Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 106065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
I liked how he’d explained stuff for me last night. Sound logic and reason.
“You need to eat.” He sat down on the edge of the bed, and then he did something magical. He started ghosting his fingertips along my exposed back.
“Ohhh, that feels so good,” I groaned. Perfect timing for me to realize I had dog hair in my mouth. I stuck out the tip of my tongue and made little farting noises until I’d caught it. “Bleck. Only downside to sharing a bed with doggies.”
Sloan chuckled quietly and withdrew his hand. What a bummer. “You looked so cute this morning when we checked in on you. It was a miracle you could breathe with those two sleeping half on top of you.”
That explained why they weren’t here anymore. They must’ve let the dogs out.
“I love feeling that pressure on me.” I yawned and stretched out. “I have a weighted duvet at home.”
“That’s good to know, because I was wondering if there’s anything you need to have picked up at home,” he replied. “You mentioned your cousin has a key to your place, right?”
Yeah, and it was a good thing, ’cause my keys were trapped on the third floor of a house that’d been on fire.
I rolled onto my side again and managed to crack my eyes open. Fuck, he was too hot. He wore jeans, a vintage tee, and a bed head.
“Does that mean I’m sleeping over tonight too?” I wondered.
“We hope so.” He smiled and rested his arm on my hip. “Greer is going to shoot for a week, minimum. I’m more the type who will try to convince you just one more night.”
I grinned and covered my mouth with my hand. Why were they doing this? Why were they bothering with me?
“I don’t think last night traumatized me into needing that much babysitting.” I tried to keep my tone light.
He hummed, and a pinch of sympathy and concern bled into his expression. “It’s more than that, Corey. Remember the powerful weapon I talked about last night?”
I nodded. Something about using a sleepover to convince me to stay on the East Coast. It definitely whispered of a larger operation than merely making sure I was all right after the fire.
“We’re serious about that,” Sloan murmured. “Greer’s been talking about you for weeks, and what little I’ve heard directly from you… I have to agree with him. We’re worried you’re being abused by your partner.”
I averted my gaze and swallowed hard. I didn’t like the A-word. It was a punch in the gut all on its own.
At the same time, something was wrong. I wasn’t always this hesitant and unsure. On the contrary, I used to be forward and assertive.
“We want to be transparent about this,” he admitted. “We want you here because we don’t trust Marcus’s methods or intentions. We want you here because we think you’re an amazing boy, and you don’t deserve to be pushed around.” He paused and gathered his hands on his legs instead. “You know Greer. You know he’s very…blunt. He’ll give you his two cents whether you want them or not.”
I managed a weak smile. I kinda liked that about him.
“I will do my best not to do that,” he said. “It’s more important to me that you see this as a safe place where you can gather your thoughts in peace, with nobody rushing you or trying to sway you in one direction or another. That’s not to say I don’t think Greer is right—or that his approach isn’t useful—because two things can be true at once. But I’ll let him handle the brazen truth bombs and mic-drop moments.” Oh, he was good at lightening the tension. That made Sloan dangerous. “How does that sound?”
“Like I’m walking into a wolf’s lair or a lion’s den,” I half joked. “Our community has a dozen or so dynamics that you just automatically envy because they seem so wonderful. That’s what I’ve observed so far—I’m sure there are more. And it’s easy to think that the grass is greener on the other side.”
And everything Greer touched seemed to be greener than…than…something very green! Money, Ireland, Celtic FC, and freaking trees.
Sloan nodded slowly. “True. But if a dozen of the relationships in your social group are worth being envious of, that’s quite a number. And unless you’re envious by nature, one might wonder if what you’re seeing isn’t something remarkable, just…healthy dynamics. And it could point to something you miss in your own relationship.”
But, ohhh! I groaned and turned around to bury my face in my pillow again. “Then you say stuff like that, and it makes perfect sense, and it just means I’ll start listening to you, and maybe you’re the devil!”
I was never gonna sort my crap out!
God, I hated being confused. And frustrated. And not knowing what was up and what was down.