Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 131916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Her voice shifted in emphasis. “Good. My brother and his friends are exactly who you should turn to if you’re in trouble. But the question I’m wondering is how it was that you felt comfortable to go to him?”
There was the prodding. Her expression hinting at the same thing she’d implied at the café. That River was wanting to claim me.
The problem was, that claiming would only be temporary, and I was afraid if I had too much of him, I was going to want it forever.
I inhaled. “We’ve been…texting.”
Her nod was slow. “Yeah, I know.”
“You do?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Like he could hide the way he’s been slinking around here, acting all covert as he checked his phone every two minutes.”
He was?
I wanted to smack myself that my chest glowed at the thought.
Her chuckle was low and overflowing with wry disbelief as she shook her head.
I scowled at her. “Why are you laughing like that?”
“Because it’s just as it seemed.”
“What is?”
“My brother wants you. Really wants you. Like…really wants you.”
My skin tingled in all the places where he’d touched me.
“He’s just being kind.”
She laughed. Fully laughed. “Um, sorry to break it to you, Charleigh, but kind probably isn’t something most would attribute to my brother. And if my brother brought you here? He might not admit it, but I’m pretty sure he plans on keeping you.”
My heart fluttered. Damn it.
“No. We’re just…friends.”
“Friends?” she challenged.
I nodded with as much innocence as I could muster.
She didn’t buy it for a second. “Has he kissed you?”
I might as well have been twelve with the way my cheeks flamed.
She gasped. “Have you two gotten naked?”
I had the urge to bury my head. “No, of course not.”
“But he kissed you?” she prompted.
In unease, I shifted on my feet. “Are you mad?”
A frown cut through her features. “Why would I be mad?”
“I don’t even know,” I admitted. But whatever River and I were doing, it felt like a secret. Maybe because every element of my life had always needed to be that way.
She took my hand again, and her voice softened. “Of course I’m not mad, Charleigh. I love you both and I want you both to be happy. But my brother…”
She trailed off, hesitating, as if she wasn’t sure she should admit whatever she’d been thinking.
“He has issues,” she seemed to settle on.
I choked over a small, self-deprecating laugh. “Don’t we all?”
“Oh yeah, the issues run rampant around here. Believe me. But River?”
I peered over at her, wondering what she would say. If she’d give voice to the ferocity that blazed from him. The viciousness. The danger.
My gut promised it wasn’t superficial. Promised there was something hazardous woven in his layers.
Her voice whispered in stark affection. “His go deep, Charleigh. He doesn’t believe he deserves to be loved or even happy, but he does. He deserves it more than anyone I know. If you understood the sacrifices he’s made? What he did for me? The ones he continues to make for others? The only thing I’ve wanted is for him to find his joy.”
She paused then tilted her head back a fraction. “Maybe you’re the only one who can show him he deserves it.”
“It’s not like that with us.” It rasped out of me. Our relationship had already been written. He’d vowed to be there for me, but only for a little while. It had to be enough. “I’m in no position to fall in love with anyone.”
She reached out and ran her thumb over the outer edge of my eye. I didn’t realize there was a tear there until she wiped it away. “You know, it’s funny that he feels the same way. Life has a way of convincing us that we don’t want something, or we don’t have space for it, or we believe we’re not even worthy of it. And sometimes what we need finds us, anyway.”
There was suddenly a wild pounding at the door. “Hey, what are you guys doin’ in there? You better not be havin’ a party without me. I been waitin’ out here for the whole day, and I almost don’t have any of the patience left. And patience is somethin’ Miss Liberty says I gotta have.”
A small shot of amusement rolled off my tongue, and Raven snagged me by the hand as she whipped open the door. “What? Have a party without you? That would just be rude.”
“The rudest.” Nolan said it with a resolute jut of his chin.
Raven took Nolan’s hand and started to haul us both back in the direction of the main house. “Since you mentioned party, I’m thinking that’s exactly what we should have.”
“Because I have smart ideas like my dad?” Nolan asked, jumping in the air with each step he took, his mass of curls bouncing around his adorable head.