Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“Jesus Christ,” I growled, unable to keep my own bellow from rolling out.
I did bury my face into her throat, though, so at least it was somewhat muffled.
Long spurts of my release filled the condom in quick succession, and I had this irrational anger that hit me all of a sudden that it was at the tip of the latex and not bathing her insides.
By the time I’d reined myself in on those intrusive thoughts, she was smoothing her hand through my hair and whispering nonsensical things into my ear.
“…think I should buy a cat. I’m going to have to move into Addison’s place and get it sorted out, and I don’t want to be there alone,” she mused. “How do you feel about tacos for dinner? I saw that really cool looking food truck parked at that gas station on the way here. Do you think they’ll be open by the time we go back by there?”
I chuckled, feeling a lightness out of her that I hadn’t felt until now.
Pulling back, I focused on her gaze and said, “I really like you, Ande Carter.”
Her head twisted, just like that cat she was just talking about. “Why does that sound like it’s a bad thing?”
I pulled out of her, albeit reluctantly, and placed her on the ground before saying, “Because now I think it’s time to explain a few things about my life…and that makes me want to run away.”
She walked over to the toilet and pulled off a few sheets of toilet paper before wiping herself clean. Then turned to me and said, “I’ll wait as long as you want for your secrets, Keene. As long as you know that I’ll be here forever when you tell them to me.”
“Why does that sound like a threat?” I teased.
“Because I’m really liking you, too, Keene.” she said. “And this is the longest relationship I’ve ever had. Plus, you live here, and my brothers will smother us. I’d always hoped to find someone who was out of state. Where my family couldn’t put him through the ringer.”
I grinned. “I can handle your family.”
She shrugged. “You think you can.”
We left the bathroom after that, and the nerves were back.
Luckily, when we got to our stuff, it was still there. But there were definitely a few stares from the waiting room.
Neither Ande nor I paid them any mind.
I liked that she wasn’t embarrassed. I liked even more that she was trusting me to take care of her by clinging to my arm and ducking her head into my throat.
I squeezed her tight, then let her go.
“Go to Starbucks over there,” I ordered, indicating the store down the hall next to the gift shop. “Find some cake balls. Hang out in there. I’ll wait here to keep an eye on the board and wait for them to let us know she’s done.”
She blew out a breath, then tried to fix her unfixable hair.
There was no way she’d be able to fix the hair, because even if she did manage to get it under some semblance of control, she still had a beard burn on her neck. Her lips were puffy. Color rose high on her cheeks. And she was walking funny.
Everyone would know regardless of what her hair looked like.
“Okay.”
• • •
Three hours later, we were driving out of the hospital, her mom still clearly high on pain meds, when Garnett said, “Why does it look like you had sex at the hospital?”
There was a long moment of silence and then Ande said, “You know I don’t like hospitals, Mother! I needed a distraction.”
Sweet Mary mother of God.
I hoped that neither one of them continued this conversation after we reached the Carter household.
Sadly, it was more than apparent I wasn’t that lucky because the first thing her mother said as I helped her through the door was, “Your daughter had sex at the hospital in the waiting room bathroom!”
God. Dammit.
CHAPTER 18
Inner beauty doesn’t get you free drinks.
-Keene to Simi
ANDE
“Are you sure?”
“Am I sure that I want to go see you in tight leggings, with suspenders and shirtless, while doing circus acts?” I asked with a roll of my eyes. “Of course I’m sure.”
He rolled over quickly.
One second, I was on my side of his bed, and the next I was on top of him on his.
I curled both of my arms around his neck, then leaned my forehead against his.
“I don’t wear leggings,” he grumbled. “They’re just really tight black jeans.”
“Whatever they are,” I said, “I want to see you in them. What are you practicing today? What act?”
“I don’t usually do any acts,” he admitted as he shifted so that we were lying side by side. His cock was definitely more awake than we were, though neither one of us made a move to address it. “All I do is link one act to another. Keep the audience entertained while equipment is moved in and out, the performers get out and new ones get in. Etcetera.”