Free Owned (Rockstar Romance) (Lost in Oblivion Book 5) by Cari Quinn, Taryn Elliott Page A

eyebrows.
    At this point, his mouth was on autopilot, and that was never a good thing. He needed to get his ass out of the kitchen and away from where it could do any more damage.
    Maybe he’d just go live in the forest with the mutt.
    He spun away and toed the doorstop away from the cracked-open back door. Blessedly cold air wafted over his scalding face. He was probably blushing bright red.
    “Wait, you don’t have your gloves,” Lila called out.
    That was his girl. Always so delicate. What dude needed gloves to piss? Not that he was really going to pee. Though the more he thought about it, maybe he should. Might be the only action his sore dick saw for the rest of this vacation.
    Waving her off, he slipped outside and let the door slap shut behind him. He lifted his face and let the relentless snow cool down his scorched skin. Then he scanned the snow-covered property for the dog, shielding his eyes against the barrage of flakes. It looked like another inch had come down just while he was being robbed of his baked goods.
    The freaking mongrel was nowhere in sight.
    Nick frowned. His night—and oh, maybe his life—was going right down the flusher.

    * * *
    S taring at the back door , Lila relived everything she’d just told her parents. Away from Nick’s earshot, of course.
    So I might be rushing into things but a near plane crash does that to a girl. I want to be with Nick.
    You are with Nick, dear. Aren’t you?
    I mean, with with.
    You mean sexually? Don’t fib to your mama. I know that lock’s been turned a long time ago. I recognize a satisfied key when I see one, and that boy’s definitely satisfied with you.
    Cue flush. But she’d forged on.
    No, I mean like forever. We’re already living together.
    Can’t say I’m surprised.
    More forging on. I don’t know if he’s ready for more. For a while, I wasn’t sure I was either. You know, after Martin—
    We know, and we support you in everything.
    Her mother had hugged her then, and it hadn’t seemed like such a hard, scary choice to take a step forward with Nick. If he even wanted to take that step with her. Not when she had her parents—well, at least her mother, her father wasn’t so sure yet—behind her.
    Really behind her, judging from their choice of bedroom assignments. Whoa. Her mother certainly didn’t let snow pile up under her feet.
    Then there had been Nick’s watching of the pies, which hadn’t gone particularly well. And his cigarette dousing on the floor. Oh, and mustn’t forget his charming piss comment before he fled out the back door, though they had many suitable working toilets on the premises.
    That is the man you want to marry and procreate with?
    Um, yes, I think so. Probably.
    She wouldn’t let his momentarily inappropriate behavior—hello, this was Nick, he was basically a walking billboard for inappropriateness—reduce her desire to take things to the next level. Or at least discuss it openly like mature adults. No more waiting and wondering and pretending she wasn’t having the thoughts she was having.
    If he wasn’t in the same place yet, no problem. She’d just enjoy where they were. Just because she preferred to plan the route before she set off on a trip didn’t mean she couldn’t change. With him, she was learning a whole new style of being.
    “Still thinking the same way you were a few minutes ago, Leelee?” Her father asked, reading her mind.
    “Yes, I am.” She said it almost defiantly as she bent to stroke Lola’s head.
    Being home meant having her faithful dog at her side once again. That included cuddling in bed with her, no matter how much Nick bitched. It was more bluster than anything else. He pretended to hate her cat yet she saw him sneaking Spot treats all the time.
    “What’d that damn boy do with those other two pies?” Her father said, shaking his head as he checked the oven.
    “Ate them probably. He’s skinny as a whip. Leelee, do you feed him?”
    “He eats plenty, and no, I do