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)
I’d never let anything happen to her, and Monroe’s unspoken words hit me hard. I’ll never pressure her for more than she’s willing to give me. I know that I’m a decade older than she is, but when I’m kissing her, when she’s in my arms, it doesn’t even feel like days separate us. We are one, and that’s some heavy shit that I’m not going to let myself think about right now.
With a nod and a wave, Monroe backs out of the driveway. “Let’s get you inside.” With my arm around her waist, I lead her into the house. “Can I get you anything? Food? Something to drink?”
“We had dinner at the shop,” she reminds me.
“Right. Thirsty?”
“Not right now. Thank you, though.”
I nod. I’m nervous. I’m never fucking nervous.
“Uh… want to watch a movie?” When did I become the guy with no game? It’s as if I’ve never talked to a woman before. Never talked to Emerson before.
“Sure.”
“Good. Movie. Right.” I nod toward the couch, and she kicks off her flip-flops and takes a seat. I turn off the lights, bathing the room in darkness with nothing but the muted TV for light. “What do you want to watch?”
“Anything. Whatever you were watching is fine.”
“I wasn’t actually watching it. It was on, then I muted it because it was annoying me, then all I could think about was seeing you, and the thought of watching TV slipped my mind.”
“I’m glad you texted me.” Her soft smile calms something inside of me.
“I’m glad you’re here.” I take a seat next to her and lift my arm. She snuggles up next to me. This is what I needed. What I was missing. Time with her where I don’t have to think about being caught. I can just be me. The man that knows what he’s doing is wrong, but is moving full steam ahead, anyway.
I pull up my streaming app and scroll through our options. “Tell me if something catches your eye.”
“Honestly, Roman, I don’t care what we watch. I’m just happy to be here, sitting on your couch next to you.”
There’s that squeezing sensation in my chest again. “Baby girl, you can’t say things like that.”
“Why not?” She turns so that she can look me in the eye.
“Because it makes it even more difficult for me to keep my hands to myself, and that’s not why I asked you here. Not to maul at you. I just wanted to spend time with you.”
She moves so fast to straddle my hips, it takes me by surprise.
“I don’t know,” she muses. “The mauling idea has its potential.”
“Emerson,” I warn.
“Roman,” she fires back. “Do you not want me?”
Unable to take it a second longer, I grip her hips and thrust up. “Does that feel like I don’t want you?”
“It’s just us here. You still want me to stay, right?”
“Yes.” I nod, because just saying the word isn’t enough. I need her to know that, without a doubt, I want her here.
“Did you lock the door?”
“Yes.”
“So no one can come in and see us.”
“The guys all have keys.”
“Hmm.” She leans down and kisses my jaw, kissing all the way to my ear. “Then you better take me to your bed in case they decide to stop in.”
“They won’t.”
At least I don’t think that they will. We all have access to each other's homes and none of us bring women back to our places, so we don’t have to worry about walking in on something we shouldn’t. So even though I’m not expecting them, there is always a chance they could show up.
“But just in case.” I stand with her in my arms, and she laughs. The sound winds its way around my heart, and my steps falter. I manage to steady us and carry her down the hall to my room. I place her gently on the bed, then go back to my bedroom door to shut and lock it for good measure. “Just in case.” I make my way back to the bed in the dark and turn on the bedside lamp.
“They don’t have a key to your room?”
“No.”
“Perfect.” She lifts her tank top over her head and tosses it to the floor.
I swallow thickly. “What are you doing?”
“Undressing.”
“I can see that.” My voice cracks. “Why?”
“I want to feel your skin against mine.”
“Fuck,” I mutter, as I run my fingers through my hair. “Emerson… we can’t, I mean—shit, we can’t sleep together.”
“You want me to sleep on the couch?” She looks up at me with those innocent green eyes.
“No. I want you in my bed. In my arms, but this is too much. Too fast.” I never in my life thought I would ever utter those words, especially not to the woman I crave more than anything else in my life. Yet, here we are. I’m trying to give in to this desire I have for her, but still be the voice of reason. It’s too fast. Too soon. We need time to… fuck, I don’t know… see where this goes. I don’t know what the outcome will be, but tonight, we are not doing that.