Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
I was happy to see everyone. Feel the love in their hugs and the proclamations of the fact that they’d missed me. Their desire to hear all about the movie. The general excitement that some of it would be filmed here. When I was finally alone in my room, Sammy and I sat and talked for hours. I heard all about Luke, their tumultuous relationship, and his grand gesture.
“You’re moving to the ranch, Sammy?” I asked. “Marrying Luke?”
“Yes.” She laid her hand on her heart. “I love that grumpy man so much, Mila. I feel as if part of me is missing with him not here.”
I nodded in understanding, and she tilted her head. “You have the same look on your face, baby sister. What’s happened?”
I told her everything, not holding anything back. She listened as the evening waned and the shadows stole the light, darkness descending around us. We had moved to the kitchen, where all our big talks happened, and an empty bottle of wine sat between us, along with the remnants of a frozen pizza we’d heated up.
“You love him?” she asked.
“Yes. I do. I know it. I feel it so deeply. He’s—” I paused, unable to come up with the right words “—he’s inside me, Sammy. Everywhere.”
“But LA?”
I shook my head. “I know there are obstacles. I don’t even know if he loves me back, but I think he does.”
“And the bipolar situation? That is a lot to take on, Mila,” Sammy said with a frown.
“Yes, but if you love someone, you accept them for what they are. Who they are. Mom and Dad always taught us that. They loved Reed even with his stutter. They loved me even though I pushed them away. You fight for the people you love.”
She smiled and grasped my hand. “You have the biggest heart, Mila. I just don’t want to see you hurt. Or get involved in something you can’t handle.”
“I have researched it. Thoroughly. Nick is high-functioning. He hates hiding what he is. I think if he had better management and someone in his corner, he would do even better.”
“His agent sounds like a walking nightmare.”
“She is something.”
Sammy pulled her leg up to her chest and looked at me as she rested her chin on her knee. “Dad is going to go crazy. Both his girls fall in love with men who are going to take them away from the nest. He is already upset about Luke, even if he does like him.”
“I don’t know what my future holds,” I admitted. “I only hope it holds Nick.”
I smiled, thinking of our conversation. Of all the texts and calls from Nick that happened daily. They helped the days not be so lonely. I told my mom about my relationship with Nick, at least the PG version. She laughed over the gofer parts and smiled at the toned-down account of the swimming pool meetups. She was concerned about the distance, my inexperience, and Nick’s reputation. She became more so when I told her the truth.
“That is something you need to consider hard,” she advised.
“I have. I am. Nick and I have discussed it a lot.”
“Are you certain about this?” she asked. “Your feelings are that strong?” She paused. “They aren’t simply some sort of fantasy come to life?”
I shook my head. “The real man is better than any fantasy.” I leaned forward, earnest. “He researched my condition as much as I did his. He wanted to know all about it. What he could do.” I grabbed her hand. “Mom, when he’s around, I’m calmer. Stronger. Twice, I was in situations I am sure I would have had an attack over, but I didn’t.”
“I don’t want you hurt.”
“He is worth the risk.”
“Your dad—”
“I need to know you’re on my side. I want him to meet Nick and judge him on the person he is, not his disorder. That is such a small part of him. His heart is what matters.”
“I’ve never known you to feel this way about someone,” she mused.
“I never have.”
“I’ll meet him and make up my mind.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Nick stirred and opened his eyes. He met my gaze with one of his wide smiles. He kissed my temple, then my cheeks, dragging his mouth across my skin to my lips. “I’ve missed waking up with you.”
“You only slept a short time.”
“Really? I feel wide awake.” He pulled me tight to his chest. “Whatever will we do all alone in an empty house and in the dark?” He cupped my ass, grinding into me. “How will you help me get back to sleep, Shortcake?”
“You wanna play cards?” I asked. “Go Fish or something?”
He began to laugh, rolling over so I was under him. “I’ll happily drop my line in, Mila. See what I can catch.”
“I hope your rod is strong,” I murmured, opening my legs so he could settle between them. He shifted, the head of his cock slipping in, teasing me.