Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“I’m not sweet,” jumps out of my mouth, which is the most ridiculous thing in the world. There’s nothing wrong with being sweet.
“He calls you puppy.” My face heats. “And you’re blushing! You’re so cute!”
“Am I interrupting something?” Perry says from the hallway, and I jump back as if I’d been doing something wrong.
“No.” I look at the wall, the floor, anywhere but at him. Had he heard Ty say he thinks Perry likes me? Is he going to tell me Ty doesn’t know what he’s talking about?
Perry frowns as he comes over, looking back and forth between us like he’s not sure what’s going on.
“I was just being a good big brother and asking about his intentions with you.”
Perry flicks Ty in the arm. “You’re a dumbass.”
“So I’ve been told.” Ty winks and walks out of the room, leaving us alone. When his bedroom door shuts, Perry holds my hips, thumbs brushing over me.
“Are you okay? About last night? If it was too fast and we need to slow down, we can. We—”
I quiet him with my mouth, like there are magnets in my lips and Perry’s are made of metal. When I open my mouth, he slips his tongue inside, and…everything is perfect.
I like Perry.
Really like him.
There’s no denying it.
And I really, really want him to like me too.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Perry
Theo and I see each other every day over the next week. I’ve never spent so much time with someone I’m hooking up with. My brain keeps trying to tell me all sorts of things that I promptly ignore and try to bury because life is much easier that way.
Healthy? Of course not, but who cares about being healthy? Denial is the way to go. Denial is my constant companion. If I don’t let myself acknowledge I like Theo in ways I never have anyone else, then it’s not true. Because if it is true, that means Theo has the ability to hurt me, and I don’t know how to let that slide.
It’s Thursday, and he’s at school, while I sit at the desk in my room, working on my app. It’s been finicky, but I think I’m figuring it out. It makes my head pound, but my chest swells with pride. My brain has always been inclined toward things like this, and while I hate knowing where this talent originates from, it also makes me feel like I can fly.
Kinda like Theo.
Stop that.
See? I’ve been thinking about him at the most random times lately. I literally spent time researching studying tips and shit like that. It’s wild and annoying, but…I want him to do well, want him to succeed because I know how important school is to him. We’ve been trading blowjobs for studying hours all week, which is going well for both of us. Things stick in his head better when I read them to him. The words seem to make more sense like that, and of course the sex is a bonus. A few times I’ve brushed his hole with my finger, and I think my little puppy is curious about ass play. He’s usually blowing his load with my finger drawing circles on his pucker.
My cell rings on the table beside me. Glancing that way, I feel my gut clench when I see Montgomery on the screen. I don’t know why I have his number, why I’ve even kept it or why I haven’t blocked it. He tried to call me in the beginning. All it took was a few times telling him I’m not interested for him to get the message. Now, he only tries to talk to me through Ty, which in my mind is all for show. If he really cared, would he have given up so easily?
“What do you want?” I ask into the cell, silently berating myself for answering. He doesn’t deserve for me to give him the time of day, not when he’s never really wanted me. Pretending he does now doesn’t count.
“Perry. Hello, son.”
My insides turn to ice and begin cracking and breaking. How many times had I wished to hear that from a father figure when I was young?
“Don’t call me that,” I snap.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I just… I’ve been speaking to my therapist and—”
“Oh, so that’s what this is about? Am I some exercise you were assigned? Talk to me so you can forgive yourself for the past or some shit? No thank you.” My chest is tight, and a quiet voice in my head that I’ve spent years trying to ignore, one that I wish wasn’t there, whispers, Why didn’t you want me?
“No, that’s not it at all! I talk to him a lot about you, about my regrets. I was wrong—not being in your life. That’s something I can never change, but I’m not going to stop trying to be a part of your future. You’re my son, and I love you. I know I haven’t done much of anything in your life for you to believe me, but—”