Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 17473 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 87(@200wpm)___ 70(@250wpm)___ 58(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17473 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 87(@200wpm)___ 70(@250wpm)___ 58(@300wpm)
“I’ll get a fire going,” he says, and even though I’d love to explore his home more, I can’t take my eyes off him as he discards his jacket and then starts putting wood in the fireplace. He has on a tight long-sleeved Henley shirt that pulls against his back muscles as he moves. I swallow hard. Forever, it seems that I’ve been frigid. At least that’s what I thought, and that’s what Richard told me. I’ve never really been interested in the happenings of a relationship or felt the kind of immense attraction that I do now.
Levi gets the fire going and turns back to me, sitting on the edge of the couch. “I’m so sorry, Gina. I didn’t think it was going to get that bad. If we had broken down or something...”
I reach out for him. “But we didn’t.”
He looks at my hand on his and turns his over, threading our fingers together. “I just don’t want you to regret this.”
I try to take the worry off his face. “You mentioned dessert. I’m not going to regret it.”
I laugh at my own joke, but he takes me seriously and jumps up. “Right, dessert.”
I grab on to his hand before he gets by and pull him down beside me. “I was joking. The dessert can wait. Get warm,” I tell him, holding the edge of the blanket up.
He looks surprised, and I can’t say I blame him. I’m a little surprised myself. I know I’m being hot and cold with him, and a part of me wishes that I could just let it all go and see what happens.
Chapter 8
Levi
I’m surprised, but I don’t hesitate. When she lifts the blanket for me to slide under it, I do just that, pressing my body up against hers. Instinctively, I put my arm around her and cup her shoulder. I wait for her to tense or even pull away, but she doesn’t.
“Where’s your Christmas tree?” she asks me, looking around the room.
“I didn’t put it up. It’s only me here, and I just haven’t felt the Christmas spirit, I guess.”
She nods. “I understand. I didn’t put one up this year either.”
I hate to bring it up, but I need answers. “So that was Richard. How’d he know you were here?”
She shakes her head and leans it back on my arm. “It’s not like that. He didn’t follow me here or anything. This was supposed to be our honeymoon. I tried to cancel, but it was nonrefundable. So here I am. I guess—” Her voice drops. “I guess he wanted to bring his girlfriend here.”
“Asshole,” I mutter. She doesn’t say anything, and I tilt her chin up to look at me. “You know that, right? You know he’s an asshole?”
She shrugs, and I turn my body to face her fully, head-on. “He’s an asshole, Gina. He doesn’t deserve you, and you’re better off without him.”
I search her face, hoping for her to agree with me.
She nods her head. “I know he’s an asshole. I know that, but well, there’s things... it wasn’t all him, Levi.”
I shrug my shoulders. “What does that even mean?”
She blows out a breath. She doesn’t want to answer me, but I know this moment is important. As if what she’s about to say is going to make me understand more about her and why she is the way she is. Maybe help me put together the fact that she’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen but doesn’t know it or seem to believe it.
Her eyes widen as she stares back at me and bites her lip. Something I’ve noticed her doing when she’s unsure of herself. I trace my thumb along her lip soothingly. “Talk to me,” I demand.
She’s looking over my shoulder, her gaze trained on something on the wall. I want her eyes on me, but if this means she’s going to be able to talk to me then I’m willing to let it slide for now. She opens her mouth, closes it, and opens it again. She starts to ramble. “I’m frigid,” she says, shaking her head, and then clenches her eyes shut. “And not just like I can’t perform, but I don’t want to. I never wanted to with him.” She shakes her head as if remembering something, and her eyes pop open. She’s looking at me, her face flushed, embarrassment lighting up her cheeks. “See, it wasn’t just his fault that he cheated on me. I mean, I know it was shitty of him, but I can’t really blame him. I never... did it for him.”
I grab both her forearms and pull her closer to me. I don’t know if I make the move for her or for me. I’m afraid she’s going to bolt any minute, and I don’t want her to. “Okay, so let me get this straight. You think you’re frigid.” She nods, and I ask her, “Tell me, why do you think that?”