Page 44 of Same Rogue
“Damn, Bridger, you have her whooped,” Nory joked.
“He sure does,” Kit said shamelessly.
“And watch me go trotting after her if she asks,” Bridger called out. “I bet I’m more whooped.”
“He is!” Vic said. “He bought her a whole ass house for camping.”
As Kit peeled off her tank top and shimmied out of her jean shorts, she heard Lyric grumble beside her, “He’s not going to stop talking about the dang RV.”
Kit giggled and kicked out of her flipflops as the other girls followed her into the waves one-by-one.
She dragged her legs through the heavy water until she reached Bridger, and he pulled her in immediately. “Are you happy?” he asked.
“I couldn’t be any happier than I am right now,” she admitted, looking around at her friends as they splashed and talked.
She hadn’t realized just how much she had never belonged anywhere until she’d met Bridger, and this misfit Pack of Rogues.
Liam was standing near them, his arm thrown around Nory, who was melted at his side and looking at Kit with this mushy glint in her eye. “Can we tell her now?” Nory asked.
“Tell me what?” Kit asked, confused as she looked from Bridger, back to Nory.
It was Liam who cleared his throat and spoke up. “We have a Pack initiation planned for tonight. If you want it.”
Kit frowned, and shook her head, thinking she had misheard. “Wait, what?”
“I asked Liam for a place for you,” Bridger said softly. “With us.”
Tears prickled her eyes and she stood up straight. “Wait, what!” she said louder, her words echoing through the river clearing.
“We can initiate you tonight and you’ll go back home a Rogue Pack member,” Liam said. “If you’ll have us.”
A sob took her and she looked from Bridger to Liam, Nory, Delta, and Destiny as they had quieted and were treading through the water toward them. The boys were settling down and paying attention now.
“Me?” she squeaked.
Liam chuckled and nodded.
Kit dragged her tear-filled eyes to Bridger as she threw her hands over her mouth to quiet the sob that scratched its way up her throat. “Bridger,” she uttered.
He nodded. “I want you.”
Another sob wracked her body. “Are you being serious right now?”
Bridger pulled her in front of him in the water. “The RV is a present. It’s a promise of more trips like this, with our people, if you want to make them our people. If you want to say yes to me?”
“Say yes,” she whispered, shocked.
“I want you to be mine, Kit.” He nodded, his eyes so full of emotion. “I want to do this life gig with you.”
“Does this mean you aren’t mad at me and Lyric anymore for catfishing her?” Vic asked.
Bridger splashed at him and they all laughed, including Kit. Crying and laughing. Crying and laughing. This was a dream come true.
She’d found it.
Hands clasped over her mouth, she looked up at him and nodded.
“Yeah?”
