Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“Yeah? I’m sure your mom is excited about her pizza oven.”
“She really is. She’s wanted one for a long time. Her birthday is in a few weeks. We all pitched in for the materials. Well, everyone except for Archer because he’s doing the majority of the work, and the rest of us are helping when we can. We’re all going to be at my parents’ this weekend to hopefully finish it up.”
“That’s nice of you.”
“Blake is pumped. She can’t wait for Papaw to make her pizza outside.” He laughs.
“She’s adorable.”
“You’re adorable,” he says, kissing the top of my head.
I turn to look at him, and he kisses me softly. “Lie with me?”
I nod and stand from his lap. I expect him to take us to his room, but he surprises me when he stretches out on the couch and pats the spot in front of him. I lie down facing him, and he wraps his strong arms around me.
“Better,” he says softly.
Lifting my arms, I run my hands through his shaggy hair. I love the way it feels between my fingers. He pulls me closer, which I didn’t think was possible, and burrows into me, letting me have better access.
“You’re going to make me fall asleep.”
I don’t say a word. I just keep running my fingers through his dark locks. Part of me wants to ask about all those orgasms he promised me, but there is another part, a bigger part of me, that craves this even more. It’s intimate, and yet we’re both fully clothed. It’s a moment I never thought I’d have with him, so of course, I’m going to take it.
Brooks lifts his head, and his big blue eyes bore into mine. I don’t blink, meeting his gaze. “I wish I knew what you were thinking.” I wish I could read his mind.
“I’m thinking I want to kiss you.”
“Then kiss me.”
That’s all the push he needs before he leans in and gently caresses my lips with his. His hand slides up the back of my shirt, and to my surprise, he just rests it there. His thumb makes small circles, but he makes no move to take things further.
I still have one hand buried in his hair, while the other arm is wrapped around his neck, holding onto him as if my life depends on it. He takes his time kissing me. His tongue lazily slides against mine as if he has all the time in the world. His hard length presses against my belly, but he doesn’t seem to mind, and to be honest, neither do I.
I don’t know how much time has passed, but my lips are swollen, and my heart, well, it’s in dangerous territory. I never expected a night like this with him, and it’s damn hard to keep my emotions out of the moment.
He eventually pulls away and guides my head to his chest. I hold onto him, soaking up every moment that I get to be here with him in his arms. We don’t speak, but then again, the moment doesn’t need words. My heart is galloping in my chest, and from the sound of it, his is too. Does he feel this? Is he having a hard time keeping feelings out of our arrangement too?
Eventually, his breathing evens out. I peek up at him and realize he’s asleep. He worked hard today helping his brother, and he still wanted to spend his night with me when we both know he could have very easily come home and crashed.
My eyes find the clock on the wall, and it’s just before eleven. I need to be at the studio in the morning at eight. I should leave, but I can’t seem to make myself stand. I tell myself I’ll stay until eleven thirty. Then I’ll force myself to go home and sleep in my own bed.
Alone.
I spend the next thirty-plus minutes watching him sleep. His jaw is covered in a couple of days of stubble, and even that makes him sexier. It’s just Brooks, the man. He’s the whole package, and no matter how hard I’ve tried, I know that when this ends, I’m going to be crushed. I’m going to have to find a way to move on and not let our friends and family know that my heart is shattered into a million pieces that only one man can put back together. I knew this would happen, but I jumped in feet first anyway.
I’ll deal with the fallout when it gets here. All too soon, the clock hits the eleven thirty mark, and it’s time for me to head home. Carefully, I try to detangle myself from him, but his eyes pop open.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m heading home.”
“No.” He holds me tighter. “Stay over.”
“I need to be at the studio early. I really should go. Thank you for having dinner with me and for the cuddles.”