Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
“Adam—”
I hadn’t planned this here and now. But the moment was right. I bent down on one knee, pulled the box out of my pocket, and slipped it into her palm, closing her fingers around the tiny leather case. “Come away with me, Ally. You can pick the time and place, and we’ll get married. Anywhere you want. On a beach in Greece with the sun setting behind us, at dawn in Scotland. A small chapel in England. Anything you want.”
Tears filled her expressive eyes, shining an intense blue as she looked between our hands and my eyes.
“Marry me. Start a new life with me. One with no rules or demands. Where the only thing expected of you is to be you. Because you are perfect the way you are.”
Standing, I opened her palm and lifted the lid on the small box. She gasped as she looked at the ring, the diamonds sparkling in the bright sun. “Accept this as a symbol of my love. Wear it, and show the world you’re mine.”
“I–I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes. Say yes to a life of love with me. Say yes to finally knowing you are enough. You’re everything to me. I want to travel with you and fill our heads with memories. Then we can come back here, or go wherever you want, and make a life for ourselves. Have a family and grow old together.”
“Your photography?”
“I’ll take Sean up on his offer and capture some other types of photos when I feel like it. You won’t have to work. You can travel with me if you want.” I stepped closer, cupping her face in my hands.
“You honestly want this?”
“More than anything.” I brushed her lips with mine. “Marry me, please.”
“Yes.”
I splayed my cards and snorted. Looking over at Elena, I cocked my eyebrow. “Nice, woman. Do you ever not cheat?”
She shook her head, feigning indignance. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, boy. I dealt the cards, fair and square. You watched me shuffle them.”
I shook my head. “Then you sent me to fetch you more ice for your scotch. Which in itself is a travesty, I might add, watering down this bloody amazing scotch. You switched decks while I was gone.” I flipped my fingers between us menacingly. “I’m onto you, old woman.”
She did this every time. Stacked the deck, added cards, sent me to fetch something from the kitchen—whatever it took for her to win. And I let her, since I knew she donated all the winnings. But I loved teasing her and watching her get all blustery and snotty at me. It amused me to no end.
Beside me, Ally snickered; I looked over at her and rolled my eyes. She was the worst poker player in the history of poker. Ever. She didn’t understand the game at all, only playing with us because Elena enjoyed it so much. But when she got an apparent good hand, her tells were so obvious it was hilarious. Her eyes would widen, she’d smirk and bite her lip, all while holding the cards up in front of her face as if no one would notice her expression. Often, she giggled as well, trying to cover up the sound with a little fake cough. Between Elena’s blatant cheating and Ally’s bad card-playing, the games were only pathetic excuses to sit around drinking scotch and talking smack.
I enjoyed every single moment of it, because I loved these women so damned much it was shocking.
I tossed four quarters into the pot and smirked at them both. “Let’s go, ladies.”
Ten minutes later, I was desperately trying not to laugh at the silliness of playing with the two of them. I threw down my cards in mock disgust.
“I fold.”
Ally crowed as she took the pile, flinging her cards on the table, showing her flush. Elena always let her win a few hands before she went in for the kill. The only time I won anything was when I shuffled the cards, but Elena always insisted her house, her rules, and she liked to deal. Her code word for cheat. Neither of us walked out of here with any of our money. We never would—and I was fine with that.
I grinned and sipped the scotch, rolling the deep, almost smoky flavor around on my tongue. I liked this one.
“Maybe you should start a new business,” Elena mused as she watched me shuffle the cards and deal them properly.
I arched my eyebrow. “A new business?”
She nodded as she arranged her hand, throwing two cards back. “Hit me.”
I chuckled and looked at Ally. She was frowning and moving her fingers across the cards, which meant she had nothing and was trying to figure out what to do. Sure enough, she laid her cards down.
“I fold.”
I shook my head. I could never get her to understand how to create a decent hand, and I had given up trying.