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)
“Scott, you’re good to go,” I tell my client as I clean him up. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I hand him a mirror, and he smiles and nods his approval before I wrap him up and go over the care instructions. Not that I need to. Scott is a frequent flyer.
“Thanks, man. How much do I owe you?”
“Emerson is out front. She’ll get you taken care of.” We shake hands, and he steps out of the room. I rush through getting my station cleaned up, and just as I’m stepping out of my room, Scott waves and walks out the door. I pull up my phone and pause the recording on the cameras in my office and the lobby area.
“What happened? He was on the books for another hour,” Emerson asks. She has a look of concern on her face, and somehow that makes me fall for her just a little harder. She’s worried about me.
“I know.”
“Did he change his mind?” She steps toward me, just within reach.
“Nope.” I snake my arms around her waist and kiss her.
“The cameras.”
“I paused them.”
She grins. “Smart man.” She tilts her head back for another kiss. “Now, tell me how you finished so quickly.”
“I knew this was going to be a brief visit. It was just a small piece, the name of his new baby boy. I blocked out more time than I needed, hoping that it would just be the two of us, and we could spend some time together.”
“When did you do that?”
“Yesterday. I’ve spent too many sleepless nights without you, and I knew by today I’d need my hands on you. We have your party in a couple of hours, and this was the only way I could think to do it.”
“I’ve barely slept,” she says, resting her head on my chest.
“Something we’re going to have to adjust to.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “Come on, let’s go to my office. I’ll lock the door, and unpause the cameras for this area. Leave the lobby music playing so they know we’re still here.”
“Do you think that they’ll check?”
“Honestly, no, but we need to cover all our bases just in case.”
She heads to my room, and I lock the door. Once we’re both out of the lobby area, I unpause the cameras. It’s overkill, but I still feel like it’s important. I plop down on my chair and pat my lap. She comes willingly. Straddling me, she rests her arms on my shoulders, running her fingers through my hair.
Fuck, I never thought that was something I’d enjoy. I’ve had women play with my hair before when they were coming on to me, and I hated it. Hated their hands messing up my hair. When it comes to Emerson, I crave her touch, no matter where it is. I just crave her. It’s that simple.
Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her close, burying my face in her neck. “I missed you, baby girl.”
“Tell me this next year is going to go fast.”
“Ten months. Not a year.”
She laughs softly.
“Nine and a half months if we’re getting technical.”
“Are you counting down the days?”
“The seconds,” I admit. “It’s going to suck, but I’m so proud of you, Em. You’re going to be graduating from college.” I ignore the voice in my head, reminding me I’m too old for her.
“I’m excited. I’ll still have my three months of clinicals to complete, but that’s already set up at the surgery center here in town. I was lucky to apply early, and it helps that we’re in a small town, and everyone knows everyone.”
“So after graduation, you’re home for good?”
“I’ll be home for good.”
“And I never have to sleep another night without you.” We’re almost a full year away from that happening and I shouldn’t be insinuating that this will still be a thing, that we will still be together, but with the way I feel about her, I know we will be. At least I hope we will be. I fought tooth and nail against what I felt for her. Now I can’t imagine a life where she’s not mine.
“We can do this, right?”
“Of course we can. You’ll be home to visit and when I can get away, I can come to see you.”
She pulls back, and her eyes mist with tears. “You’ll come to see me?”
“Yeah, it’s not that far of a drive. Little over three hours, right?”
“Three and a half.”
“Easy.” I drop a kiss to her chin.
“I didn’t think it would be this hard.”
I don’t ask her what “it” is, because I know she’s talking about the separation between us. While I’m not ready for her to leave, never in my wildest imagination did I think I’d miss her as much as I do when I’m lying in my bed at night.
“We don’t have much time before we need to head to your place.”