Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Not only that, but if Corbin worried about his body so much, how would that translate to being with me? Would he be able to handle it? Would it embarrass him?
But again, I didn’t want to stop this.
“I’m interested,” I admitted. “I don’t know how much or where it would go, but I’m interested.”
“There’s your answer, then.” Morgan shrugged. “You’re literally the most confident, put-together person I know. Whatever you’re afraid of, don’t be. You’ll conquer it like you do everything else in your life.”
I barked out a laugh. “I don’t know about that.”
But what I did know was that I wasn’t going to let Corbin avoid me. Even if he wasn’t interested in me in the way I thought I was with him, I still wanted to be his friend. Being there for Corbin gave me something I didn’t know I needed, and I wasn’t ready to walk away from that yet.
“I do,” Morgan said. “I don’t think you’ve run from a thing in your life. I respect the hell out of you for that.”
There was something in Morgan’s voice, a truth he’d never shared, and maybe a sadness too. He felt like he’d run from something. “Morgan…I really wish you could talk to me.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. You’re worried for no reason. We’re just different people. Not everyone is as comfortable sharing things.”
He was right, but I didn’t ever want him to think I didn’t care. “Please tell me that if you ever need to talk, you’ll come to me.”
“That I can do. Now let’s eat. I can’t believe you’re going to be dating Corbin Erickson from The Vers.”
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Because the truth was, Corbin might want to fuck me and might like cuddling with me, but that didn’t mean he would want anything else. He cared what people thought, and people were shitty. They would have a whole lot of things to say about someone with a body like mine.
* * *
My self-proclaimed CB was avoiding me.
He hadn’t stayed at my house in three nights. When I went to his apartment, he wasn’t home. We didn’t run into each other in the hallway or the elevator, which led me to believe he was keeping strange hours so he wouldn’t run into me.
And he’d been posting on social media a lot. Frequently from the gym.
More than once I’d thought about texting him, but I hadn’t. First I told myself I didn’t want to push and that Corbin was done with the cuddle-buddy thing, but then, why was I standing outside Driftwood? He’d posted a reel from there, and like the stalker I’d turned into, I’d come straight down. Maybe I should be second-guessing myself because one of Corbin’s best friends owned this bar. He had people in his life and didn’t need me, but something about the look in Corbin’s eyes, the missing spark in them despite the smile he kept on his face, had all the instincts I’d never had before him shooting into overdrive.
The bar was fairly busy for a weeknight. I hadn’t been here before, so I didn’t know if that was normal. There was security inside, more than you’d usually see in a bar this size, but then, the owner was dating Sebastian Cole, so that might’ve been the reason.
The counter was to the left after coming in the front door, so I went that direction first. As soon as I got close, I spotted Corbin. He was sitting toward the end of the bar, turned to the side and talking to a man who looked like he’d stepped out of a queer Instagram page for working out. The body language made it obvious they were flirting, which gave me pause. What had I been thinking, storming down here like…what, like Corbin needed me? Like I could give him something a million other men couldn’t? But then, maybe I could because I knew my intentions were real. I gave a shit about Corbin and wanted what was best for him. Maybe this guy did too, but there was a chance he didn’t.
“Holy shit. You’re the CB!” a voice came from my right, and I looked over to see Marcus’s boyfriend, Kai.
“Such a ridiculous name.” I shook my head.
“Such a Corbin name,” he replied. “I’m glad you’re here. Can you go talk to our boy, please? I’ve decided I like you.”
I chuckled. “Thanks, but he looks busy.”
“So? I would never let that stop me, and something tells me you wouldn’t either. Plus, Corbin has been weird the last couple of days and hanging out with us more again, which makes me think he’s going through some stuff and hasn’t been with you. We love him and want what’s best for him, so please don’t fuck with him, otherwise my boyfriend will kill you.”