Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“I love you,” I said feeling the words warm me.
Getting to say those words out loud felt like my life had just opened up to a whole new world. The joy that came with speaking three simple words was powerful.
“I know,” he said with a crooked grin. “You might not have said the words in nine years, but those pretty blue eyes don’t lie. They never have. The moment you started looking at me with the sparkle in them again, I was done. I should have given in then.”
I bit my bottom lip, scared to believe this was real and elated that it was actually happening.
“Sarah?” I asked.
He chuckled. “She’s been trying to convince me to love you for a couple of weeks. She’s a very dedicated advocate. If you’re ever feeling bad about yourself, go let her pump you up. I think she would consider you a saint if we were Catholic.”
A giggle burst out of me, and he leaned down and kissed my lips.
“That’s what I like to hear. No, I fucking love to hear you laugh. To know you’re happy. That you’re mine.”
Lifting my arms, I wrapped them around his neck and went on my tiptoes. “This time, it’s forever,” I told him.
He picked me up and laid me back on the bed before climbing over me. “Yeah, it is. I won’t ever lose you again. I swear to you.”
A knock on the door had us both freezing just as Wilder was sliding inside of me. My eyes went wide as he rolled off me, and I scrambled to grab my towel and hurry to the bathroom to hide. Wilder tugged on a pair of sweats then made sure I was hidden before he opened the door.
“Hey, Dad,” Sarah said.
“Hey, sweetheart. Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. It’s fine. I was just in bed, thinking that I should come tell y’all that Oaky can stay in your bed until she’s ready to get up in the morning. It’s silly for her to sneak back to the guest bedroom every morning.”
Silence.
I covered my mouth to muffle my gasp. How long had Sarah known I had been sleeping in here?
“Uh,” Wilder said.
“So, anyway, good night,” she told him. “GOOD NIGHT, OAKY!” she called out.
I stood there, frozen, until the door clicked shut.
Stepping out of the bathroom, wide-eyed, I stared at Wilder.
His shoulders began to shake, and I realized he was laughing. Hard.
I pressed my lips together, then let out a laugh I couldn’t hold back.
“Oops,” I said.
“Yeah, oops,” he agreed. “She’s too fucking smart.”
“You are her father, the computer genius.”
He smiled at me then, and my heart soared. He was really mine.
Finally.