Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
“Tell me,” I whisper. “Please, Aubrey. What was the result of your little experiment? Was there a difference when I fucked you from behind?”
She swallows hard. “A big difference. When you were facing me, when you kissed me and looked into my eyes, I felt . . . electricity. Like you truly wanted me. Not just sex.”
I exhale with relief. “I do want you. I feel addicted to you.” I also dream about her. Ache for her. Love her. But the rest, I couldn’t possibly say out loud. “If you don’t want me,” I add, “if you’re too hung up on what happened between Claudia and me to—”
“No, I do want you,” she says, placing a palm on my cheek. “I feel addicted, too. That’s why I’ve been feeling so guilty. If I didn’t feel anything for you, I wouldn’t feel this conflicted.”
I let out a long breath. “The past is the past. We can’t change it, so let’s not dwell on it.”
She chews her lip and nods.
“Will you do me a favor? Don’t call me C-Bomb during sex. Everyone calls me that, even my best friends, so feel free to call me that, any other time. Just not during sex.”
Nodding, she leans down and kisses me, but abruptly pulls back. “Will you do me a favor, too? Please, call me A-Bomb during sex, as much as possible.” She giggles. “That was so fucking hot.”
I laugh with her. “Deal.”
And just like that, I feel like we’ve had a breakthrough, Aubrey and me. A meeting of the minds. Without needing to say it out loud, it’s now settled we’re not drawn to each other merely because we’re stuck together, anyway. We’re not a fire storm, simply because our bodies happen to fit together like they were made for each other. Or because of our shared love of Raine. No, something bigger is at play here. Something that might alter the course of my life, forever, if I don’t fuck it up. The only question, at least in my mind, is whether I’m even capable of not fucking it up.
Chapter 24
Aubrey
Warm wind is whipping my hair.
Loud music is blaring.
Caleb and I are driving my father’s truck down I-90 toward the airport in Billings, on our way to pick up Caleb’s sister, Miranda. And I can’t remember the last time I felt this happy. This alive. This . . . in love.
A moment ago, Caleb put on a song by a band called Pink Floyd—something he really wanted me to hear—and it’s emphatically not my jam. But even the weird music can’t dampen my mood. I’m floating on a cloud today. Eager to meet Caleb’s sister. Thrilled to celebrate the official completion of Caleb’s rehab tonight. But most of all, I’m excited that Caleb and I have had so much fun together over the past weeks, both as a trio with Raine and also as a passionate duo by night. I haven’t told Caleb this, but the weeks I’ve spent with him and Raine at the lake house have been the best of my life. Even better than the time I spent in Seattle with Claudia, and that felt like heaven on earth.
I look over at Caleb’s profile as he drives Dad’s big truck. He’s got one hand on the steering wheel and the other clasped loosely with mine. He’s singing along to the weird song and looking gorgeous while doing it.
Butterflies whoosh into my belly. My heart goes pitter-pat.
We haven’t labeled this thing we’ve been doing for weeks now. I think we both realize that wouldn’t be wise, until we know the outcome of the custody hearing next week. But secretly, I already know I’ve fallen in love with Caleb. How could I not?
Caleb’s phone buzzes and he looks over at it. “Miranda’s landed.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.”
“She said the same thing about you.”
I pick at a little piece of fuzz on my jeans. “I know you’re not technically done with rehab until tonight, but if you want to take your sister for a walk around the lake when we get back, I’ll bend the rules and let her babysit you for a while.”
Caleb rolls his eyes, making me laugh.
“That won’t be necessary. But thanks.”
“Seriously, though, I won’t be offended, if you want to ditch me for a while. After all the time you’ve been forced to spend with me, I’m sure you’re chomping at the bit to finally get some time away from me. While your sister is visiting, I’m sure you’ll want to spend some alone time with her and Raine. Or maybe just the two of you. Whatever you want to do, it’s great with me.”
Caleb looks over at me like I’ve got three heads, and I await his reply with bated breath. I’ve grown to love our forced living arrangement; honestly, I’m sad it’s ending. Yes, I’m thrilled for Caleb to complete his rehab requirement, and I fully understand, logically, that human beings need solitude and independence at times. But at this point, I fear I’m physically addicted to this man’s constant physical presence, and I’m not quite sure how I’m going to handle being away from him for hours or days at a time. Sure, I’ll still be Raine’s nanny for the foreseeable future. Technically. Assuming things go well at the hearing. So, I’ll still be in close proximity with Caleb for that reason. But with the end of rehab, and the upcoming hearing in LA, I’m beginning to feel anxious about what our future together might look like.