Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Fuck me, why does my dick get hard just thinking about it? “I thought I was helping you.”
She huffs out a breath. “By offering to give me a baby?”
I lean back because I need to put some distance between us. From here, her cherry vanilla scent is filling my nose and making me delirious. “Yes, you told Dom that you wanted to have a baby. Personally, I thought I would be the first person you would think of in this situation.” My hands fist. “I mean, unless you’re seeing someone that I don’t know anything about.”
I can feel my heart racing in my chest, and I try to calm my breathing so she doesn’t notice, but the thought of her seeing someone makes me crazy. For years, I’d thought of her as my little sister. I don’t know what happened or exactly when it changed, but my feelings for her are different now. I want more than her friendship, but it’s not something I can talk to her about.
She cleans up the area, and I watch as she draws out a shot. Her silence is deafening, and I repeat the thought. “Are you seeing someone, Chrissy?”
She rolls her eyes. “Really? We live in Whiskey Run, Gabe. If I was dating someone, you would have already heard about it.”
I stand up. “Surely if you decided to date someone, you would tell me about it, and I wouldn’t have to find out from someone else.”
She walks toward me. “Drop your pants.”
Shit. I undo the snap on my pants and then pull the zipper down, which is not so easy to do since I have to pull it over my semi-hard cock. I turn to give her my hip. “Chrissy, tell me that if you date some asshole, you’d tell me.”
“Some asshole?”
She gives me the shot, and I don’t even flinch. “Fine. If you decide you’re going to date someone, you’ll tell me.”
She disposes of the needle. “Why would I?”
I growl. “Why wouldn’t you?”
She shrugs. “Well, the last date I went on, you showed up at the Whistler and dirty looked us the whole time.”
Slowly, I shake my head. “I didn’t dirty look you. I dirty looked the asshole that thought it was okay to touch you.”
Her mouth falls open, and she just stares at me.
“What? His hand was on your ass, Chrissy.”
She stomps her foot, and I try to not to smile because she looks so cute when she gets mad at me. “We were slow dancing, and his hand was on my lower back.”
“He. Was. Touching. You,” I say, enunciating every word.
She doesn’t back down. She takes a step toward me and gives it back to me. “We. Were. Dancing.”
“Are you going to tell me if you start seeing someone or not?” When she hesitates, I just smirk. “You know what, you don’t have to tell me. I’ll know.”
Her eyes widen. “What does that even mean, you’ll know?”
“Exactly what I said. If you start dating someone, I’ll know.”
She puts her hands on her hips. “Why do you care, Gabriel?”
“Because,” I start and then stop before I say too much. I take in a breath and then tell her part of the truth. “Because you’re my best friend, and I want to make sure you’re okay… you’re safe.”
Her voice softens. “This is Whiskey Run, Gabe. And I’m thirty-three years old. I can take care of myself.”
I reach up and tuck the hair that’s come out of her ponytail behind her ear. I shouldn’t touch her, but I can’t resist, and I put my palm to her cheek. “Honey, I know you can take care of yourself. I know you’re a strong woman who can do what you want. I just need to know that you’re okay and safe. I’m sorry if I’m overbearing, but when it comes to you…” I suck in a breath and let it out slowly. “I just can’t risk it.”
Whether she realizes it or not, she leans into my hand. As she blinks up at me, she whispers, “Okay, if I decide to date someone, you’ll be the first to know.”
I remove my hand from her face, put my hands on her shoulders, and spin us so my back is to the door. “Can I talk to you and you won’t get mad?”
She peeks around me to the door. “Are you blocking me from getting out?”
“I need you to listen to me.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “What do you want to say?”
I take a deep breath and hope what I’m about to say doesn’t set her off. I know it’s possible since she’s refused to talk to me for the last two days. “Why did you get so mad when I offered to have a baby with you?”
She opens her mouth to say something and then slams it shut. She looks over my shoulder. “Can’t we just forget it?”