Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“It’s probably different when you’re my age,” he suggests.
“I think you should be extra careful when you’re in high school, yes. Because there should be some kind of feelings involved, even if it’s simply desire and respect. When I was your age, I was not ready to be sexually active. I didn’t know how to properly treat a woman with dignity and respect. I was kind of a chump.”
“No way.”
“I don’t like to admit it, but yeah. I was. Girls are more than tits and pretty hair. Much more. And as you get older and start having relationships, you’ll realize that.”
“I already know that,” he says softly. “I think Grams was just trying to convince me to stay away from sex because she doesn’t want me to fuck up and give her another baby to have to look after.”
“Maybe,” I agree with a slow nod. “And, honestly, I can’t blame her. Your mother—”
“Don’t call her that.” His voice is like a whip.
“Okay, Tammy was a handful. And from what your grandma has told me, it was really rough on her when Tammy was a teenager. So, I understand that Betty has tried to almost scare you away from being physical with girls. Do you have anyone that you’re interested in?”
“Not really.” He jerks that shoulder again. “I mean, there are some nice girls, but mostly I just want to do good in school so I can go to college and have a decent life. I refuse to be like Tammy.”
“I don’t see anything at all wrong with that,” I reply. “You have so much time to think about women and sex and all the things that go with it. I think focusing on your goals is an admirable thing to do. Have you started looking at colleges yet?”
“I’ll probably just go to a community college,” he says. “Or a trade school. I don’t have a lot of money.”
“Well, keep busting your ass like this, and you may just get scholarships. There’s nothing wrong with trade school or community college, though. You’ll figure it out, and I have no doubt that you’ll be awesome at whatever you decide to do.”
“Thanks,” he mutters. “I mean, I think it’s cool if you keep seeing Stella. Not that you need my permission.”
“So noted.”
Just then, the doorbell rings, and before I can get out of my chair, Willie hops up and hurries over. He flings it open and immediately reaches to take the bags out of Stella’s hands.
He’s a good kid. A gentleman. Yeah, he’s going to be just fine.
“Oh, thanks. That orange juice was getting heavy.” Stella breathes out a breath of relief and takes off her jacket, slipping out of her shoes. “Did you guys get a bunch of work done?”
“We were kind of talking,” Willie admits. “You got real bacon. Not turkey bacon.”
“Who in the world eats turkey bacon?” she demands, propping her hands on her hips and staring at Willie in shock.
“My grandma,” he replies with a shrug. “She doesn’t like pork.”
“Well, I prefer the real thing,” Stella says with a wink. “Now, get back to work so I can dig in over here. I’m starving.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Willie says and returns to his seat next to me at the table. He flashes a grin at me and then gets busy reading his physics book. “I like her,” he whispers.
“Me, too,” I whisper back. “Keep working on that. I’ll be right back.”
I walk into the kitchen and smile at the gorgeous woman currently tucking a clean kitchen towel into her pockets, effectively creating a makeshift apron.
“You’re handy,” I comment and feel the smile she gives me in my solar plexus. “Got everything you need?”
“And then some,” she confirms. “I got chocolate chips for the pancakes.”
“Sounds delicious.” My gaze falls to her lips, and when she tugs the bottom one between her teeth, everything in me tightens.
“I saw my dad,” she says, and the sexy little haze I had going dissipates.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“My dad,” she says again. “I ran into him—literally—at the market. He was out buying croissants for my mom because he knows how much she loves them. He’s sweet like that. I told you, they live in the next building.”
“That’s right.”
Stella makes herself at home in my kitchen, digging through cupboards and drawers to find the tools she needs. “He asked what I was doing on this side of town so early in the morning, and I told him I was visiting a friend. Which isn’t a lie.”
“No, it’s not.” I lean in closer and speak softly in her ear. “You okay, doll?”
“Actually, yeah,” she says with a nod. “It was good.”
“Good.” I kiss her temple and then turn away. “Now, I have to teach Willie all about physics.”
“Whatever, I usually end up teaching him,” Willie replies.
“Then why do you bother coming over here?” I demand. “I’m not the one who needs an A in the class.”