Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“I’ve never had Chicago-style pizza.”
“You haven’t?”
“No, I’m a New Yorker. In New York you only eat one kind of pizza.”
“Have you traveled?”
“Some, but not much.”
“What about family vacations when you were younger?”
“Like you said, your job means you have to make sacrifices. My mom and dad are glued to each other. My mom would never take us on a vacation unless my dad could go along, and since that was rarely possible, we didn’t do much traveling.” I shrug and watch his eyes fill with something close to regret. “I had an amazing childhood,” I say, feeling like I need to reassure him for some strange reason. “We lived a few blocks from the beach, so during the summer that’s where we would spend our days. I never missed traveling because I was always happy right where I was.”
“That’s a good way to look at it.”
“Have you traveled a lot?” I ask, watching him chew and swallow the bite he just took.
“Some. I’ve got family in Chicago and Georgia, so at least every couple of years we make it a point to go see them.”
“All my family is in Long Island. My mom and dad grew up there, along with their brothers and sisters. No one ever moved away, so we never had to travel to see anyone since we all lived on the same block.”
“Are you all close?”
“If you’re asking are they constantly in my business and annoying me, the answer is yes,” I say. He throws back his head, and a deep rumbling laugh comes out that makes my insides turn liquid.
“I get that, my family’s the same way.”
“Family is awesome,” I say sarcastically, and he chuckles as he finishes off his last bite of pizza.
“You done?” He nods to my plate on the table, and I smile.
“Yes, it was so good. Thank you.” I sit up quickly and try to take the plate from him when he starts to pick it up. “I’ll get it.”
“I’ve got it—relax.” He nudges me back down to the couch, and I sit back watching him take both our plates to the kitchen along with the pizza box.
“What the hell is happening?”
“What?” he asks, and I feel my eyes widen.
“Oh no, I was talking out loud to the TV. You know, asking what’s happening on the show, since we’ve missed most of it,” I blabber as he comes back toward me and looks at the screen—where a cell phone commercial is playing. Feeling my face heat in embarrassment, I bite my bottom lip and look away from him.
“Hmm.” He takes a seat next to me, this time closer than before. Muffin, who isn’t one to miss an opportunity to be petted, jumps up next to him, forcing him even closer as she lays her paws and head in his lap.
“You know she’s never really liked men before you.”
“Pardon?”
Clearing my throat I look at him, then Muffin, who is now in dog heaven as Levi’s big hand and strong-looking fingers run through her fur. “Um . . . she’s never liked a guy before you. I mean, she likes my dad, but she hates my uncles and cousins. I have to board her whenever I go to my parents for a few days.”
“Are you planning on having her boarded when you go away for Thanksgiving?”
“Yeah, she goes to Prestigious Paws downtown when I have to leave her.”
“Is that the place with the dog spa?” he asks with a smirk, and I smile.
“Yeah, she gets massages and manicures and she has her own TV in her room, plus I get to watch her on live video whenever I want.”
“Christ, that sounds better than some of the hotels I’ve stayed at.”
“It probably is better—then again, it’s not cheap to board her with them, but I know my baby is taken care of, so that’s all that matters to me.”
“Well, if I’m around when you’re out of town, I’ll keep her. I may not give her pedicures, but she’ll be taken care of.”
“That’s nice, but—”
“No buts,” he cuts me off before I can disagree.
“If you’re working . . .”
“I can always stop by,” he interrupts again. “My job’s close by, so I can always get away for a few minutes here or there to take her out.”
“That’s nice, thanks.”
“No problem,” he says as he rests his arm over the back of the couch behind me. I wait to see what he will do, if he will wrap his arm around my shoulders like he did earlier, but he doesn’t make a move, so once again I’m left confused and conflicted.
“Come on, girl.” Hearing that, my eyes blink open. I don’t remember falling asleep, but I must have been so comfortable that I did. Hearing Muffin’s dog tag jingle, I get up on my elbow and watch through the dim light of the living room as Levi leads Muffin out the door.