Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 65354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65354 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
“I saw it. You’re so damn talented, Elyse. I bought one of the paintings. It arrived at my place yesterday.”
She tensed, and I waited for her reaction.
“What?” She pulled back to look at me. “Which one?”
“I think it’s an image of you looking over water with lots of blues and greens.”
“That’s Mom at one of the beaches we visited. I had a vague memory of it, but I found a picture and worked off that. It was one of my favorites, and I considered keeping it, but there’s so many of them.” She smiled at me, leaning in to kiss me softly. “I’m glad it’s with you.”
“I am, too.” We kissed for a few moments, slowly. She dropped down again and sucked in a shaky breath. “I am so glad you’re here.”
We stayed that way and murmured about the show and her other sales. She eventually fell into a deep sleep, and I made sure the house was secure before returning to her and allowing myself to relax finally. I rolled to my side and held her, breathing in the scent of us as I closed my eyes.
I woke up to the sun streaming through the blinds, blinking slowly. I thought back to the night before and grinned as I looked around the room, seeing nobody on the side of her bed. I listened for sounds in the small place and relaxed once I heard something in the kitchen. The smell of brewing coffee filled the air, and I told myself that she was here. I didn’t think that she’d leave her own house but last night was heavy.
I stretched in the queen bed, knowing it was a bit small for me. I wanted her in my huge bed at home where I could do so many bad things to her. I rose and grabbed my jeans from last night, slipping them on before I walked a few feet through her house. Elyse was standing at the counter, staring through the kitchen window as the coffee dripped into the cup beside her.
“Morning, beautiful,” I softly said as she jumped.
“You scared me.” Elyse turned, and I saw that she was wearing a baggy T-shirt that hung to her thighs, leaving me wanting more. “How is someone your size so quiet?”
“I’m used to gliding across the ice and sneaking past hockey players.”
Elyse rolled her eyes with a smile, and I relaxed that she seemed to be comfortable this morning. “That is hardly quiet.”
“When did you wake up?” I asked, walking forward to pull her into my arms.
“I think about thirty minutes ago. I stayed in bed for a little while, but I can’t go without coffee for too long.” She slipped her arms around my neck and stared into my eyes. “I thought you might be gone this morning. I thought you’d come to your senses.”
“What are you talking about?”
Her face fell for a moment.
“Dad. People in general. I was always that girl who people felt like they had to tiptoe around, and after a while, it was the town story. I just focused on getting through every day.” I held her gaze as I leaned down to kiss her softly, feeling her breath catch in her throat.
“Your father should have realized he needed to be there for you. I’m sorry; I’m not him, and I am none of those people.” I pecked her cute nose. “That’s not all of you, and I want to know her. I won’t even talk about it unless you feel like you want to.”
“Why are you so good to me?” she asked as she tightened her embrace. Her mouth found mine, and I slid my fingers under the shirt, touching her soft skin.
We ended up making love on her kitchen counter, Elyse crying my name as she came. I groaned as she gripped me with her heat, finishing right afterwards. I dropped forward for a moment before pulling back to get her off the cold surface. “Jesus, I can’t resist you anywhere in this place.”
We got coffee and sat at her small, round table in the compact dining nook. “I don’t have too much food right now, or I’d cook you breakfast. I’ve been a mess.”
“That’s fine. We can go for breakfast if you’d like,” I suggested before raising an eyebrow at her. “Do you have plans for today?”
“No, I don’t have work or anything. I’ve been trying to go over stuff from the show, but my head has been chaotic. Tori does most of that for me. I’d be lost without her.”
“You’ll be fine. I’ll help you.”
She smiled at me, and I sipped the hot liquid from a thick, colorful handmade cup. I glanced at it and she looked down at her matching one.
“I made these for Mom a couple of times for gifts. Diana or Grandma would take me, and I’d make a real mess of things. She always made it so she could use them despite that. I feel close to her when I use these for coffee and tea.” Elyse laughed softly, and I fell a little more for her at that moment.