Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 60309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
I’m not arguing with him this time, and I quickly shed my pants and boxer-briefs before climbing into the steaming shower. It’ll help more than the wet wipes. Quickly, I lather a washcloth with soap and shower off whatever invisible dust has latched itself to me.
Mostly, I stand underneath the water with my eyes open, trying to flush out the allergens.
With the curtain half-open, I see Farrow move, and I’m worried he’s about to leave.
“Don’t go,” I call out, wiping water out of my face. “Please.”
He leans against the sink. “You said it was about Fizzle.”
Up in the attic, the meeting—I’d been texting Farrow about it. So while I’m in the shower, I take a few minutes to explain the situation. My grandfather’s will. The need for a successor. I glance back at Farrow with burning eyes. “I could take it. I’m the most qualified. I have the most corporate experience.”
He combs a hand through his ash-brown hair and studies my expression. “You didn’t take it?”
“I didn’t,” I confirm. “I don’t want to be CEO of Fizzle. I think about a lot—”
“We know.” His softer smile makes mine come out.
“Yeah, well, I never thought about that. Fizzle. Me at the helm. It’s not what I’ve ever wanted, Farrow.” But I have thought about being a CEO of more than the philanthropy I created. “Hale Co. is supposed to be my legacy.”
I’ve wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps—despite him wanting me to reroute. At some point, he could still pass it down. But that’s not an option if I choose Fizzle.
Farrow looks me over like he’s proud of me. He even says it, “I’m proud of you, wolf scout.”
Like I did the right thing.
It barrels into me and sears my eyes. I douse them back in the stream of water. “I just hope Charlie will look out for them.”
“For who?”
I explain who’s in contention for the CEO position: Charlie, Eliot, Luna, Xander, and likely Ben, too.
“Damn.”
“Luna might do better than she thinks.”
He agrees, and I shut off the water, then hop out of the shower. He hands me a towel, and I wait for him to check me out—but he’s keeping his eyes level with mine. I have no idea why that’s turning me on more.
Farrow lifts his brows. “Your kiss me, fuck me eyes are cute, but they’re also bloodshot as hell.” He’s still in doctor-mode. He reaches for the eye drops on the counter.
“They’re actually saying fuck you.”
“Sure.”
I bite my bottom lip in thought and stare at his lips. Alright, I am thinking about sex, but with a newborn and an almost-two-year-old now, we usually don’t waste opportunities when we’re alone, even if it’s a quickie.
I towel off my wet hair.
“Feeling better?” he asks, his gaze roaming me like he’s collecting information to put in my medical file.
“Yeah,” I say honestly, tying the towel around my waist, and I think about holding out my hand for the eyedrops. Instead, I let out a deep sigh and say, “Can you just do it?”
His smile is so damn aggravating that I almost walk away.
Almost—because my resolve decays as soon as his hand splays across my jaw and he tilts my head back. My heart hammers hard in my chest.
He’s my husband.
This shouldn’t be such a turn-on.
“Breathe, wolf scout.”
“I’m breathing, thanks for the unnecessary instruction.”
His smile grows obnoxiously wide now. “Okay.”
Okay.
Okay. God, why am I repeating the way he says it in my head? I like the sound of his voice. My thoughts are hostile right now. I groan out, but he’s focused in on holding the eye drops above my face.
One. Two. In each eye. I blink rapidly as the liquid hits my eyeball.
“Good?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I breathe, and our eyes latch again. His hand slides against my jaw, until he’s cupping the back of my skull. I already grip his neck before we’re colliding into a slow-burning kiss.
SEVENTEEN
THE MIDNIGHT DIP DARE
DECEMBER 2040
AFTER CHAPTER 23 IN NOBODY LIKE US
We listened to "Loud Like Love" by Placebo while writing this scene.
Character List:
Connor Cobalt - 51
Rose Calloway - 51
Loren Hale - 50
Lily Calloway - 49
Daisy Calloway - 44
Eliot Cobalt - 21
Tom Cobalt - 21
Audrey Cobalt - 15
ROSE CALLOWAY
I CANNOT BELIEVE I slept through the back door's camera notification. Those digital windchimes can go to hell. What’s the point of keeping my phone on at night, if it can’t even break my sleep cycle?
It’s plaguing me during my morning routine in the cramped lake house bathroom. We’re not in the main suite this holiday. Daisy and I agreed to let Loren and Lily have the largest accommodations. To which Loren said, “Wow, thanks for the pity offer. I’m touched.”
“This is purely for my sister,” I snapped back, “who’s still in physical therapy and on crutches. So don’t worry, I have no pity for you.”