Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82265 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
I lose track of time. Not that it matters. I have nowhere to be. The night sky is growing darker, and my girl is in my arms. When she pulls back and rests her head on my chest, I tighten my hold on her as we stare up at the stars.
“How does this work?”
“What do you mean?”
“Us? How do we do this?”
“We just are, baby.”
“I mean, are we telling people? Are we together? What do I call you? My mind is going a thousand miles an hour,” she confesses.
“We’ve got all the time in the world to talk this out. I’m not going anywhere. First question. Yes, I want to tell people. I don’t want to hide you. I don’t want to hide what you mean to me a minute longer. I’ve been fighting this for months, and I want the world to know that you are the owner of my heart.”
She kisses my cheek before resting her head back on my shoulder. Fuck, I love this woman.
“Question two. We are together. You are mine, and I am yours. That means no secrets, no other women or men. Just us. I’m committed to you for a lifetime, Alyssa. This is it for me. You are it for me.”
“Am I dreaming?” she asks. “I’ve wanted to have this conversation with you for so long. After our kiss at the rental house at the beginning of the summer, I knew I was in love with you. I knew that you were who I wanted for a lifetime, but I also didn’t know for sure how you felt, and I was afraid to lose you. I’d rather love you in silence than lose you from my life.”
“So much wasted time,” I whisper. “I felt the same. I was scared out of my mind that I’d tell you, and you’d tell me to get fucked.”
“Never.”
“Last weekend, when we were camping, I heard Ryder talking about Jordyn, and he said some things that resonated with me. He reminded me that you were here. I could hold you, see you, hear your laugh. I decided then that I was taking the risk as soon as I got you alone. This week was crazy, and then there was book club today. I should have just come over after work one night and told you. Hell, I should have said something weeks ago.”
“I was going to tell you the night you got called to go be with Ryder after Jordyn left.”
“Damn,” I mutter.
“From now on, we will talk about it. Doesn’t matter what it is or how we think the other one will take it. We have to talk it out. We lost so much time.”
“I promise. You’d have thought I’d have learned from watching Brooks with Palmer.” I chuckle.
“It’s different when you’re living it and your heart is invested,” she says.
“My heart is definitely invested.”
“Mine too.”
“Question three,” I say, not forgetting her list. “You call me your boyfriend for now. Eventually, I’ll be promoted to fiancé and husband. Or you just call me yours.” She sits up on my lap, and the light of the moon gives her skin an iridescent glow.
“You’re mine.”
“You’re mine,” I parrot.
“Sterling?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“Does that mean you’ll make love to me?” She bites down on her bottom lip as if she’s worried I’ll say no.
My body ignites, and my cock thickens. “Every fucking day, baby.” I stand and toss her over my shoulder. She giggles and smacks at my ass. I step into the house and turn carefully not to whack her head against the door and make sure I lock it back before carrying her down the hall to her room. I toss her on the bed, and she bounces. Her laughter fills the room and my chest. Her happiness is my happiness.
Reaching for the waistband of my jeans, I don’t take my eyes off her as I unbutton them. I hook my fingers into my boxer briefs and remove both in one quick succession, kicking them to the side.
Her eyes widen when they land on my cock. “You can’t do that,” I say, fisting myself. I stroke base to tip a few times, trying to maintain my composure. It’s a wasted effort. Alyssa climbs to her knees and moves to the edge of the bed. Big brown eyes peer up at me under long lashes, and I know what she’s about to do. She leans in and places her hand over mine before her pink tongue peeks out, and she tastes me. Just the tip, but it’s enough to have my legs quivering.
The next thing I know, she’s moving my hand, replacing it with her own. I spread my legs, bracing myself for what’s about to happen. She gives me no warning. No timid tastes or passes before she takes me all the way to the back of her throat. My hands tangle in her hair, but I don’t push her. I let her set the pace. I just need to be touching her. She gags on her third pass, and I step back.