Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
I open my eyes slowly, and the column of Denver’s throat comes into view. The urge to touch my tongue to his neck hits me hard, but I fight against it and look around. I don’t remember coming down to his bed last night. He must have somehow carried me downstairs after I fell asleep while talking to him. I close my eyes and press my nose into his chest, pulling in his scent that is a mixture of salty sea air and some kind of deep woodsy musk. He smells amazing, and being pressed against him while he’s sleeping, with his arms tight around me, feels like I’m waking in a dream. The kind of dream I gave up on years and years ago, long before Gabe was ever in my life.
I bite my bottom lip when my stomach starts to fill with unexpected tension. I silently remind myself it’s okay to be happy and that I promised Denver last night that I would fight for us, and I will. When he walked out of my house, leaving me on the couch, I knew he wouldn’t be back again. I knew I had finally succeeded in pushing him away for good. I tried to convince myself for about five seconds that was what I wanted, but the pain I felt weighing down on my chest was worse than the pain I felt when I lost Gabe.
Before I knew what I was doing, I called Shel. When she heard me sob into the phone, not saying anything, she hung up and came right over. As soon as she walked through the front door, I ran right to her and cried in her arms. I told her through my tears what happened—well, most of it anyway. I left out the whole him giving me the best orgasm of my life part, but I did tell her about hurting him on purpose and him leaving. I also told her that I knew he wouldn’t be back again. When I told her that, she told me what I already knew, that I had to go after him, that I had to find a way to make things right.
She shoved me toward my bedroom, telling me to pack a bag while she called Joe to see if Denver had told her where he was heading. Joe didn’t know anything about his plans to leave port, but she did tell Shel that he hadn’t told her he was leaving, and he always told her. Which meant I had a chance to catch him before he was gone.
When Shel hung up the phone with Joe, she called Lulu to tell her I wouldn’t be in to work on Monday. I don’t know what she said to Lulu when she called, but I do know the nosy woman will probably have a million and one questions for me when I come back to work. She will also likely yell “I told you so.” After Shel got off the phone with Lulu and I was packed, she called my dad and told him I needed a ride to the harbor. Surprisingly, my dad didn’t ask any questions as he drove me, but he did tell me that all he ever wanted was for me to be happy, as I hopped out of the cab of his truck.
“What are you thinking about?” Denver’s roughly spoken question pulls me from my thoughts, and I tip my head back to look into his sleepy eyes. I would never think it was possible for him to look hotter than his normal hot, but his warm, sleepy eyes and his hair a rumpled mess proves me wrong.
“Nothing.” I rest my temple against his chest and his arms tighten further.
“Not thinking about running, are you?” he asks, and I shake my head no. “Good, especially since we’re in the middle of nowhere and there is nowhere for you to run to.” He smooth’s a hand down the back of my head, then I feel his lips at the top of my hair as a smile curves my lips. “Hungry?”
“A little,” I answer quietly. I’m actually starving, but I’d rather go without food than move from where I am right now.
“I need to go up and check things out, but after that, I’ll get us something to eat and set you up with the satellite phone so you can call Lyra.”
Tears suddenly fill my eyes, and I feel like an idiot for not trusting him all along. “Thank you.”
His fingertips curve around my jaw and he pulls up gently. When our eyes meet, his expression softens. “Let’s get up so you can call our girl.”
“Sure,” I agree, but I don’t move and neither does he. We both just stare at each other for a long moment. I don’t know who leans in first, but our lips touch and our mouths open. The kiss is soft and seeking, slow and sensual. When he rolls me to my back and pulls his mouth from mine, my eyes flutter open. I find him looming over me, searching my gaze. I’m not sure what he’s looking for, but when his forehead drops to rest softly on mine, I know he found it. “Mine. Fuck. Finally, all mine.”