Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
I don’t know how she’s going to react once she wakes up, but even if she’s pissed and rushes out of here like her ass is on fire, I don’t regret it. I’ve tossed this around in my mind repeatedly, and for the life of me, I don’t know why she’s different. All I can say for certain is that she is. I think about her constantly, and if she would have insisted on going home last night, I would have driven her myself. I feel protective of her. Maybe it’s our age difference. She’s ten years younger than me, but it’s an age gap that I don’t notice. All I see is this beautiful woman who is full of life and alluring.
She starts to stir and stretches, which pushes her ass into my cock. She laughs and looks over her shoulder. “Morning,” she says, her voice laced with sleep.
“Good morning.”
“How long have you been awake?”
“A while.”
“I’m sorry. You should have woken me up.” She tries to climb off the couch, but I keep my arm locked tightly around her waist.
“I wasn’t ready to get up,” I tell her honestly.
“Yeah,” she says, no longer trying to climb out of my arms and off the couch. In this moment, she feels like she’s mine, but my heart knows better. It’s been broken beyond repair and isn’t available for more heartbreak.
“Her name was Hannah.” I’ve spoken the words before I can think better of it, but now that they’re out there, I know this is the right thing to do. Blakely is incredible, and I don’t want her wasting her time and hope on me. We’ll never be what I know she wants. The husband, the house, the kids, and the white picket fence. I don’t have it in me to be that man. Not anymore.
“Hannah. That’s a pretty name.”
That’s it? No questions? No prying into what I’m trying to say? Damn, this woman. I pull her a little closer, not wanting to leave even an inch of space between our bodies.
“I used to think so.”
“Not anymore?” she asks, her voice soft.
I can’t believe I’m about to do this, but here goes nothing. “We met my sophomore year of undergrad.” I pause, giving her time to comment, but she stays silent. “We dated all through undergrad, through medical school, and my residency.”
“That’s a long time.”
“It was a long time.” I hate reliving my past, but she needs to know. I can’t let her think that this, whatever is growing between us, will be here forever. I’m just not capable.
“Growing up, our next-door neighbors were a huge part of my life. They were my parents’ best friends, and their son, Josh, was mine. We were inseparable. We went to the same college. He’s an accountant, while I went on to medical school and then residency. He spent a lot of time with Hannah and me, and we all got along great. Too great, in fact.”
“Oh no. I don’t think I like where this is going.”
Her words have me burying my face in her neck. I breathe in her sweet scent and wish for the first time in four years that I was capable of being what this incredible woman deserves. I kiss her neck, and she shivers. I need to keep going before I let myself take any more from her. She needs to understand what she’s getting into.
“Four years ago this Christmas, I was going to propose. I had the ring, and I knew that I wanted our families to be there when I did it. My mom… man, does she love Christmas. Like someone else I know. Anyway, Hannah’s family was invited every year, and they became close friends of my parents. It was perfect. We all got along so well. We just fit, you know?”
“Family is important.”
“I agree. So, I had the ring. Everyone was there, and I was a nervous wreck. It’s a big damn deal to ask someone to spend forever with you. We’d talked about the next steps. I had six months of my residency left. We wanted to get married before I started my job at Atlanta General.”
“Wait. You worked at Atlanta General?”
“No. I was supposed to, but I backed out of the position and took my current role at Willow River General.”
She places her hand over mine that’s resting on her belly and gives it a soft squeeze. “I’m glad.”
Does she know that when she’s all chill and sweet like this, it makes it almost impossible not to kiss the air from her lungs?
“Yeah, so I was nervous, but I was ready, you know? I was ready for us to start the next step. I looked around the room, and I couldn’t find her. I asked around, and her mom told me she saw her heading upstairs. Only me, my parents, Hannah, and Josh ever went upstairs during these events. My parents’ house is massive, and there are plenty of restrooms on the first floor. Anyway, I thought maybe she was using the restroom up there. There’s a landing that overlooks the living area, which is where the party was being held. My head was spinning. I could ask for everyone’s attention and drop to one knee up there. We could have a semblance of privacy, but everyone important to us would also be there. It was perfect.”