Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
“And I'm curious about showing you."
His hands thread through my hair again. I think he's obsessed. But God, it feels so good as he tugs his fingers through my long, thick hair. It feels so right as he tucks the blanket around me. Sarah and Jason have texted, but I send them a really quick response because I'm so tired.
Amazing. Will tell you later.
The next morning, I wake up to the smell of coffee. I open one eye and see nothing but rumpled sheets beside me. I wonder if Ricco’s still here.
Something sounds like it’s banging. There’s a loud thump, followed by two angry male voices.
Shit! What the hell? I jump out of bed. Wait, is that Jason’s voice?
No.
I haven't put my contacts in, my hair is all over the place, and I am running into the kitchen as quickly as I can because… is that Jason in there? Jason doesn't stand a chance against Ricco, and if Ricco hurts my best friend, I'm gonna hurt him.
"What's going on in here?” I scream as soon as I enter the room. They're facing off against each other. Ricco’s standing in the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. He's stunning, I might add.
He’s also brandishing my rolling pin, and Jason’s holding a tube of aluminum foil. What the fuck are they doing?
"Guys. Guys! What’s going on in here?" I repeat. I throw my hands up like I’m refereeing a match.
Jason glares, and my normally very happy bestie doesn’t glare very often.
"It's him. He's the one that's been sneaking up on your porch." I stare at Jason, trying to figure out what the hell he’s talking about. I blink and rub my eyes. Am I still sleeping?
"What the hell are you talking about, Jay?"
Jason narrows his eyes on Ricco and doesn't take them off him. "Those groceries on your porch? I put up surveillance cameras. Guess what. I caught him, red-handed. The creep! He's been watching you. Then he puts out these bags of groceries like he's trying to get in your good graces or something."
I turn and stare at Ricco. "Is that true?"
"Maybe. And what the hell is this guy doing just walking into your house? And putting up cameras? You got an ex I don’t know about?”
Jason and I burst out laughing. "Oh honey, I am way more likely to date you than I am to date her." Ricco narrows his eyes on Jason, obviously not taking that for the compliment it is.
"Boys, put your stupid weapons down and listen to me. God! And Ricco, maybe go get some clothes on.” I glare, giving them my best stern mom look. “I’m waiting.”
“I am not leaving you alone with him,” Ricco growls.
“Same!” Jason retorts.
I sigh. “You two are both pissing me off right about now.” I wrap my arms around myself. “Ricco, what the hell were you doing putting things on my porch? And Jason, who the hell told you it was okay to put up surveillance cameras?”
Ricco works his jaw. “Good question.”
I point a finger at him. “I asked you first!”
Ricco blows out a breath. “I heard rumors at the school. Knew your husband died. Wanted to do something nice, but I didn’t even know you, so dropping shit off you could use seemed like a good idea. Didn’t know this asshole was snooping. Since when is it a crime to buy groceries? Jesus.”
Jason’s pretty face contorts in anger. “I put up the cameras because she’s my friend and I worried about some asshole stalking her.” Jason rolls his eyes for dramatic effect. “Nice to know my concerns were unfounded.”
I sit down and rub my temples. “Someone get my coffee, please. I can’t think straight. And you two better call a truce. Because this shit’s not going down."
"Language with Emmy," Jason says, giving me a withering look.
"She's with Sarah."
"Oh, right."
"Is someone going to explain to me why this man is in your house?" Ricco asks me. "And why he was doing surveillance on your porch? Who the hell is he? And why haven’t you told me about him?”
"Ricco, this is Jason. Jason is my best friend. He gets a little overprotective of me, okay? He's also very gay and very taken and very not into me. There's nothing going on between the two of us, and if there was, I would've told you."
Ricco finally puts the rolling pin down.
A few minutes later, the men have called a truce, and we're sitting at the table with cups of coffee and warmed blueberry muffins. Well, Jason and I are. Ricco mutters something about macros and protein, and not eating breakfast.
My phone beeps with an alarm at the same time as Ricco’s does.
Oh my God. “Ricco…”
“Parent coffee,” he says with a groan. “We gotta go. Now.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
BOYFRIEND? STALKER?
Ricco
"I'm driving," Dani says. She’s standing in front of me, wearing nothing but sweats, her hair pulled up in a messy bun, but she did slide some kind of glossy lipstick on her lips, and she looks beautiful. As always.