to the seat, I can’t seem to get my body to cooperate and rush into Riptide’s arms the way my brain wants me to.
But I don’t have to worry about that because the very second he reaches me, he yanks me into his arms, burying his face into my neck as his hands grip me tightly. “I’ve never been so fucking scared in my life, Van,” he admits. “Knowing you and little man were in the line of fire messed with my mind. For a second there, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep my head in the game.”
“I knew you’d keep us safe,” I coo, using the same tone I use on Gagey when he’s been incessantly crying. “We’re alright, Riptide.”
“Rush, Van. My given name is Rush, I need to hear you use it,” he claims.
“We’re alright, Rush,” I repeat, his name slipping off my tongue like butter. “Rush, it fits you. You do like to take things at warp speed. Your mom knew what she was doing when she gave it to you. Why did I not know that before now? It never even hit my mind to ask.”
“Don’t know, doesn’t matter,” he states.
“Da da da da,” Gagey babbles, his balled hands flailing, causing Riptide to take a step back and peer down at our boy in his car seat.
“Hey, little man.” Riptide leans over, unstraps him, and pulls him into his chest. “You don’t look any worse for the wear.”
“He slept through the entire thing,” I inform him.
“Nerves of steel, huh?” Riptide asks, his face showing utmost pride for our boy. Yeah, I’ve accepted the fact that he’s not just mine anymore, and I’m happy to share him with my man. He’s proven to me that we’re both important to him and he wants us both.
I snort-laugh. “He doesn’t get that from me. I’m a scaredy cat, plain and simple.”
“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Van,” he scolds. “I don’t know many women who wouldn’t have kept going and waved goodbye to me through the rearview mirror. You being here, waiting for me, says a lot about your strength and character. Issy is right, you’re going to make one helluva old lady.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere with me, Rush,” I confess, engulfing him and Gagey in my arms.
“Everywhere you say. Care to expand on that, Van?”
“Not here and not right now. We only have a few hours left until we’re home. Let’s postpone that chat for when we’re alone,” I propose.
“Boo. That’s no fun, we could’ve given you some advice,” Indiana jokes.
“We don’t needyouradvice,” Riptide states, leering at him. “Zoey’s still holding your hand and guiding you through y’all’s relationship.”
“That’s not true,” Indiana digresses, turning around to Zoey and demanding, “Tell him he’s wrong.”
“I can’t. Elodie’s here and I’m trying to teach her the difference between telling the truth and lying,” Zoey asserts.
“Y’all are cold. Every damn one of you,” Indiana pouts.
“Can we move along?” Icer interrupts. “I want the princess and prince home where I know they’re behind our locked gates.”
LoneStar releases a grumble. “Since when did he become the voice of reason?”
