Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
I’m breathing hard when I climb into the car, my pulse pitter-pattering to a rock tune, when Tyler and I have kind of become one of those slow country songs. He settles in the car beside me and when I struggle with the seatbelt, he reaches over and helps me with it. Our hands collide and it’s just insane how my nipples pucker and my body tingles from that small connection.
He starts the car, and I’m obsessed with his hands all over again. I’m in so much trouble with Tyler. I still think I’ll end up hurt, but I don’t know that I have any power to change that now. I think I’m all-in now. There’s no turning back.
The ride is short and when we exit the car and arrive at my door, we’re a ball of combustible heat. So much so, that it’s at the last minute when I have a realization. I turn to him, hand on his chest. “I have a puppy and a nanny. I can get rid of her quickly.”
His hands frame my waist and he says, “I’m not going to come in.”
“What? I don’t understand.”
“I want to stay. You have no idea how much I want to stay, but you were right. I made us a business transaction and I want to start over. Considering you keep saying I’m making you a whore and that this is all sex, I figure the best way to do that is to show you it’s not. To show you I still want you and us when we remove that from the equation.”
“That’s not necessary,” I say quickly. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t need that. And I don’t want you to leave.”
“I’ll call you before bed. And next time I can meet the puppy. I’ve actually never had a dog.”
“Never?”
“Never. My mom thinks they’re dirty. She always said no. Then I was off at college, and so busy after graduation, I just never got one.” His lips curve. “A pet nanny is a lot weirder when it’s a guy hiring that person.”
I laugh. “Maybe yes. Maybe not.” I grab the lapel of his jacket. “Don’t go.” I feel those words to my core. “We talked tonight. That’s what I needed. That’s what we needed.”
He presses his forehead to mine. “I’m so damn into you, Bella.” He kisses me hard and fast and then walks away. I can’t even believe this is happening. I want to run after him. I’m embarrassed by how much I want to run after him. And I actually kind of want to cry again, for no reason. I’m falling apart. The good news is the puppy is a sweet wonderful girl who has me laughing in minutes, but I can still smell Tyler’s scent on my skin and it’s driving me crazy.
About fifteen minutes later, Livi leaves and the puppy falls asleep on me.
I sit on my bed and try to process what just happened.
My cellphone rings and I snatch it up, a little too eager to talk to Tyler, only to find my father’s number. “Hey, Dad,” I greet. “I guess you saw me on caller ID earlier?”
“I did. I was on the track. This is going to be my year, I can feel it.”
“It’s always your year,” I tease, which really isn’t even a joke. It really is always his year. He knows how to drive and win. “I miss you,” I say, and my voice cracks.
“Whoa. What was that? Talk to me,” he orders.
I pant out a breath and drop back on the mattress. “Remember when you said one day there would be a man?”
“Aw, shit. Who is he?”
I swallow hard and force the admission. “I did this really stupid thing. I got involved with my boss. It was kind of a thing that was always between us, but we didn’t act on it. I say a ‘thing’ because I really don’t know what this is.”
“But you acted on it,” he states and it’s not a question.
“It just…it happened. I can’t go back.”
“That’s a complication to manage, sweetheart, but it’s not impossible to navigate.”
I frown. “You’re supposed to tell me it’s wrong.”
“I’m supposed to tell you my honest opinion, which I can’t fully offer because you haven’t told me everything. Keep going.”
I spew out everything—the contract, the promise he’s protecting me, the list, the payouts. How deeply emotional I am over Tyler. When I’m done, he whistles. “That’s some deep shit you’re wading in.”
“Tell me about it,” I murmur.
“The ways of the heart are complicated, and being emotionally involved isn’t a bad thing. You seem to have a problem getting to that point.”
“I do not.”
“Yes, you do. Name one man that got you right here, where you are emotionally with Tyler, before Tyler.”
“It wasn’t the right guy.”
“Then that makes Tyler the right guy?”