Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
I laughed. “Thanks for reminding me.”
“I’m just saying that changing your mind at twenty-one is perfectly normal. And if you don’t want to be a lawyer, Harley, then you shouldn’t go to law school.”
If I didn’t want to be a lawyer…then I shouldn’t go to law school.
It was that simple.
And somehow forever difficult.
“But I still feel like law is the best way for me to be able to make a difference,” I told him, pushing off of the railing and continuing forward.
“How so?”
“Well, I want to…help women and minorities and LGBTQ with workplace problems. I want equality and inclusion and resources that aren’t there yet. I want to be part of the solution for a problem that feels as if it is growing ever more divisive.”
“That’s ambitious.”
I shot him a grin. “Have you met me?”
“Well, I believe you can do it.”
“Yeah?”
“Changing the world starts with one person.”
My smile was radiant then. “Thanks. Yeah.”
“Though I think you can do it with or without a law degree. You just have to decide if that’s what you want.”
I nodded. “Yeah. I guess.”
“Enough work talk,” he said. “I haven’t seen you since you left. What have you been doing since you got back?”
I finished off my cone, wiping my hands clean and tossing the napkins into a nearby trash can. My arms swung at my sides as we walked together. Then, halfway through my story about how I’d started to take up ice skating lessons again, his hand moved into mine.
My head whipped up in surprise at the contact. Then, he threaded our fingers together. Just a couple walking through the market on a sunny day, hand in hand. My entire body felt like it was on fire. What was happening? He was holding my hand? Was this actually a date?
Yes, he was here to see his old Yale roommate. But he was here to see me, too, right?
I could just enjoy this. And not overcomplicate things.
It was the first time we’d ever been in a place where neither of our families was around. No Wrights to catch us together. No Sinclairs in sight. No one to question why we were here like this. No one who knew that our families hated each other. No complications at all.
Except the ones that we’d never been able to avoid.
Because what would happen when we went home?
It didn’t change everything when we returned. And somehow, I couldn’t care. I could only remember the way he’d licked ice cream off of his thumb, desire in his eyes while they were on mine.
But we were out of time. He had to take me home. He was here to see his friend. I didn’t know what I was going to do if I didn’t take this opportunity.
We were in the parking garage before I plucked up the courage to ask, “What is this?”
He stopped. “What do you mean?”
“You’re holding my hand.”
“Should I not?”
I shook my head. “I just…what are we doing? I threw myself at you at Halloween, and you turned me down. You don’t even want me. I just…”
But whatever had come out of my mouth was wrong. So wrong.
I watched his eyes flash with fury at the suggestion. Then, he was backing me up. I took a step back and then another, my heart hammering in my chest.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” he snarled. “The fuck I don’t.”
My back was against the wall of the garage. The darkness enveloping around us, tucking us safely away from any onlookers.
“Oh,” I whispered.
“I think you must not remember what happened on Halloween,” he said, his hands sliding over my hips to my waist and then up my sides. “I could barely fucking contain myself around you. I only stopped because you were not sober enough to consent.”
“I…I…yes.”
His hands pushed up into my hair. My body went limp as he took command of me. “I’ve wanted you so fucking bad every single fucking day since.”
“Please,” I begged.
There was no restraint left. No room for thought. Just his lips crushing against mine. His tongue in my mouth. His hands pushing my dress up to my hips.
I fumbled with his belt, ripping it open to get to him. Then, his cock was in my hand. He groaned into my mouth. All the buildup from restraining ourselves all this time came forcefully to a head.
“Need to be inside of you,” he said.
“God, yes.”
Then, he lifted me by my thighs. I wrapped my legs around his waist and held on to his shoulders. He angled our bodies together and then thrust home.
My head fell backward against the hard concrete as a cry escaped my lips. Fucking hell. This was what I’d been missing. What I’d wanted for so fucking long. It didn’t matter how much time had passed since I’d been with him; I’d never forget the wild weekend we’d shared two years ago.