Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
We’re clearly going to be too busy dealing with the Mountain Motor Lodge crisis to keep talking about my gimpy lady parts, and I’m grateful.
“But the reviews said the rooms were super cute and very clean,” I add as Wes pulls into the lot and parks diagonally, taking up several spots. I frown, glancing around to see only two cars—a tiny red sedan parked behind the office and what looks like an abandoned gray van rotting in the shadows beside one of the larger cottages. “But why is there only one room available? It looks like we’re the only ones here.”
“Maybe everyone else is out getting dinner?” Wes asks, shifting the camper into park but keeping the engine running. “Or maybe they took one look at Mother Meyer’s creepy fairy tale lair and kept driving?”
“It does look like a good place to get lured in by a candy shingle and end up in a witch’s pot,” I agree.
Wes grunts. “But we’re a lot bigger than Hansel and Gretel. I guess we could head into the office and take a look around. If it seems sketchy or the room is awful, we can always leave.”
“That’s what every character who gets murdered in the first ten minutes of the horror movie says right before they walk into the killer’s trap.” I nibble my bottom lip. “But I’m up for it, if you are.” I nod over my shoulder. “And we can bring Freya for backup. If anyone makes a move, you know she’ll go straight for their crotch.”
A wry smile stretches his lips. “I do know that. Firsthand.” He shuts off the engine with a nod. “Okay then. Me, you, and Freya. And if they don’t welcome ferrets, we take that as a sign to keep driving until we find a Walmart parking lot. I’ll take point on bucket duty.”
I snort and shake my head. “No, thank you. If a bucket is necessary, I’ll handle it myself. I’m girly enough to want to maintain a certain air of mystery about my toileting activities.”
He grins. “You’re cute.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not. There’s nothing cute about toilet stuff, I promise you.”
“You’re cute and nothing that comes out of you would change my mind about that.”
“Ew, so gross. What’s wrong with you?” I ask as I sneak through our seats to fetch Freya from her crate. But I’m secretly touched by his words and think he’s pretty cute, too.
His smile widens. “I suspect many things are wrong with me. I may look like a mild-mannered lawyer, but I’m secretly kind of pumped at the thought of staying in this terrifying motel. Looks like a great place to run into Bigfoot after hours.”
I strap Freya into her harness and stand with a shake of my head. “That sounds like Preston talking.”
His green eyes light up. “Speaking of Preston, I hope they have Wi-Fi. Preston wants to do more research on Butch Cassidy’s stash.”
“Same,” I agree, reaching for the door leading out of the main part of the camper. “I know it’s probably crazy, but I really think we have a chance at finding it. I mean, someone has to stumble upon it, sooner or later, right? Why not us?”
“Why not us?” he echoes, his gaze caressing my face for a beat before he slides out of the driver’s side.
I wait for him to circle around to meet Freya and me with a pleasant buzz flowing through my veins. I told him my secret and he’s still looking at me like I’m someone precious and calling me “cute.”
Maybe I was wrong about Wes. Maybe he isn’t set on having children, or at least not biological children.
A part of me wants to ask how he feels about adoption. I mean, I thought I’d given up on the idea of having a family of my own, but…
I shake my head, reigning in my wild thoughts as we set off across the parking lot and keeping my lips zipped. My fertility confession can be explained away by the stress of our interaction with Maddie, but if I ask him about adoption, it’s going to be clear why I’m curious.
Because I can’t stop thinking about Wes as more than a friend.
I can’t stop thinking about how much I’d like to kiss him again, yes, but it’s more than physical attraction. I’m every bit as drawn to his curious mind, playful spirit, and good heart as I am to his lips and incomparable dick.
Though the dick is incomparable.
And if we decide to stay in the world’s creepiest motel, I’ll be sleeping in the same bed, just a few feet away from it and the tempting man it’s attached to in just a few hours time…
Chapter 19
WESLEY
I want to talk more about kids and whether Tessa wants a family someday—whether that’s through adoption or an egg donor or some other means I haven’t thought of yet—but as usual, I’m getting way ahead of myself.