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Toni loved his brothers and they all seemed taken with her as well More often than not, she’d sent a mountain of food to the clubhouse when the diner closed and had quickly earned the nickname of Aunt Jemima, which was immediately shortened to Jem Everyone seemed to call her by the name except Zach and Shell, who stuck with Toni

It was easy, re-fitting into Townsend and slipping into Zach’s world She’d been accepted as is No questions asked And that was a great feeling Somehow, her relationship with Zach was both co at the same time The way they interacted, how she could completely be herself around him, and the way he accepted her was the comfortable part The way he lit her body up with just one look wasshe’d ever experienced

The doorbell rang, and Toni ju had been attached to a live wire placed under her skin She raced out of the kitchen and back through the s room

“Babe, wait,” Zach said from the chair Hoas it he could sound like the person at the door was doing nothing h school basketball team? Hell, he’d probably sound more pissed off it was a solicitor “Come here before you answer it”

Toni shifted her gaze froer and she sighed “I have to get the door, Zach”

“The suit can wait for a minute Come close”

She walked until she was directly between his spread legs, her knees butting up against the couch

“Closer,” he said “Bend down and give me those lips”

She did as he requested, and he caught her by the nape of her neck, dragging her entle Not exactly the norm for them, since they usually flared out of control the second their lips touched But noithout anywhere for it to go, tenderness was the naame

And it was better than a fistful of valiu her

He pulled back after a second, kissed the tip of her nose, and held their foreheads together “Everything will be fine, Toni”

“Thank you,” she whispered “I’ve been a wreck”

“I know, baby Now get the door so we can get this over with and I can take you to your roo the need to leave my mark on this apartment”

Jesus And saying those words wasn’t even the dirtiest thing he could do with that mouth He released her and she stumbled back a few steps Could he tell how his promise affected her?

Probably