Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 99381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Swallowing the last bite of the cookie, I wipe my hands and then follow the little bundle of chaos. She’s arranging the table with her sweets as I walk around it, so I’m directly in front of her.
I’ve missed the pink on her cheeks when she’s flustered, and I can tell she certainly wasn’t prepared to see me today. It’s obvious by the way she tries to ignore me. Again.
Fuck. I’ve missed her.
“Chaos?” She shakes her head and fixes her attention on the cookies that really don’t have to be rearranged. “Do you plan to ignore me forever?”
“Forever sounds pleasant. Even when we’re in hell,” she says with an insincere smile, still staring at the table.
“There’s my girl.” I’m proud of her for being unable to hold her vicious viper tongue.
Her hand pauses at my use of my girl.
“Is there something you needed?” She finally meets my gaze, and I can’t fight the smirk that slowly grows on my lips. She has icing above her lip, and the only thing I can think about is how I want to lick it off.
“Little tornado!” Hawke bounces into the room and throws an arm over her shoulders. Ivy enters directly behind him, and the girls look at one another, confused.
“I thought you were in Ibiza,” Billie says.
“I was. I had this feral animal pick me up from the airport because I decided to come back a day early.” She points at Hawke.
“Is it all sweet?” Hawke asks, sounding judgmental.
Billie hooks a thumb over her shoulder. “There’s more in the kitchen.” Her tone is nicer for him than it is for me.
Hawke smiles wide, like he just won the lottery, and makes for the kitchen.
“I need a drink. An hour in the car with that asshole will drive anyone insane,” Ivy says, giving Billie a hug. She then nods to me. “I still have no idea how the two of you can be related. Like chalk and cheese.”
“Not by choice,” I reply, and she laughs as she follows Hawke. Billie seems even more pissed now that I’ve made Ivy laugh.
I move so I’m standing next to her again, and she turns to face me. She doesn’t pull back as my thumb rubs above her top lip, wiping away the icing. I’m past the point of caring who sees us. I don’t give a flying fuck anymore. I’ll take whatever I can from her.
I need her.
“You’ve been avoiding me.” I lean in, my mouth moving closer to hers. Touching the side of her face, I lick the top of her lip as she takes a sharp inhale. Hawke calls out my name, and I pull back. “All gone.” I smile at her stunned expression.
I can tell the moment her shields start to lower. She’s letting me in slowly, and I’ve been working on them for the better part of a month. “Do you want me to stop touching you?” I ask.
Please, God, do not say no.
She says nothing.
“Billie.” Her eyes find mine. “I really miss touching you.” I put my hand on her hip, and her eyelids flutter like she’s in a trance. I slide it up her side, admiring the smooth feel of her dress and everything I know is beneath it. But it’s not just her body. It’s her.
And I’m so starved that I’ll eat any crumbs she’ll give me.
If I were a better man, I’d actually let her go.
But I’m not.
“Ford!” my brother yells. I drop my hand, knowing I’ll do something I might regret if I don’t step away. Not that I’d ever regret touching or kissing her, but I would if she didn’t want it.
And the idea of her not wanting me kills me. Even though I assumed it was bound to happen.
It’s kept me up at night, but even I need to learn when to cut off my own air supply. Right?
But I’m a glutton for punishment.
CHAPTER 37
Billie
Isomehow got stuck here for dinner… and, of course, dessert, which I baked. I’m pretty sure most know that, but for Eli’s sake, we’re pretending it was Jewel.
Ford is sitting across from me because I purposely took the seat beside Hawke instead, not trusting myself to sit so close to him. Everyone’s discussing random bits about their week, but mostly, Ivy is monopolizing the conversation about her recent sexual conquests that Jewel seems invested in. Which only makes Eli jealous. Hawke then starts comparing his recent conquests, and it turns into this overtly sexual conversation about positions that then leads to the blood play my cousin and his wife favor. Eli doesn’t seem at all okay with her discussing their sex life, but he doesn’t stop her, a very male pride oozing off him.
The conversation then somehow turns to guns, and Jewel can’t stop talking about her favorites.
Someone asks Ford a question. He hasn’t spoken the entire time. His head is bent, and he’s playing on his phone, which is a usual thing. It’s not until recently that I concluded it’s one of the things he does to occupy himself.