Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
And then there was Heather’s text, and I was laughing as I read it.
Heather: I know enough to know that little smart punk is going to do something that’ll probably be illegal, but if you need an alibi, I got you. I know people. Also, delete this text after you read it. Also also, I hope we didn’t scare you tonight. That’s a small preview of the kind of girl squad we can pull in if we need to. You’ve not even met Mama Malinda officially. She doesn’t know about you and Zeke, but when she does, brace yourself. She’s a mountain of mama love. Also also also, just know whatever happens, I’m here for you. Channing’s here for you. My entire family is here for you. This was true since you were fifteen and first began working at Manny’s. Love you lots.
Heather: If you have more ‘secrets’ for drinks, let me know because you could make a fortune private bartending. I had no idea how killer your drinks are. I’m so proud and rubbing it in Brandon’s face right now because he had no clue either.
“You okay?” Zeke asked over his shoulder, not looking away from the computer screen.
I settled back in, knowing I’d respond to Heather tomorrow. “Better than okay. I’m just right.”
He glanced back, a small grin on his face, and one that had my chest feeling little flutters.
Oh yes. He was all mine.
I was going to tell him that I loved him tomorrow.
That was my last thought before I fell asleep.
“I got it!”
I woke to Zeke’s cry, and then to his sudden, “Oh shit. Sorry, honey.”
I’d been sleeping, and where was I? A couch. I was turned around and looked over my shoulder. He was coming over, his own tired smile on his face. “Hey, babe. I’m sorry to wake you up.”
“What’s going on?”
I had started to roll over, but he was there and scooping me up in his arms. He lifted me up and started walking out of the office.
“What are—what’s going on?”
“Nothing. Everything is perfect. You can go back to sleep.”
He carried me into the bedroom, taking and laying me down, and pulling the bedsheets over me. He was tucking me in. “Everything is going to be fine. I’ve got this. I found the golden goose.”
“You did?”
“I did.” He gave me another kiss, and then began to pull away. I reached up, grabbed the back of his head. and pulled him back down. His mouth found mine again, and this kiss was more awake. Hungrier.
“I thought you were asleep.”
I kicked the covers off me and pulled him over me. “Not anymore.”
“Ava.” He was hesitating.
I didn’t want him to hesitate so I reached up, and moved his pants down, though, God, did I love watching him walk around in those sweats. Seriously defined muscles, and sometimes he wore a gold chain. I reached for it, finding it around his neck. He must’ve put it on when he was hacking. I used it and pulled his mouth to mine. He’d told me once that it’d been a gift his dad once gave him. It was a sort of initiation when he graduated from Cain University. He didn’t always wear it, but I was glad he was wearing it tonight.
I wanted. I needed. I was in control here.
“Ava.”
“Shut up.” I scissor-kicked him so he was on the bed, and I was up, above him.
I sat down, straddling him, finding him right where I needed him. And at the touch, I paused, just once, before I moved over him. He groaned, his hands finding my hips. He began kneading me there, but he was sitting up, finding my mouth.
He battled for control, the way I’d known he would. He liked going rough, which I liked too, but there’d been some times when he went slow. Tender. I didn’t want that, and I could feel the build-up in him. He was riled up from the hacking. So was I. I was riled up for him, and I was fully fucking awake and dripping for him.
I began moving harder over him, a hand planted on his chest.
He moved with me, urging me down, as his mouth opened over mine, his tongue slipping in.
This man. He’d been a boy when I’d first met him. A bully. Mean. Then he changed. He became a man, and now he was my man and I was breathless from needing him. From yearning for him. Another emotion was rising up in me, curling around my spine, and I felt it building. It was making me breathless all over again, but I opened my hips and sank farther down on him, and tried to clamp that feeling from bursting out of me.
Not yet.
He rolled me over, rising up over me, and I stretched, savoring from this viewpoint too. I loved watching as Zeke held himself above me, watching me, catching my chin, and holding me in place so I could feel him looking into me. It was like he was reading into my soul, seeing beyond every wall I had, every thought that was in place, every hesitation, and he blasted through them. Because he could. Because he was Zeke.