Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 131728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“You’re fucked,” he mouths.
I chuckle. “I agree.” I smile to the girls with a nod. “Good night. Have fun.”
Juliet
“It’s getting late,” I say to Joel. “I have to work early in the morning.”
“I’ll get going.”
“Okay.”
It’s the weirdest thing. Joel has been here all week. He’s telling me that we need house-planning time, but the reality is that we don’t talk about my house at all; he just wants to hang out.
Which is fine. He’s a great guy, and in any other circumstance I should be interested. I’m just . . . off men.
“I’ll walk you out,” I say. We walk out the front and down to his car, which is parked on the street. We stop beside it, and his eyes come to me. “Would you like to go out some time?”
I stare at him.
He answers my question before I have a chance to ask it. “Like on a date.”
“Oh . . .” I shrug. “I’m not really”—fuck—“wanting to get into a relationship right now.”
“It’s just dinner, Juliet.” He smiles. “Not a marriage proposal. Relax.”
“Right.” I smile, feeling embarrassed by my dramatic reply. “Sure, why not?”
“Great.”
I step back from him. Please don’t try and kiss me goodbye.
“Next Saturday night?” he asks.
I nod. “Yep. Sounds good.”
Henley’s car pulls into the street and into his driveway. His car turns off.
Don’t look.
“Okay. I’ll see you next week,” I blurt out in a rush to end the conversation. I really don’t want Henley to see me here with Joel. “Goodbye.”
“Bye.” Joel smiles.
I quickly walk inside before Henley gets out of the car. I close the door behind me and lean on the back of it for a moment. Even the sight of his car sends me into overdrive.
Maybe I really should consider moving house?
With a deep sigh I walk into the kitchen and flick on the kettle to make myself a cup of tea.
Knock, knock sounds at the door.
It’s him.
Don’t ask me how I know; I just do.
On autopilot I open it in a rush, and there he stands. Six foot four of hard ass. His dark hair is just mussed to perfection. The pull to him is instant.
“Hi.” He smiles softly.
I stare at him, unsure what to say.
His eyes search mine. “Can I come in?”
My stomach flutters at his proximity, and we stare at each other.
“So . . . can I come in?” he asks again.
I step back to let him walk past me.
Fuck.
I don’t know if I have it in me to resist his milk requests tonight.
“I, um . . .” He shrugs. He’s wearing blue jeans and a gray T-shirt. His shoulders are wide, and his chest is broad. Regardless of how things have worked out between us, I know there has never been a more beautiful male specimen on the face of the earth.
“I just . . .” His eyes hold mine, and once again, I can tell that he’s nervous.
“You what?”
“I just wanted to see you,” he murmurs. His eyes drop to my lips.
It would be so easy to kiss him right now.
“Why?” I act brave.
“I . . .” He pauses. “I wanted to . . .” He shrugs as if feeling stupid.
I frown. “What is it?”
“Can I have a hug?”
“What?”
Oh, gentle Henley is here . . . the one that I love.
“I just . . .” He swallows the lump in his throat, and unable to help it, I take him into my arms.
We hug, tight and close, and my eyes shut as I lean against his shoulder.
“Do you ever think of me?” he whispers.
I get a lump in my throat. “Yes.”
He nods as if processing my answer.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I think about you. A lot.”
I can pretend that I don’t care about our demise, but the reality is that we really should be together.
Why doesn’t he get it?
My nostrils flare as I try to hold in my emotions. Why does he affect me so much?
“I just wanted you to know that”—he frowns as he articulates his words—“it’s not that I don’t want to be with you. This has nothing to do with you.”
Wow, that old chestnut.
“‘It’s not you, it’s me’?” Annoyed, I pull out of his arms. I give a subtle shake of my head. “Is that what you’re saying?”
He nods.
Frustration sets in. Seriously, is that the best he’s got?
“Is that it?” I ask.
His eyes hold mine. “Do you want it to be it?”
Come out with it. If you want me, have the balls to say so.
“What do you want, Henley? Why are you here?”
He exhales heavily. “I don’t know.”
Wrong answer.
I can’t fix this for him. I’m not giving up what I want so that he gets what he wants.
I deserve better than to be his booty call, and he knows it.
“Look, I have to work in the morning.” I walk to the door and open it. “I’ll see you later.”