Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
“That doesn’t make sense! You’re not his type, and you told me yourself he’s never had anything nice to say to you.”
“Yeah, well, if the gross shit he said to me last week is anything to go by, Nate has at least two types. He wants a thin, pretty girl on his arm, and a chubby girl sucking his dick. But he’s too narcissistic and proud to admit his attraction to fat girls, so he keeps that a secret. And I, for one, have no interest in being anyone’s secret.”
But isn’t that exactly what I am? Ben’s dirty little secret?
I bury the unnerving question and focus on the conversation at hand.
Crystal’s eyes glisten as she shakes her head. “Stop it, Skyler. Stop trying to manipulate me!”
“I’m not trying to manipulate you. That’s Nate’s thing.” I rise and take a step toward her. She recoils like I’m contagious, scrambling back toward the door.
“You are,” she sobs. “You’re trying to break us up because you’re jealous of what we have!”
“I think you know that’s not true, Crystal.” I upturn my hands to show I have nothing to hide and sit back down on the couch. “And if you have even one ounce of doubt in your mind as far as Nate’s concerned, you should listen to it. Check his browsing history. I’m positive you’ll find my blog in there.”
For a second, I think I see a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze. But it doesn’t last. Crystal shakes her head, rips open the door, and disappears into the hall.
I stay rooted to the couch with my head in my hands, torn between wanting to go after her and wanting to scream in exasperation. When I can bring myself to walk again, I close my apartment door and lean my forehead against it, trying to control the storm of emotions whirling inside me.
More so now than ever before, I crave the safety and security of Daddy’s strong arms around me and his reassuring whispers that everything is going to be all right.
Thank God I work tonight...
eleven
BEN
Skyler walks into the gym a full twenty minutes before her shift is supposed to start, looking gorgeous as ever with her hair pulled up high and away from her face. I’m about to greet her with what I hope is a work-appropriate level of enthusiasm when I catch sight of her anxious expression. Immediately, I stop what I’m doing and make my way over to her.
“Skye, what’s wrong?” I ask in a low voice, trying not to draw attention from the buzzing patrons around us.
“I...” Her gaze darts to a concerned-looking Moodie at the front desk.
I nod in the direction of my office. “In there.”
She nods and follows quietly behind me. It kills me that I can’t take her hand in mine and give it a reassuring squeeze. The knots in my stomach grow tighter with each step I take. Seeing Skyler so distraught has me officially on-edge, and I desperately want to know what’s going on.
Once we’re inside my office with the door shut behind us, I immediately place my hands on her shoulders.
“What’s wrong, Baby Bird?” I gently rub her upper arms in a soothing motion that seems to alleviate some of the tension in her muscles, if not her mind.
She bites her bottom lip and shakes her head, tears welling in her eyes.
“Come on,” I coax, cupping her cheek in my hand. “You know you can tell Daddy anything.”
Her lips quiver. “Crystal stopped by my apartment earlier. She knows.”
I sigh heavily. I’d hoped we’d have a little more time to strategize about how we wanted to reveal our relationship to my family and the rest of the Gold Standard crew. “Well, the fact that Barbie isn’t in here chewing me out right now tells us Crystal hasn’t said anything to her mom yet.”
“But what if she does? What if she tells everyone?” A single tear traces down Skyler’s cheek. “What happens to us when I’m not your secret anymore?”
My eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Baby, is that what’s got you so upset? I don’t care if people know. I mean, things’ll be awkward with Crystal for a while, and Barbie’s gonna give me hell, but she’ll come around when she sees how happy we make each other.”
“Really? You wouldn’t mind if people found out?”
I stroke my thumb along her cheekbone. “Baby Bird, I’m living for the day when everyone knows that this beautiful, smart, kind, amazing woman is mine. And I’m hers.”
“Oh, Daddy.” She bursts into tears, and I instantly worry I’ve said something wrong. But then she throws her arms around neck and hugs me tightly. “I know it sounds stupid and insecure, but I was afraid you were secretly embarrassed to be with me.”
I inhale sharply at the thought of her harboring such painful fears and hug her closer to me. “Never, Baby Bird, never. You’re the most important thing in my world, Skyler. I’m so damn proud to be your Daddy.” I kiss her tear-streaked face. “And don’t worry about Crystal. I’ll talk to her, see if I can get her off your back, okay?”