Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
I grimace at the blood that drips into the sink, but I’m amused to hear Marek say that to Lilly. That means she must have busted him using that word, and he advised her it was a grown-up word and not a “bad” word. Pretty damn smart if you ask me, because I’m sure she’s bound to hear it again from us. I try to keep it clean around Lilly, but sometimes emotion—or pain and blood—derails the best intentions.
Flipping on the cold water, I plunge my finger under it, trying to analyze how bad it is once the water runs clear.
“Let me see it,” I hear Marek from behind me.
His words and nearness cause me to jolt, but more than anything, I’m stunned by the worry in his voice.
For me.
Or, well, for my cut.
He doesn’t even give me a chance to comply or deny, merely takes my wrist and pulls my hand out from under the stream of water. He bends over and looks at the cut that’s no longer leaking blood but I know it would if I were to press on it. The thin red line of the cut is small, but I can’t tell how deep without prodding at it.
“Needs stitches,” Marek says confidently, his voice still laced with genuine concern.
My eyes cut over to Lilly, but she’s engrossed in the puzzle with her grandparents. Since I’m the one with medical training, I use my other hand to pinch at the edges of the cut and it gapes open a little so I can see inside. Blood wells and pools, then slides over my finger.
Marek drops his hold on me and takes a quick step back. I look at him and valiantly manage to hide my amusement as I take in his pale face.
“Forgot you didn’t like blood,” I murmur as I put my finger back under the water to rinse it clean.
“I’ve gotten a little better over the years,” he mutters.
I give a soft laugh and turn off the water before grabbing a paper towel to wrap around my index finger. “I don’t need stitches, but if you have a Band-Aid that would be appreciated.”
“On it,” he says as he strides from the kitchen toward his bedroom.
By the time he returns, I’ve tossed the bloody bagel and I’m holding pressure to the cut while I watch Lilly, Gale, and Joan. They’re naturals at the whole grandparenting thing, showing keen interest in her as she tells them stories while working the puzzle, with Gale intermittently doing silly things to make her giggle.
“Okay, let’s see that finger,” Marek says as he moves around the counter toward me, opening the bandage as he approaches.
I pull off the paper towel and hold my finger out. His tongue peeks out slightly from the corner of his mouth, and I forgot he always did that when he concentrated. Joyful warmth floods through me as I realize Lilly does the same thing—is doing it now as a matter of fact as she tries to fit a puzzle piece in—and I know that’s something she directly inherited from her father.
“Lilly sticks her tongue out like you when she’s concentrating,” I say softly as he wraps the Band-Aid carefully around the tip of my finger.
His eyes pop up to mine before looking back down. “I know. I saw her doing it the other day.”
“She also chews her nails the way you used to,” I tell him.
Marek chuckles. “I grew out of that, Gracie.”
“Then I’m sure she will too,” I say with a soft laugh.
Marek’s eyes slide back up to hold mine, and for a moment, there’s no cut or bad memories or hurt feelings. Just a shared parenting moment that leaves us both smiling.
My breath hitches slightly when Marek’s thumb grazes over the back of my hand ever so gently. His voice is barely more than a breath. “There…all better.”
“Thank you,” I say in a raspy voice, because my throat seems to be tightening with emotion.
He just stares at me, not long enough to be awkward, but drawn out enough that my breath freezes. Finally he gives a gentle squeeze to my hand and drops it.
Turning toward the bagels, he says, “I’ll finish cutting these if you want to get some coffee going.”
And just like that…the moment is over.
Chapter 13
Marek
“Come on, Gracie,” I murmur as I move my finger in and out of her. “Let’s fuck in the backseat.”
She moans and spreads her legs wider for me. I brush my thumb over her clit and she bucks. I turn toward her to get a better angle, but the steering wheel of my sweet Buick LeSabre digs into my ribs. “Shit.”
Gracen giggles and pulls my hand out from between her legs with a gentle tug. “Come on, stud. Let’s get in the backseat.”
Perfect fucking girlfriend.
She doesn’t even wait for me. Just hauls herself over the center console and into the backseat, laughing the entire time. I crawl over behind her, my breath stuttering as I watch her pull her summer dress over her head before shimmying out of her panties. It seems all we’ve been doing during this summer break between my junior and senior year at Boston College is finding creative places to have sex. We don’t get nearly enough time while we’re in school, even though BC is only two and a half hours from her college in Connecticut. My hockey schedule along with training is time consuming, especially since my goal is to go into the pros after I graduate.