Protecting Cheyenne (SEAL of Protection Book 5) by Susan Stoker Page B
Authors: Susan Stoker
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what Cheyenne thought Faulkner would say. “But you wanted me to meet your friends.”
“And I still do, but I don’t want you to make yourself sick over it. I rushed this, I know it, I’m sorry. But I like you. And I wanted you to meet the most important people in my life. We’ll have plenty of time to do this later. It was a stupid idea.”
Cheyenne watched as Faulkner reached for the keys still hanging in the ignition. She put her hand out and placed it on his forearm, stopping him from starting the truck again.
“I’m nervous, I won’t deny that, but I want to meet them. I do . I don’t get out much, Faulkner. It wouldn’t matter if I met them today or three months from now, I’d still be nervous, partly because I’m meeting new people, but also because they’re so important to you . I like you.” Cheyenne dropped her eyes and fiddled with a string hanging off of the seat in front of her. “What if they don’t like me? What if we have nothing in common? I…I want to get to know you better and knowing how important they are to you, I know we could never last if they didn’t like me.”
Dude knew this was an important moment and he struggled to find the right words so Cheyenne would understand. “Trust me when I tell you they’ll like you, Shy. Alabama was a janitor when she met Abe. She spent her evenings cleaning offices in buildings. Caroline is a chemist, but she’d just lost her parents when she met Wolf. She was on her way across the country to a new job because she had no ties to California. No one reported Fiona missing when she was taken. She didn’t have any close friends or family that worried about her. Summer was divorced and was flat broke when she met Mozart and was working as a maid for a dump of a motel. These are not women who’ll judge you. I promise. And in case it wasn’t already obvious, I like you too. And in the extremely low chance you don’t get along with the other women, I’ll still want to get to know you better.” Dude paused for a moment then said, “It’s your choice, Shy. I’d never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do. Anything .”
Cheyenne knew there was more to what he’d said than simply meeting his friends, but she put it aside for the moment.
“Okay, let’s go. Shit. I had a damn bomb strapped to my chest, how hard can this be?”
Dude laughed and reached out for Cheyenne. He pulled her to him for a quick hard kiss then let her go. “Wait there, I’ll come around.”
Cheyenne rolled her eyes, but waited for Faulkner to come around the truck and open her door for her.
He tucked her arm in his and they ambled up the front walk to the house. Cheyenne took a deep breath and steeled herself for whatever was going to happen. She decided right there to do whatever it took to enjoy herself. These people were important to Faulkner, and she wanted them to like her more than was probably healthy. She warned herself not to be a dork, a spaz, or a flake. She’d just be herself. Hopefully that’d be enough.
Chapter Seven
“Faulkner!”
Cheyenne took a step back as the front door burst open and a brunette dynamo slammed into Faulkner. He took a step back and laughed as his arms came around the woman and lifted her off her feet.
“Hey, Alabama. How are you?”
“It’s been too long since we’ve seen you!” Alabama pulled back and kissed Faulkner on the cheek. Suddenly turning and pinning her eyes on Cheyenne, Alabama said, “Oh shit, I’m sorry, it’s just been too long since I’ve seen him. That was so rude of me. Jeez.”
Cheyenne relaxed a bit. She immediately liked this woman. “It’s okay, really.”
Dude leaned down, kissed Alabama on the cheek, then turned to Cheyenne. “Come on, Shy, let’s go inside and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
Cheyenne nodded and smiled at Alabama as they made their way inside. They went into the living room and Cheyenne froze. Shit. She knew there would be a lot of people
“And I still do, but I don’t want you to make yourself sick over it. I rushed this, I know it, I’m sorry. But I like you. And I wanted you to meet the most important people in my life. We’ll have plenty of time to do this later. It was a stupid idea.”
Cheyenne watched as Faulkner reached for the keys still hanging in the ignition. She put her hand out and placed it on his forearm, stopping him from starting the truck again.
“I’m nervous, I won’t deny that, but I want to meet them. I do . I don’t get out much, Faulkner. It wouldn’t matter if I met them today or three months from now, I’d still be nervous, partly because I’m meeting new people, but also because they’re so important to you . I like you.” Cheyenne dropped her eyes and fiddled with a string hanging off of the seat in front of her. “What if they don’t like me? What if we have nothing in common? I…I want to get to know you better and knowing how important they are to you, I know we could never last if they didn’t like me.”
Dude knew this was an important moment and he struggled to find the right words so Cheyenne would understand. “Trust me when I tell you they’ll like you, Shy. Alabama was a janitor when she met Abe. She spent her evenings cleaning offices in buildings. Caroline is a chemist, but she’d just lost her parents when she met Wolf. She was on her way across the country to a new job because she had no ties to California. No one reported Fiona missing when she was taken. She didn’t have any close friends or family that worried about her. Summer was divorced and was flat broke when she met Mozart and was working as a maid for a dump of a motel. These are not women who’ll judge you. I promise. And in case it wasn’t already obvious, I like you too. And in the extremely low chance you don’t get along with the other women, I’ll still want to get to know you better.” Dude paused for a moment then said, “It’s your choice, Shy. I’d never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do. Anything .”
Cheyenne knew there was more to what he’d said than simply meeting his friends, but she put it aside for the moment.
“Okay, let’s go. Shit. I had a damn bomb strapped to my chest, how hard can this be?”
Dude laughed and reached out for Cheyenne. He pulled her to him for a quick hard kiss then let her go. “Wait there, I’ll come around.”
Cheyenne rolled her eyes, but waited for Faulkner to come around the truck and open her door for her.
He tucked her arm in his and they ambled up the front walk to the house. Cheyenne took a deep breath and steeled herself for whatever was going to happen. She decided right there to do whatever it took to enjoy herself. These people were important to Faulkner, and she wanted them to like her more than was probably healthy. She warned herself not to be a dork, a spaz, or a flake. She’d just be herself. Hopefully that’d be enough.
Chapter Seven
“Faulkner!”
Cheyenne took a step back as the front door burst open and a brunette dynamo slammed into Faulkner. He took a step back and laughed as his arms came around the woman and lifted her off her feet.
“Hey, Alabama. How are you?”
“It’s been too long since we’ve seen you!” Alabama pulled back and kissed Faulkner on the cheek. Suddenly turning and pinning her eyes on Cheyenne, Alabama said, “Oh shit, I’m sorry, it’s just been too long since I’ve seen him. That was so rude of me. Jeez.”
Cheyenne relaxed a bit. She immediately liked this woman. “It’s okay, really.”
Dude leaned down, kissed Alabama on the cheek, then turned to Cheyenne. “Come on, Shy, let’s go inside and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
Cheyenne nodded and smiled at Alabama as they made their way inside. They went into the living room and Cheyenne froze. Shit. She knew there would be a lot of people
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