Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96454 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Somehow we end up on the big couch, Heath sitting and pushing up the skirt I’m wearing. He tears at the fly of his jeans, freeing himself. I don’t bother taking off my undies. He pushes them aside as I straddle him and then, oh then he’s inside me and it’s like the world falls away. The pain I’d felt seems manageable again as he holds my hips and thrusts up. We kiss over and over, his hands soothing me even as he pushes me toward something spectacular.
I hold on to him as I go over that wild edge. His arms wrap around me, tightening as he joins me.
I’m exhausted as I let my head rest against his, let his warmth surround me.
“It’s going to be okay, baby.” He whispers the words against my ear. “I promise. No matter what happens, it’s going to be okay.”
I’m starting to believe him.
“No, Harvey, there’s nothing wrong.” I hear Lydia talking outside in the hallway. “I was watching a horror movie. You know I love a horror movie.”
“Oh, no.” I hug him tighter like I can disappear inside his body and not face the fact that I just primal screamed inside a New York apartment building and probably freaked everyone out.
“Oh, that.” Lydia’s voice is getting further away, but unfortunately my hearing’s pretty solid. “Well, that was when I changed channels. Yes, I was on the pornography channel.”
Heath’s body shakes with the force of his laughter.
“I can’t believe we did that,” I whisper.
He flips me over so I’m lying on the couch, his big body covering mine. “I won’t let you take it back. And Nonna can handle it. Now kiss me again and then we should get to work. My boss gets crabby if I slack off.”
“I am so not your boss.” But he’s got me smiling.
And when he kisses me again, the world doesn’t seem so cold.
Chapter Twenty-Five
I feel so much better three hours later. After I managed to force myself to face my friends, I realized I wasn’t actually all that embarrassed. It was weird. Something happened in those moments when I finally let it all out, and I’m able to take the problem and examine it in a way I haven’t before. I’m not embarrassed that I had an extremely emotional reaction to something hurtful that happened to me. I’m not embarrassed that I cried and screamed, and I’m really not embarrassed that I screwed my superhot boyfriend on his grandmother’s couch.
Heath is definitely not embarrassed. He’d simply opened the door after we’d made sure everything was cleaned up and started working again. He was cool, calm, and collected and showed no signs he was freaked out about his grandmother having overheard us having sex.
I’d spent the whole afternoon working with Ria on Emma’s voice. She sounds a bit like Lydia now. It’s a no-nonsense voice that’s also somehow warm and inviting.
And I realize I thought the word boyfriend and it feels right to me. I’ve been avoiding it, trying to float along living in the now because the future feels like a scary thing to contemplate, but I hate the idea of a future without him, so I’m going with it.
“She sounds great.” Ria grins as she runs Emma through a set of basic protocols. “Emma, what should I look for in a man?”
The monitor blinks and then Emma’s voice comes over the speakers. “Compatibility with your basic morals and values is important, but personality traits are important, too. And check to see if he has an arrest record. You can’t be too careful, sweetie.”
I can’t help but snort because that sounds so like Lydia.
“Should she do the pet name thing?” Ye Joon frowns at us from the doorway. “Shouldn’t she be more professional?”
“Every user experience will be different,” I explain. “This one is matched to what Ria values in a mentor. She prefers a more personal experience. Like Emma’s her grandma giving her advice. Here. I set one up for you, too. Emma, what should Ye Joon look for in a partner?”
Emma’s voice goes a little flatter, far more professional and artificial sounding. “Someone who can survive his mother.”
Ye Joon barks out a laugh. “You programmed her to say that.”
I shrug because I had. “You complain about your mom a lot.”
He nods. “I do, but I love her. Although I do worry about whoever I eventually bring home.”
Emma decides she’s not finished. “You should find a nice doctor and then you will have brought a doctor into the family.”
“Wow.” Ye Joon looks down at the monitor. “She’s really been listening in on us. That’s crazy. Also, Emma, I don’t know that would work. My mom would just point to my partner and ask why I couldn’t be more like her. Mom’s coming around a little. My sister can’t fix her computer or her Internet, so I’m absolutely good for something.”