Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 58397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
“Summer camp—sounds exciting.” I folded one leg over the other and draped an arm along the back of the couch. It gave me free access to rub Peyton’s neck. “Is it local?”
“Chinook Islands,” Peyton said with a nod. “You can see them from the marina—Mom, quit it.”
What had I missed?
“What?” Carol was confused too, albeit more defensive. “You’re so cute together. Excuse me for being happy.”
Ah. I kept my smirk to myself and watched Julia instead. She’d collected the two bags and was on her way around the table to reach the chair where Carol sat.
“But you’re staring,” Peyton argued.
“Should I look at the wall instead?” Carol lifted a brow.
I chuckled silently and gave Peyton’s neck a squeeze. “Relax, love,” I said quietly.
Peyton huffed and leaned back a bit more. His hand on my leg was anything but relaxed.
“Dis for you, and dis for Peyton’s sister.” Julia extended the two bags to Carol.
I took the opportunity to press a kiss to Peyton’s temple and murmur for only him to hear. “What’s got you worked up? Things are going well.”
He took a breath and let it out slowly. “You’re right. I don’t know why I’m nervous.”
Julia’s shyness hadn’t disappeared completely, so she darted back to me as soon as Carol started gushing about the presents. She said over and over that we shouldn’t have bought them anything, and I waved it off. What kind of heathen arrived empty-handed when they wanted to impress a partner’s parents?
Impress wasn’t the right term, but I wasn’t above collecting brownie points.
Anna showed up around the time Carol was fawning over her new pashmina scarf that the saleslady insisted worked well in the summer too, especially in a state like Washington.
“Feel how soft it is, hon.” She extended the scarf to Peyton. “Feel it.”
He humored her. “Yeah, it’s soft.” He cleared his throat and addressed Anna next. She’d inherited her mother’s pretty looks, but she was definitely a tomboy. Thank fuck I hadn’t let the saleslady pick a gift set of makeup. “Anna, this is Edward and Julia.”
“Nice to meet you, Anna,” I said with a polite smile. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“I bet we’ve heard more about you.” She twisted her lips into a smirk that she directed at Peyton.
“You can fucking shush,” Peyton told her.
I grinned. This was going to be a good stay.
Anna ignored her brother and sat down on the armrest of Carol’s chair, rather than taking the empty chair on the other short end of the table. “Let me see?” She touched the scarf gingerly, and Carol told her there was a gift bag for her also.
“Oh.” Anna blushed. Just like her brother.
Julia perched herself on my lap, observing the Scotts, and played absently with the hair on the back of my neck.
Anna lifted the lid to her box, and I was relieved to see her surprised but honest smile. “Oh, wow. Thank you. This is so cool.”
“What is it?” Peyton leaned forward a little, and Anna held up the leather-bound journal.
He’d told me once she was an avid writer, which had been the only helpful thing I’d had to offer the saleslady.
“It’s beautiful. You have to bring it to camp, sweetie.” Carol touched the tie around the journal.
“Yeah.” Anna stood up and clutched the journal. “I’m gonna go pack it. Thank you again, Edward.”
“You’re very welcome, dear.” I inclined my head.
Okay, maybe I could actually pull this off.
Julia fell asleep earlier than I thought she would, considering she’d slept on the plane. Then again, it was three hours later on the East Coast, and it’d been an eventful day.
Either way, there were no complaints from me. While she slept peacefully on the airbed at the foot of Peyton’s bed, I got to cuddle the hell out of my boy.
“Part of me still can’t believe you’re here.” He burrowed deeper into my arms and kissed my chest. “That you came all this way. For me.”
I hummed and reached over him to grab the bottle of cooling gel on his nightstand. “It wasn’t just you. I felt I hadn’t collected enough miles these past few months.”
He chuckled drowsily.
“Lie flat on your back,” I ordered softly.
He drew a breath, the air between us changing slightly, and obeyed me. I loved how the shift came so suddenly, how the tension could crackle with just a few words.
“If we’re really quiet…” He trailed off with a pleading tone.
“No funny business tonight.” I coated two fingers with gel before placing the bottle on the other side of him. “Spread your legs for Daddy.” I waited until he’d complied, then eased my hand between his legs. “I do think we should check out the housing market here, though. It would be nice to have a place of our own for when we visit.”
“Are—shit.” He gasped when I slid my two wet fingers straight over the smoothest little hole ever. “Are you kidding me?”