“This is really beautiful,” I whisper as we walk hand-in-hand down the dirt path. With birds singing and the sun shining through the trees, it makes for a gorgeous, romantic setting.
“So why did you clam up when Jax brought up your dad?” he asks, catching me off-guard. Looking at him out of the corner of my eye, I think about how to answer that question. “Are you afraid of your dad?”
“Afraid of my dad?” I ask, slowing down to look at him.
“Yeah, are you afraid of your dad?” he growls, narrowing his eyes.
I start laughing and pull my hand from his, covering my face to laugh harder. “Sorry,” I breathe, trying to catch my breath and wipe the tears away from my eyes then lift my head so our gazes connect.
“I have four sisters and a mom my dad is over-protective of, but he’s also my best friend,” I tell him seriously, wanting him to understand I will always be a daddy’s girl. “I call him and complain when I’ve had a bad day, or to laugh when something funny happens. He has known every man I have dated, and been indifferent to all of them.” I look down at the ground and kick a pebble. “I’m not afraid of my dad, but I respect him and know he will have a lot of questions about you.”
“Like what?” His brows pull together, and I fight the urge to step closer and run my finger over the ridges that have formed between his eyebrows.
“What I’m doing with a guy like you,” I tell him simply then start to walk again.
“A guy like me?” he asks as his thumb slips into the back of my jeans and his finger hooks through my belt loop.
“A guy like you,” I confirm with a nod, not looking at him.
“What kind of guy am I?” he asks, turning me to face him, and my eyes focus on his face, which looks gorgeous with the way the sunlight is shining through the trees.
“A guy who rides a motorcycle and has tattoos, a guy who doesn’t seem to take no for an answer, but who can apologize when he’s wrong,” I say, knowing some of those are qualities my dad has, and that’s what scares me.
“You don’t believe he would like you dating a biker with tattoos?”
“It’s not that you’re a biker or that you have tattoos.” I shake my head and look around. “Enough about my dad. What are we doing here?” I ask, changing the subject.
He searches my face for a moment then takes my hand again. “It’s just up here.” We walk for a few more minutes then come to a clearing with a large rock wall. He pulls a flashlight out of his bag then ducks inside a hole you have to bend double to get through. I follow behind him and inhale a sharp breath as I enter the cave and look around the large open space. The walls are white and look smooth and shiny, like they are wet. A waterfall shoots out of the ceiling into a pool of water that’s in the middle of the cave, and along the edge of the water, large stalagmite formations have formed, some so high they look like they reach the ceiling.
“Holy cow.” I spin in circles, taking everything in. I cannot believe how magical the space is.
“Surprised?” he asks, and I finish my spin and face him.
“It’s amazing! How did you find this place?”
“Me and Everett used to go caving in California. We heard about some of the spots out here and decided to see what we could find. We were on the other side of the hill when we saw an opening, and we came in through there.” He points the flashlight off to the side, where it’s completely dark, but I can still make out a small hole. “When we got into this section, we saw there was another exit that led to the trail.”
“I had no idea places like this even exist.”
“They’re all over.” He smiles, crossing his arms over his chest.
Until Jax
“You may now kiss the bride,” the pastor says, and Wes bends July backwards over his arm, kissing her in a way that I’m surprised Uncle Asher doesn’t get out of his seat.
“Oh, God,” my sister sitting next to me cries, and I look down at her as she wipes her eyes while wrapping her arm around mine. “They are so perfect for each other,” she says then looks at me, smiling before standing up when everyone else does.
“Ax,” Hope calls from my other side, and I pull my eyes from my sister and hold my breath as Hope Ellie’s Daughter smiles up at me. She looks like her mom…her mom, who has taken up my every thought since meeting her.
“What’s up, sweetheart?” I ask softly, still unsure of what to do with a three-year-old little girl.
“Can you pit me up so I can see Mama?” she asks, and my heart does a tug, the same tug it’s done since the moment I met her mom then her.
“Sure,” I say, and she holds her hands up to me and I pick her up in her big poufy pink dress then lift her to my shoulders so she can see her mom walk down the aisle behind July, holding onto Harlen’s arm, which causes a different kind of tug to pull at my chest.
She looks beautiful today. Her long brown hair is tied up with a white ribbon that is woven through a braid, which is wrapped behind her ear with small pieces framing her face. Her body is incased in a dress that is so formfitting that I know just from looking her breasts would fit perfectly in my hands. Hell, her body fits perfectly against mine. I know this, because every chance I get, I have her close.
She’s mine. She may not understand it—hell, I don’t even know if I understand it—but she was made for me.
From Me to You
I started this writing journey after I fell in love with reading, like thousands of authors before me.
I wanted to give people a place to escape where the stories were light, funny, sweet and hot.
I wanted my books to leave you feeling good maybe something to clean your pallet after a dark romance or a book that tore out your heart before putting it back together again.
I have loved sharing my stories with you all, loved that readers message me to say that even for a moment they were able to escape into another world.
I started writing for me and will continue writing for you.
Acknowledgments
First I want to give thanks to God without him none of this would be possible.
Second I want to thank my husband. I know I drive you insane and that there is a lot of weight on your shoulders but thank you for being strong enough to bare it all while helping with the laundry, cleaning the house and making sure that we have food. I love you babe always and forever.
Natasha Gentile. You my crazy friend, you brighten my days and force me to push myself even when I want to say screw it and give up. I would be lost without you lady I love you and your crazy biker knowledge.
Kayla, You know I adore you woman. Thank you for always knowing exactly what I’m trying to say even when my words are a mess.
Tina Harris you’ve become such a good friend and you truly saved my ass with Until July. Thank you so much for not only being such a great friend but for taking the time to help edit Until July. I love you girl.
Thank you to my cover designer and friend Sara Eirew your design and photography skills are unbelievable. I love that you accept my craziness and me and that you know what I’m looking for even when I just have a vague idea.
Thank you to TRSOR you girls are always so hard working, I will forever be thankful for everything you do.
To my Beta’s, I think I have said it a million time’s but I couldn’t ask for better, thank you all so much for always encouraging me.
Aurora’s Roses I wish I could hug each and ever one of you. I wish you could all know how much you all brighten my days.
To my Dirty Dozen when I told you guys I may push back this release you didn’t stone me or make me feel horrible you all sent me words of encouragement and told me to do what I thought was best. Thank you all for coming along on this journey with me love you girls.
To every Blog and reader thank you for taking the time to read and share my books. There would never be enough ink in the world to acknowledge you all but I will forever be grateful to each of you.
XOXO Aurora
About
The Author
NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Aurora Rose Reynolds started writing so that the over the top alpha men that lived in her head would leave her alone. When she’s not writing or reading she spends her days with her very own real life alpha who loves her as much as the men in her books love their women and their Great Dane Blue that always keeps her on her toes.
For more information on books that are in the works or just to say hello, follow me on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/Aurora-Rose-Reynolds/474845965932269
Goodreads
www.goodreads.com/author/show/7215619.Aurora_Rose_Reynolds
Twitter
@Auroraroser
E-mail Aurora she would love to hear from you
[email protected]
And don’t forget to stop by her website to find out about new releases, or to order signed books.
AuroraRoseReynolds.com
Other books by this Author
The Until Series
Until November – NOW AVAILABLE
Until Trevor – NOW AVAILABLE
Until Lilly – NOW AVAILABLE
Until Nico – NOW AVAILABLE
SECOND CHANCE HOLIDAY – NOW AVAILABLE
Underground Kings Series
Assumption – NOW AVAILABLE
Obligation – NOW AVAILABLE
Distraction – Coming Soon
UNTIL HER SERIES
UNTIL JULY – NOW AVAILABLE
UNTIL HIM SERIES
UNTIL JAX – COMING SOON
Alpha Law
Justified – NOW AVAILABLE
Liability – Coming Soon
Verdict – Coming Soon
Until July Page 22
