Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
A fizzy feeling bubbled up in me, almost a laugh. “You’ve been the brightest spot in my life in a very, very long time,” I said. “We have a lot to learn. But I want to learn all of it. I feel like we’ve still only seen the tip of the iceberg.”
His eyes sparkled. “I want to make a joke about ‘just the tip’ so badly, but I’m not going to.”
I finally laughed out loud, because being around Jamie had that effect on me. He could bring humor to the most emotional moments, in a way I’d only dreamed about in the past.
“See?” I told him, reaching out to hold him by his arms. “That is your magic. Making me laugh when I’m two seconds away from crying like a fucking baby.”
“Well, that makes me feel better, because I cried like a baby earlier today,” he said, exhaling. “Shit’s been less than great for me, since I got back. Landry, I’m so sorry I called off meeting up with you—”
“Forget about it,” I said. “You were doing what felt right.”
He clicked his tongue. “You’re the only thing that’s felt right to me in a long time,” he said, his voice getting a little hoarse.
I pulled him in closer, erasing what little distance we still had between us. I tucked him up against my body, running my fingers through his hair and nuzzling against his head, breathing deep.
He lifted his head a moment later and looked up at me, and the look in his eyes was a question that I desperately needed answered.
He crushed his lips to mine, and there it was.
My answer. Everything I’d been pinning all of my hope on, spinning around in my mind like a tornado for the entire drive down here—and really, since the moment I’d met Jamie.
He kissed me like he wasn’t afraid, and I knew right then that even with the odds stacked against us that we were going to try.
His tongue slid out against mine, a warm rush of heat, and I clutched at the small of his waist, needing him so much closer to me.
Jamie groaned as he broke off, pressing kisses to my jaw and the side of my neck.
“You want to know something?” he asked in between kisses.
“I always do.”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “I knew that I should call you, and that the ball was in my court, and all of that,” he told me, pausing to press a kiss to my collarbone. “But somewhere in the interim, I figured you must have already forgotten about me. I pictured you all busy with work, living your lavish life, visiting old hookups…”
I puffed out a bitter laugh, squeezing Jamie’s hip. “And I pictured you, remembering me as a big mountain of nothing but baggage,” I told him.
“So, keeping score,” Jamie said, leaning up to look at me, “we’re both sad, we’re both crazy, and we both have too much baggage. Maybe we can be all of that together.”
I shook my head slowly. “I don’t think I could ever be sad when I’m with you,” I murmured. “Crazy, sure, because I am completely fucking crazy for you, if you want the truth.”
I loved his smile. I loved it so, so much.
“Thank you, Landry.”
I breathed deep. “Why would I give a single fuck about my past when I could have such a beautiful future with you?”
It was a big ask, especially this early on.
A future with you.
These were usually things people talked about after months, maybe even years, of knowing each other. But at this point, I didn’t think I cared. I wanted to know what a future with Jamie would look like, no matter how long it was.
“I hope you don’t regret saying that,” Jamie said, looking at me, his eyes half-lidded with desire. “Because if I’m going to let you in on my life, I’m going to let you all in.”
“Do you have a gerbil collection, or something?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow.
His dimpled smile appeared again, like a gift. “No gerbil collection. Just bad roommates, some debt, and a dash of workaholic tendencies.”
I reached a hand up, tracing his jawline with my thumb. “Good,” I said, my voice low. “Because even if you had a gerbil collection, it wouldn’t be anywhere near stopping me from wanting to go down this road with you. But that other stuff? Doesn’t bother me one bit.”
“If you say so.”
“There’s one thing I need from you,” I told him. “Show me your real self, Jamie. Your real world. Don’t hide things away because you think I’d judge you or hate you or look down on you. I never will. It isn’t going to make me run away. If anything, it’ll just make me fall even harder for you.”
He looked at me with a glint of mischief in his eyes.