Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 106798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
A small smile steals his lips. “You’re quite tan. Makes your hair look white.”
I frown. “It’s been thoroughly bleached by the sun.”
“It looks good on you. You look good.”
That familiar blush blooms along my cheeks. “Thanks. So do you. Thirty-four looks good on you. Happy birthday, by the way.”
Zach glances at the clock on his nightstand and nods. “What a great birthday present.” He returns his attention to me.
“I told Leah it was a stupid idea to come here in the middle of the night.” I shrug because I don’t know what to say or do next. We’re in a hotel room after midnight, and things start to feel awkward quickly.
“Want to see what’s on TV?” He gestures toward the screen on the console.
“Sure.”
Zach plunks down on the bed, leaning against the headboard and turns on the TV.
I lower into the chair.
He chuckles. “You can’t see the TV from there. Sit next to me.”
“It’s fine. I’ll just scoot it over a bit.” I try to move the chair, but it doesn’t scoot well along the carpet.
“I don’t bite.”
I glance up and shoot him a smile that matches my uneasiness. “I know.” Giving up on the chair, I sit on the other side of the bed and toe off my boots before stretching my legs out and leaning against the headboard next to him.
“I want to hear all about your travels thus far.” He turns on a twenty-four-hour news channel.
“I’ve told you everything on our calls and texts.” I laugh.
“You tell me Leah has a new guy at every location, but you never share your … social life.” He flips through more channels, keeping his gaze on the TV.
“I fear I took the wrong job for finding a husband … uh … a real one … or … well, you know what I mean. It’s hard to find more than random hookups when you’re not in one place very long.”
He says nothing for few seconds, then he exhales slowly. “You’re young. I think traveling the world and finding random hookups is the point at your age. That’s what I did.”
I let his … advice? Confession? Whatever it is, I let it settle for a minute before responding. “I’m not exactly hooking up with random guys. I haven’t decided if that’s my thing yet. Which is strange because that’s all I knew from my mom while growing up. So if you were a man whore at my age …” I shrug and grin. “That’s on you, Zachary.”
“Really?” He turns his head to give me his narrow-eyed gaze. “Man whore? That’s what you’re going with?”
I give him a quick side-eye before returning my gaze to the TV, crossing my arms over my chest. “If the shoe fits …”
“It doesn’t fit. A whore is a person who gets paid for sex. I’ve never been paid for sex. If you’re not hooking up with anyone because you don’t know what to charge, then I think we need to talk.”
“Shut up.” I grin. “That’s not it.” Climbing off the bed, I help myself to his minibar.
“That’s not complimentary,” he says.
I shrug. “It is if my name’s not on the room.” I twist off the top to a small bottle of red wine and down half of it as Zach's eyes widen a fraction with each gulp I take. “What can I get you?”
“I’m good. I drank too much earlier when I went out with my crew.”
I nod and down more wine.
“Did you not have wine with Leah? You said she was drunk.”
When I feel confident a new round of courage is close to reaching my veins, I set the bottle down on the desk and sit on the edge. “I had wine.”
He nods toward the bottle. “But that’s better?”
Grunting a laugh, I shake my head. “No. That’s awful shit.”
Zach chuckles and I feel it in my belly. “Then why drink it?”
“Because I should leave, but I haven’t been here that long, so leaving now would make my whole middle-of-the-night trip here seem crazy.” That shot of courage is making its way into my bloodstream at an unprecedented speed. I’m already saying the quiet part out loud.
“So you’re biding your time by drinking shitty wine?”
“No. I’m hoping I pass out soon and don’t have to make an uncomfortable exit. When that happens, just slip a pillow under my head. I’ll be fine on the floor.”
“Emersyn, if you leave now, I’ll still be glad you came. It’s not crazy that you came.”
With a sharp nod, I slowly say, “Okay. But … what if I don’t leave? Would that be crazy?”
“I …” He lifts one shoulder into a slow shrug. “I’m not sure crazy is the right word.”
I yawn and drag my feet toward the bed. That was the perfect amount of wine for me to just … lie down and not feel guilty for my trip here. “I’m tired, Zach,” I mumble, closing my eyes. “And I’ve missed you,” I say a little softer as the warmth from the wine spreads through my body. “I’ve missed…” I teeter on the edge of sleep, feeling barely coherent “…my husband.”