Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“We can do this. We’ll take our time and see where it goes, and then we can go from there. It doesn’t have to be anything serious.” She says the words, but I know deep in my soul that it can never be anything but serious between us. For her and for me.
“You’re not a dirty little secret, Emerson.”
“No. I know that. I just… this might be something, or it might be nothing. I go back to school in a couple of weeks, and that’s a long time for you to wait for—” She peers down at my lap.
“Hey.” I wait for her eyes to find mine. “If we’re doing this, it’s just you.” I don’t tell her it’s only been her for far too long. That the only action my cock has gotten in the past far too many months is the palm of my hand.
“I know that’s a long time and I wouldn’t expect—” she starts, but I kiss her to shut her up.
“That’s not who I am. You know that. Right, baby girl? Tell me you know cheating is not what I’m about.”
“But we’re not really together.”
“No one touches you but me.” I kiss her softly. “No one touches me but you.” I kiss her again, getting lost in the fact that if I’m going to hell and ruining a friendship, and potentially her relationship with her brother, we might as well go all in.
I kiss her until her phone rings, which has us pulling apart.
She stands on shaking legs and retrieves her phone from the desk. “Hey, Forty,” she answers. “Yeah, we just finished up. I’m going to stay while Rome cleans up his station, and he’s going to walk me to my car.”
I smile, because that’s not a lie. I do need to clean up, and she knows that none of us would let her walk out of here at night on her own. Ashby is a safe town, but you can never be too careful.
“All right, I’ll text you when I’m on my way.” She pauses. “Love you too.” She ends the call and tosses her phone on the desk. “I guess we should probably clean up, and I should head home. He’s waiting up to see my ink.”
“Let me take a picture. Just for me, not for anyone else, and I need to wrap you up before you get dressed.” I do just that. I keep my movements as professional as possible when all I really want to do is bury my face between her thighs.
“Thank you for this.” She nods toward her ink then takes the thong I return to her, so she can slip it back on.
“I have some gym shorts out in my truck. Let me go get them so you don’t have to put those tight shorts back on.”
“I’m okay.”
I step up next to her and kiss her forehead. “Let me take care of you.” I grab my keys from the desk and rush out to my truck to grab the shorts I keep on days I hit the gym when I leave.
Back inside, I hand her the shorts and start to clean up. Fifteen minutes later, I’m walking her to her car. “Cameras,” I remind her.
Her shoulders sag, but she smiles as if nothing is amiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Text me when you get home? Better yet, it’s late. I’ll follow you.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I never do anything I don’t want to do. Buckle up.” I wait for her to do so before closing the door and tapping on the roof. Quickly, I jog to my truck and flash my lights for her, letting her know I’m ready to go.
Chapter
Ten
Emerson
* * *
I barely slept a wink last night. As soon as I got home, I was able to modestly pull down Roman’s shorts to show my brother my tattoo. He was also touched and immediately knew the significance of the tattoo. Lilies have always been my favorite. However, what some might not know is that’s the flower my big brother has given me every single year on my birthday for as long as I can remember. It was wrapped, but he still praised me for the design, and reassured me that Roman did good work.
Not that he needed to.
All five of them are incredible artists, and any one of them would have killed this ink, but for me, it had to be Roman.
Even with the lack of sleep, I’m energized for the day. Today is one of the rare days that all five guys are in the shop. I don’t foresee any stolen kisses, but just being around him is enough for me. I’m a little nervous that he might have changed his mind, but that’s not Roman. He’s one of those men that if he gives you his word, that’s gospel.