Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Sure, yeah, we can do that.” I’m relieved at the offer. I’m here for him, so I’m not ready for tonight to end. Not yet.
With our hands linked, he leads me down the hall and pushes open a door. It’s a bedroom. A huge bedroom decorated in black and gray. It’s very masculine, and it smells like him. Glancing around the room, I spot a huge TV that takes up almost the entire wall. “Were you going for the movie theatre vibe?” I point at the TV.
Rip’s laughter wraps around me like a warm embrace. “This room is huge, and I didn’t want to have to squint to see the TV.”
“Got ya. Maybe you should have your eyes checked,” I tease.
“I’ve got twenty-twenty vision.” His eyes roam over my body. My skin flushes from his attention. Clearing his throat, he lets go of my hand and opens a dresser drawer. “You can sleep in this,” he says, handing me a T-shirt. “Bathroom is through that door.” He points to a door on the left side of the room.
“Thanks.” I offer him a smile and make my way to the bathroom. Once inside, I shut the door and turn the lock. I need a minute. I’ve hung out with Rip hundreds of times, and we’ve watched countless hours of TV together, with and without his sister. However, this time feels different. We’re no longer kids, and my body's reaction to his says that it’s all too aware of that fact.
Now, here I am in his bathroom, changing into one of his shirts—the lawyer in me is overanalyzing. Rip is just being Rip. He’s always been nice to me, and that’s no different now. However, what I thought was a childhood crush is back in full force, and I need to learn how to keep my libido in check around him. He’s Rip, my best friend’s older brother.
I can do this.
I change into the shirt he gave me. He’s so tall that it hangs to my knees, so I take off my shorts and fold them neatly with my tank top, setting them on the chair that sits in the corner. This bathroom is huge, so big in fact that all five of us could fit in the shower and not touch one another. It’s beautiful with the dark tile, contrasted with the white molding. Rip really did an amazing job on this place.
Taking a deep breath for courage, I twist the lock and turn the handle. Rip is lying on the bed, sans shirt, now in a pair of basketball shorts. His muscular arm is resting behind his head while the other pats the mattress next to him.
“Come lie down.”
I try to hide the tremble in my knees as I walk to the bed and climb on, settling beside him. He surprises me when he moves my way, places his arm around me, and points the remote at the TV.
I’m reeling from what’s transpired tonight. There is hope in my heart, that this is leading to something more. I don’t have a crystal ball to tell me what the future holds. What I do know is that I can’t resist him. Not like this.
Chapter 3
Rip
No way in hell can I have her in my bed and not hold her. It’s physically impossible. She leans into my side, and I can feel her body relax. Fuck me, but this is more than I ever expected tonight, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to enjoy every second of my time with her.
“What do you want to watch?” My fingers tap the button on the remote, scrolling mindlessly through the channels.
“Meh, I don’t really watch much television. My nose is usually buried in a book, or I’m working.”
“Yeah? At the law firm close to school, right?” I pretend like I don’t already know the exact details of the last five years, not only has she worked at the big city law firm, she’s worked at a coffee shop just off of campus. When Laramie talks about McKenna, I soak up every morsel of information like a sponge. I told myself it was because she was a childhood friend, my sister's best, but lying here with her in my arms, I know that was just an excuse. One I told myself to feel better about needing to know about her life away from me.
“A coffee shop just off campus. I was part-time at the law firm, so I did both. I didn’t get many hours at the coffee shop, but it was extra cash.” I feel her shoulders shrug. “I usually picked up a few shifts on the weekends.”
“All work and no play?” I hit the power button to turn off the TV and toss the remote onto the nightstand. There’s nothing more interesting than the woman in my arms.