Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
“It’s better you stick with me,” I said decisively. “I just wanna make you happy and smile a lot.”
He squeezed my hand. “You’re succeeding.”
Fist pump.
Unfortunately, my own happiness took a hike when he pulled in right outside my building a few minutes later, and not even a big dessert on my lap brought any comfort. I was gonna end up eating the half-melted mess alone in bed.
Wyatt was big on chivalry and wanted to get the door for me, so while he left the car, I tried my hardest to mask the disappointment welling up. I couldn’t really explain it. I had a growing unease in the pit of my stomach, and it reminded me too much of vulnerability. I was lowering my guard and growing comfortable with Wyatt, and the end to an evening was evidently enough for me to feel a little wounded and exposed.
It was as if there were a little boy in me going, “You’re leaving me so soon?”
And I supposed, in a sense, that was exactly what was happening. That part of me had already latched on to Wyatt.
It was going to be super tough to practice patience.
The door opened, and I left his dessert on the dash before I reluctantly stepped out.
“Thank you very much for a perfect dinner, sir.” I should probably say more than this. I should be as open as he was being with me. I should confess that I didn’t want the evening to end yet. I swallowed a flurry of nerves and wondered where the hell my usual happy-go-lucky attitude and fearlessness had gone. This wasn’t normally something I hesitated to be vocal about. “Do, uh…” Christ, just say something. “Do you know when we can see each other again?”
Close enough. Maybe if I had a date or day to look forward to, it would be easier to say goodnight.
Wyatt hummed and walked a little closer to me. “Well, I’ll be at corporate tomorrow, so it’s going to be difficult to steal you away for lunch.”
Yeah, that part sucked donkey butt. I didn’t want him at corporate at all.
“Corporate stinks.” I fiddled with his tie and scowled to myself.
“I’m inclined to agree with you.” He gently grabbed the dessert bag from me and set it on the ground. Then he closed the distance between us and kissed my temple. “I have a one-hour window after four. How about I pick you up from work?”
One hour. Not even that, actually. He had to make it back too. But I’d take whatever I could. So I nodded and rested my forehead against his sternum. He smelled so damn good. And I wasn’t particularly cold, but he felt warm and comforting all the same.
“Any minute you can spare, I will take, sir.”
He sighed and inched away enough to cup my cheeks, forcing me to look up, and then he dipped down and kissed me hard. A rush of desire tore through me, and I slipped my hands up his chest and locked them around his neck.
It was as if his resolve broke. Gone was the patient gentleman, replaced by raw hunger, and it smacked a forceful wall of urgency right into me. He moved his hands to the back of my neck and angled me for a deeper kiss, and I pushed back. I did everything but climb him like a tree.
I knotted my fingers in his hair and swirled my tongue around his. I pressed myself closer and couldn’t stop all the needy little sounds from escaping me.
“I wanna see you all the time,” I admitted between kisses. It felt much easier to be honest now. “All the time, all the time, all the time.”
He cursed under his breath and cupped my cheeks again, slowing down the kiss until we were just breathing heavily with our lips touching.
“There is a way we can see each other more often,” he murmured huskily.
I swallowed against the dryness in my throat and nodded. “If you take me home with you right now.”
He let out a breathy chuckle and kissed me quickly. “I take it you’re on board.”
I nodded again, vigorously this time. “I’d drag you upstairs if my kitchen wasn’t such a mess. You’d probably make me clean it.”
I really loved how his eyes smiled.
“You might be right. Let’s go then, my sweet Parker.”
Fuck yes!
DECEMBER 9
My legs wrapped around him was the way to go, even with the kitchen counter cold against my butt. My underwear helped a little, and so would my pants if they weren’t on the floor in the living room.
“Are you sure you want to discuss Christmas decorations now?” he asked as he kissed my neck.
Oof, right there. He’d found the spot below my ear.
“I’m trying to get my brain to stop, but I can’t help it.” I wove my fingers into his hair at the back of his head and gave him all the access to kiss me wherever he wanted. In the meantime, I was sizing out his massive ocean-view windows for holiday curtains.