Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Without giving it a thought, I reach up and run my thumb over his frown. “I know, Harrison.”
“It’s just that there’s always someone there, someone a little too flirty or handsy. I might notice because, hell, I’m a guy, but I’ve never acted on it. I’ve never wanted anyone. Only you.”
A smile spreads across my face. “Have you seen you? You’re gorgeous. Stunning, actually. I’ve witnessed grown women losing their minds when they’re around you. But do you know what? While it might bother me that someone has the balls big enough to openly flirt with you in my presence, I knew in my heart that it was just that: a flirt. I knew, at the end of the day, you were coming home to me. Not them. Me. So, please don’t worry about me. I know your job and I know some of the women you train, but I also know you would have never stepped outside of our marriage.”
He visibly relaxes as he reaches for my side and pulls me into his hard chest. “That includes now.”
My hands slide up his back as I rest my cheek against his pec. “We’re not married now,” I remind him.
“Maybe not on paper, but we’ll remedy that. Soon. As soon as you agree to marry me again.”I smile, inhaling the intoxicating mixture of his body wash and the detergent in his shirt. “You’ve always been my wife, Winnie,” he whispers, tightening his arms as if I might somehow slip away. “You always will be, even if you never say the word.”
My heart pounds in my chest with the intensity of a drum. I’m sure he can feel it slamming against his torso, but he never says anything. As I gaze up and our eyes meet, I only see happiness reflecting in his, and I know we’re going to be okay. Sure, this may be a little unconventional, but it’s our story and no one else’s.
We write our ending.
“Ready to go tell our families they’re going to be grandparents?” he asks, a wide smile on his full lips.
“I am,” I confirm, trying to pull away from the hug, but not getting very far.
Instead, Harrison lowers his lips to mine, giving me a slow, soft kiss. My body hums with energy, excitement racing through my veins. Even though we share a bed, Harrison isn’t rushing anything between the sheets. We’ve actually only made love a few times, and those have seemed more out of desperate need than anything. He still treats me like I’m made of glass. I honestly think it’s because he’s trying to take this slow—dating, as he likes to call it. Well, I remember when we were first dating all those years ago. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other and practically went at it like rabbits.
Something I wouldn’t mind repeating in the near future.
“I’m going to stop by the gym, finish up a few things, and grab some work to bring home. I’ll meet you there by five, and then we can head to the restaurant together,” he says.
“Sounds good,” I confirm, reaching for my door handle and giving it a tug.
It’s warm for the first week of June, and I can already tell the inside of my new car is sweltering. Harrison found a great family car with the best safety rating for me. I slide onto the seat and crank the engine. It fires to life instantly, the air pumping through the fan warm and sticky. Harrison reaches through the open door and cranks on the air conditioning. Before he removes himself completely from the vehicle, he places both hands on my cheeks and puts his lips on mine. Again, the kiss is slow and sweet, but there’s a fire smoldering just below the surface. I can feel it, and if the look in his eyes is any indication, he can too.
“See you soon,” he whispers, his lips dancing one last time against mine. I shudder, craving his hands and his lips other places on my flushed body.
“Soon.”
That’s a promise.
Harrison and I walk through the front door together of another favorite restaurant of mine. It’s not lost on me that he chose this place to share our news with our families. This is where we told them we were getting married and where our rehearsal dinner was held. A lot of memories were made within these walls, that’s for sure.
As soon as the door closes behind us, we find both his parents, as well as mine, already chatting by the hostess stand. The confusion is clear when they see us enter together, as if them both meeting their child for dinner at the same time is more than just a coincidence. The light bulbs seem to turn on. My mom glances at his, then to my dad. There’s no missing the look of question on their faces.