Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
He starts toward the pit stop marked by a giant pink circle, tossing over his shoulder, “But unless Kitty tags you in, I’m going to ask you to keep your thoughts to yourself, Charles. We want Kitty to feel safe sharing for as long as she needs to share.”
“Oh, I don’t think it will take that long.” Nora steps into the chalk circle drawn on the carpet—also in pink—beneath the sign. “I know exactly what I need to share.”
“That’s great, but don’t be afraid to keep going if new things come up,” Patrick says, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, like a wrestling coach cheering on an athlete from the sidelines. “And don’t be afraid to get as dark or raw as you need to feel heard. I’m comfortable with graphic content, no need to keep it PG-13 around here. I’ve been married for twelve years, and I’ve been a trauma coach for the company for almost half of that.” He nods, his eyes still gleaming with perverse anticipation. “There’s not much I haven’t heard when it comes to sexual trauma and dysfunction, and I’ve got tissues ready to go.”
Nora’s upper lip curls the slightest bit, making me think she’s as repulsed by this trauma vulture as I am, but she only lets her real feelings show for a moment before she’s smiling again. “Okay, great. So…should I just tell Charles what I want to say?”
Patrick claps his hands again, making my jaw clench. “That’s right, Kitty Cat. Speak your truth and don’t hold back. We don’t worry about hurt feelings here. Feelings can be mended, but only if the truth is out and there are no secrets festering in the marriage.”
“Got it.” Nora turns to face me, taking a deep breath. “Charles, first up, I want to apologize for all the hurtful things I’ve said the past few months. About not finding you attractive anymore and wanting you to keep as many clothes on as possible when we’re having sex.”
Fuck. So, she decided to go with Plan A. It’s fine—we agreed on this course of action last night—but I was looking forward to discussing something else.
Anything else.
Especially now that I’ve met Patrick and his oh-so-punchable face.
But she’s already started down this road and there’s no turning back now. I brace myself for the worst and vow to play along to the best of my ability. Nora’s had zero undercover training, and she’s doing great. I can’t let her—or the agency that trained me to roll with conversational punches, improv style—down now.
“That was unkind,” she continues, “and I’m sorry.”
“Remember, you don’t have to apologize,” Patrick murmurs in a husky voice that threatens to activate my gag reflex. “This is your truth. You don’t have to apologize for the truth, not in this room.”
“But I want to apologize,” she says, keeping her gaze locked on mine. “Because…it wasn’t true. Not any of it.”
My brows lift. “It wasn’t?”
“Quiet, Charles,” Patrick pipes up. “Until you’re invited into the pit stop to help Kitty refuel.”
“He’s invited,” Nora says, pulling me into the chalk circle mere seconds before I lose my cool and tell Patrick to back the fuck off. “You’re always invited into my pit stop.” She takes both my hands in hers with a shy smile. “To my pit stop and my bed. Even if you decide you truly never want to have children.”
My brows hitch up another half inch. “Children. That’s what this was about?”
She nods, her focus dropping to our joined hands. “When you said you weren’t sure you wanted to have children it just…got to me. It hurt. So much. I’ve always just assumed I’d have kids someday. Imagining a future without them was so painful.” She sighs before lifting sad eyes to mine. “I guess a part of me wanted to punish you for that by making you hurt, too. But that was wrong, and I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry,” I say. “I mean, I knew you weren’t happy about it, but I thought we agreed that as long as we have each other, we have everything we really need.”
She nods. “I know. And I still believe that. Watching you with Fluffy Butt last night—” She shifts her gaze to Patrick. “Fluffy Butt is our new cat. He’s having separation anxiety, so we decided to bring him on the trip.” Before Patrick can reply, or I can fully fight off my amusement at her choice of names, she turns back to me.
“So yeah, watching you with him,” she continues, “how gentle and patient you were, even when he got sick, and it smelled terrible…” Her lips curve. “It made me realize we can be a family without having children. We can love Fluffy Butt and each other and maybe a dog someday if the condo association ever decides to allow dogs. And…it can be enough. More than enough.” She steps closer, tipping her head back to hold my gaze. “As soon as I realized that, all the sex weirdness went out the window, and I wanted to make out with you more than ever.”