Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 131789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“I realize I need to do a better job of stepping up and being your father. I’ve depended too much on you to take care of all of us, when this is the time you should be thinking about college and SATs. Getting to be a little selfish and enjoying your senior year.” His voice thickens. “I want you to know you don’t have to be our rock all the time. You can come to me whenever you need to talk, but I’m going to be better about checking in on you, too. That’s a promise, sweetheart.”
“Thanks.” My eyes feel a little hot. “I appreciate that.”
He gives me a tight hug, clearing his throat. “One more thing. You accused me of something. You wondered if the reason I don’t want any of the boys around you is because I fear for my job.” Dad lifts one eyebrow. “That’s not the reason, Sloane. I keep them away because whether you like it or not, you’re always going to be my little girl. And nobody, and I mean nobody, will ever be good enough for you in my eyes.”
I stare at him in surprise.
He chuckles quietly. “With that said, I’m willing to keep an open mind.”
Before I can respond and make this more emotionally awkward for both of us, he nudges me along.
“Go see your friend. He’s been waiting a while.”
Blinking away the stinging sensation in my eyelids, I head for the kitchen. All ready to take my breakfast back to bed and tell Silas to come back when he’s learned some manners. Instead, I see a nervous RJ at the counter beside Casey, who looks absolutely tickled.
“What the hell is this?” I demand.
“As I understand it, you two have patched things up.” Dad slips past me to resume making his tea, which he’d left mid-preparation. “I see no harm in you continuing to associate with Mr. Shaw. Provided you respect our agreement. I would have you be where I can see you, rather than behind my back.” With his mug in hand, he nods at RJ. “You kids have fun.”
Casey gets a good laugh out of that before wandering off, her attention engrossed with her phone.
“Oh.” Dad pops his head around the corner one last time. “Mr. Shaw, there’s still the matter of your punishment. Sandover cannot tolerate underage drinking, as you’re aware. Make sure you and Mr. Bishop see the dining hall manager after breakfast Monday morning. You’ll be assisting the kitchen staff with cleanup duty for the rest of the month.”
Smirking, Dad saunters off, finally leaving us alone.
“You’ve been busy,” I tell RJ, letting him tug me into his arms.
There was part of me that wondered if I’d managed to twist myself in knots over something that existed mostly in my head. That maybe my feelings for RJ weren’t as deep as my heart kept telling me. But then I see him here mildly getting along with my dad and it triggers all the gooey emotions in my chest. I’m not sure I’ll ever understand it, and against my better judgment, I’m silly for this guy. And I know in his lopsided smile, when he reaches for my hand, that he’s gone a little silly too.
He winces when I grab his face to kiss him. His lip is still swollen from the fight.
“Careful, cupcake. I’m fragile.” RJ, sitting on a stool, holds me between his legs. Fingertips dipping under my T-shirt to skim bare skin.
“It’s sexy.” I mean, he’s a mess. It’s like stampeding horses trampled him. But all that ingrained Hollywood marketing has conditioned us for rugged, war-weary cowboy types. We can’t help it. “Like, I’m-wetter-than-ever kind of sexy.”
Eyes glazing, his tongue comes out to lick the corner of his mouth. “Cut that out. Your dad’s going to walk in here and change his mind about me.”
Fine. For the sake of not blowing our cover, I take a seat and dig into the pastries RJ brought. “Silas says the fight was one for the ages.”
He shrugs. “No one’s more surprised by the outcome than me.”
“Nah. I think you were grossly underestimating yourself.”
That earns me a husky laugh. “I’m going to let you keep believing that.”
RJ then attempts to fill me in on some of his heroic exploits over the last twenty-four hours, but I become entirely distracted by the way he draws absent-minded shapes on the top of my thigh. Spies be damned, I can’t help myself from stealing another kiss, tasting sugar and butter on his tongue. As if he’s forgotten his reservations, he yanks my stool closer to deepen the kiss. His tongue tickles mine and we both make a desperate noise.
“I mean it,” he whispers against my lips. His voice is suddenly earnest. “This is for real, Sloane. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I wouldn’t let you.”
He’s stuck with me now.