Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 135652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
“It makes perfect sense,” he responds, his sure tone loud and a little smug.
Okay, let’s try this another way. “You’re his brother. This is the twenty first century. Things like this don’t happen any longer and if they do, they’re frowned upon.”
“You genuinely care what people think?”
I scowl, my annoyance turning into anger, “I care what Caleb thinks.”
“Caleb is dead,” why does he have to be so cold? “Don’t give me that look, it’s the truth.”
“And one day I’ll be dead and I’ll have to go up there and deal with the pain he feels knowing that after his life ended so quickly, a few months later I was sharing a bed with his brother.”
He rolls his eyes, “You’re romanticising reality. He’s gone, I’m here. It’s that simple.”
“You’re tarnishing your brother’s memory by even suggesting I marry you,” I shout, my hands in fists by my sides. My face feels warm. “I won’t.”
His eyes darken, “And why not? Just because of my brother?”
“Because I don’t think of you in that way!”
He laughs cruelly, “I’d believe you if your eyes weren’t flickering all over the place Guinevere. You don’t lie very well. You’re too honest to lie.”
A growl like noise escapes me. “You are unbelievable! And deluded.”
“I’m realistic, an attractive woman and an attractive man spend their time at home alone, sharing meal times and conversation. I don’t have female friends. I have female acquaintances,” he steps into me, his eyes boring down into mine. “And I have females that I fuck.”
“Oh, so you’re allowed to swear? I’m done with this conversation.” I try to step around him but he dominates my space, his arms come up and cage me in. I feel the hard muscles of his stomach press against my belly. “Christ, you are really driving me crazy. Seriously, I’m ready to… to… Gah.” My hands press against his chest but he doesn’t budge. “I’m going back to live with my mum.”
His smile becomes cocky, “No you’re not.”
“Yes I am.”
He leans in close, I can smell the cleanliness of his skin. Soap and Nathan. “You’re not.”
“Please move,” I look over his shoulder, refusing to make eye contact. “I don’t know why you’re doing this to me but it’s not fair. I’ve done nothing to you.” Now I do look him in the eye, in an attempt to make him understand me. “I just want to be friends, but now I don’t even want that.”
“I’ll let us remain friends for now, but things will change.” My lip vanishes behind my teeth, his heated eyes darken and stare at that area. “Maybe I should just kiss you now. We both know you won’t resist.”
I want to argue with this but I can’t. I’m like a rabbit in headlights.
“But I won’t. I won’t kiss you until you’re ready,” his fingers tuck my hair behind my ear and his thumb swipes across my cheekbone. “But make no mistake, I don’t want to be your friend, Gwen. You know this now, you know my intentions. One day I will kiss you and one day you will be mine.” His smile softens. “Until then I’ll play along.”
“I hate you right now.” I whisper, tired of this game and this conversation.
“Hate is an emotion I can live with,” he smiles wickedly and straightens, his arms now by his sides. “There’s a very thin line between love and hate, and the opposite to love is indifference. So…” Soft lips touch my forehead for an endless moment. “You can still love me, and hate me at the same time.”
“Deluded,” my legs finally do their job and march me past him. “I’m leaving.”
“You’re not.” Grr. He is really pissing me off now. “If you try, I will drag you back kicking and screaming if I have to.”
“You need help. Mental help.”
His smug grin flickers, “Perhaps.”
I leave the room and lock my arms together across my belly, it doesn’t stop them from trembling but it helps me feel a little bit safer.
I’m about to grab the keys from their usual spot when memories of the last time I did this seem to crash through my brain like endless angry waves against a cliff. There’s no way I’m going through that again.
As I ponder on what I’m going to do, coming up with zero answers, there’s a knock at the door. Maybe Jeanine forgot to bring her keys.
Before I get a chance to open it more than an inch, it’s being pushed with a force that sends it flying into the wall. It there weren’t a doorstopper at the base the handle would have left a nasty indent in the plaster. “NATHAN!” I shout when his father storms past me and up the stairs. “NATHAN!”
His father isn’t interested in me, he completely ignores me. Should I call the police? I don’t know what to do.