Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 65944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
“Wow.” I clap. “That was amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more impressive. You really are the master.” I laugh as he wraps his arms around me and dips me backward, nibbling my neck and making me giggle.
“Let me try,” Colton says, and I smile at Gia when he puts in a twenty-dollar bill and she rolls her eyes. “How much cash did you two put in this thing before we came in?” Colton asks when he loses six times in a row.
“Probably twenty dollars, maybe a little more.” I shrug.
“So we’ve put in fifty dollars trying to win a stuffed animal that probably costs one dollar to make?” He shakes his head. “I should see if they’d just sell me the damn thing.”
“That’s no fun.” Gia hands me Gino and takes the bopper from her husband before he can end the game.
“You got this,” I tell her, moving to her side, and I don’t know if it’s frustration or what, but she ends up hitting every single frog and winning every game until the money runs out. Grabbing the tickets as they shoot out, we carry them to the front, sure that we’ve gotten the five hundred we need. As the older women behind the counter runs them through the counting device, I want to laugh as the total pops up on the screen, because we are nowhere close to where we need to be, and our options are either candy or some small plastic trinkets. Choosing the candy, we leave the bowling alley, shoving handfuls of Skittles into our mouths and laughing like hyenas, with both our guys chuckling at how ridiculous we are.
When we reach the parking lot, I give Gia a hug, reminding her that I’ll see her tomorrow to go dress shopping, and wave goodbye to Colton. I get into the passenger seat when Tide opens the door. “Thanks.” I smile down at him once I’m seated and he steps into my space, placing his hand on my cheek before he kisses me, soft and slow, taking his time. When he pulls away, I blink my eyes open, unsure why this kiss felt different… sweeter than all the others we’ve shared.
“Buckle up, baby,” he orders, stepping back and slamming the door. Closed inside the cab, I watch him prowl around the hood while I put on my seatbelt, then wait for him to get in behind the wheel.
“This evening was fun.”
“It was,” he agrees, taking my hand and dragging it over to his lap. “Sucks that Anna showed up.”
“Yeah, but I really enjoyed spending time with Olivia before then.”
“She enjoyed it too. Next week when I have her, we’ll plan some stuff to do together so you two can get to know each other better.”
“I’d like that a lot.”
“Have you ever been canoeing?”
“When I was younger, but not since then.”
“I’ve got one. We can load it up one day, and the three of us can take it out on the lake, then go someplace for a picnic. It’s pretty this time of year with the leaves changing.”
“That would be fun.” I squeeze his thigh, and his hand covers mine.
As we settle into contented silence, I stare out the window while he drives us through town and reflect on all the things I’ve gone through in my life. As hard as it is to admit, I know that without experiencing the pain I have, I wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate the simple happiness I have now. A lot of that happiness having to do with the man at my side.
Chapter 12
Tide
“FUCK, ARIA,” I groan, ripping my mouth from hers and pushing her gently back onto the bed as I stand. “Get your shirt off, baby.” Sitting up, she pulls the loose shirt over her head, dropping it to the bed beside her, then she reaches behind her back to unhook her bra. When she lies back, bending her knees and cupping her breasts, my dick throbs.
I flip open the button of my fly and tug my jeans down over my hips as my eyes devour her. I’ve never met a woman more soul-deep beautiful than her, never thought I’d let a woman own me like she does. Putting one knee on the bed, I place my hand on her shin, then skim it up her knee, smiling when I feel her shiver. I slide my hand down her inner thigh and slip my thumb under the edge of the dark lace covering her.
“You okay?” I ask when she comes up on her elbows.
“Ye… yes,” she stutters as I lower my face and let out a warm breath. “Oh God.” She falls back on the bed, attempting to close her thighs.
“No.” I dig my fingers into her soft skin and cover her with my mouth, sucking deep through the thin material while my other hand slides down, my thumb slipping easily over her clit before entering her. Wanting all of her, I don’t think; I rip her panties away from her body, ignoring her startled gasp as I slide my hands under her ass and lift her up to meet my mouth. I devour her like a man starved, getting off on every groan and whimper coming from her pretty mouth as I force her closer to the edge. When her fingers latch onto my hair, I pull her clit into my mouth, sucking hard, and don’t let up as she cries out my name. When her body goes limp, I kiss her right above her pussy, nuzzle her stomach, then move up to loom over her. Her long lashes flutter open, and her hand comes up to rest against my cheek.