Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
“Thank you.” The words to ask him to stay are on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t bring myself to say them.
We walk slowly, like neither of us wants the night to end. His presence comforts me, his hand warm against mine as we approach my front door, bathed in the soft glow of the porch light. I find myself hoping for just a few short stolen moments with him before we say our inevitable goodbyes.
“I knew you’d love the bookstore,” he says, setting the books on my porch table.
I smile wide. “You know me so well.” Better than anyone, actually.
“I do,” he murmurs.
The air between us sizzles as he inches closer. I take a tentative step forward, yearning for a sweet goodnight kiss. His eyes sparkle as he gazes at me. I try to memorize every detail of his face so I can forever capture this moment in my memory. And it’s like he’s doing the same thing.
My heart pounds in my chest. Kiss me, you fool, I want to scream out, but instead, I remain silent, rooted to the spot on my porch.
He slides both hands into his pockets. “Call me tomorrow,” he says, and the mood shifts, the magical night over.
I nod. “Sure thing.” And then I pick up the books and head inside, wishing more than anything he would have kissed me, or hugged me, or something.
However, I’m not sure I would have been able to stop myself if he had.
“When are you heading out to see Dad?” Dev says to me the next afternoon at a local coffee shop where we met to discuss our father.
I shrug. “Maybe next weekend. I have the Delgado arraignment coming up, so I need to be prepared for that.”
Dev’s eyes meet mine. “You remember Dad being the biggest asshole toward us when Mom died, right?”
I drop my gaze to my coffee. “I know, but he thought she killed herself. He must have been heartbroken.”
Dev chuckles, but there’s zero humor behind it. “We’d just lost our mother. Least he could have done was, oh, I don’t know, taken care of us,” he says in a sarcastic tone. He’s getting angry. I can tell.
“You were older. I guess he felt you didn’t need anything.”
“Well, you did. You were only fourteen.”
I twirl the necklace around my neck. “It was right before my fourteenth birthday,” I whisper.
“Same thing.” Dev leans back in his seat, taking a long sip of his coffee, his eyes studying me the entire time. “I just wish I knew what this new obsession with talking to Dad was all about.”
“It’s not a new obsession. I just have so many things to ask him. Say to him. I just need to know.”
Dev hums as he sets his mug down. “I don’t need to know anything.”
“I just want to reach out to him. He is our father.” I pick up my mug of coffee. “I would think, as an almost father, you would want to talk to him too.”
Dev shakes his head. “He has our numbers. I don’t see him reaching out to us.”
“You’re both so stubborn.”
He studies me for a long moment, then shifts in his chair. “How are things going with Roman?”
“Fine.” I glance down at the table. “Everything’s going fine.” I don’t dare tell him about our date the other day, or how I wished for him to kiss me as he walked me to my door.
Dev is quiet for a moment. “Is he taking care of you?”
I nearly spit out the coffee. “What?” My eyes widen, and I hope my brother doesn’t mean what I think he means.
No. He can’t be asking me if Roman is taking care of me sexually.
I need to pull myself together.
“Keeping you safe. I don’t like how much publicity this Delgado case is getting.”
I set my mug down, wiping my hands on the napkin sitting in my lap. “Oh, right.” I clear my throat. “Yes, Roman’s taking good care of me.”
Dev tilts his head sideways a bit as he studies me. “I know you don’t think you need all the extra eyes looking after you, but I’m not taking any chances. You know how awful things were when there was a Greedy Girl serial killer on the loose.”
I nod, feeling bad that I’m making light of his concern. I reach my hand out and touch my brother’s arm. “I know. And I’m taking every precaution to keep safe.”
“I just worry sometimes. Feels like I worry more now that Chloe’s pregnant. It’s like I’ve got more to lose.”
I nod. “I get it.”
“I hope this case is worth all the stress and worry.”
I laugh lightly. “The stress and worry for me? Or for you?”
He laughs. “Touché. I’m turning into somebody I don’t recognize.”
“You’re just in love.”
Dev smiles with pride, and it makes me wonder if I’ll ever have the things that Devereaux has. A devoted partner? A family?