Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 82868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Hey. I missed you,” I say.
He chuckles. “I missed you too.”
“The office has been quiet without you.” He backs into the hallway and I wriggle down. “I brought ingredients.” I head back outside and grab the bag I brought.
“Of course you did.”
I’ve got so much to tell him—the scholarship applications, the fact that Paris is by far my favorite option. I also need to give him details of how he needs to surrender the lease. And I want to hear about Mrs. Fletcher. But I know if my hands are free, I’m not going to be able to keep them to myself. So I’m going to cook.
He bends to kiss me and I know it’s meant to be a small peck on the lips, but I can’t help pulling him closer and sliding my tongue to meet his. Something unleashes in him and he backs me up, pressing me up against the wall.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you,” he breaths against my neck between delicious kisses.
I can feel my body disintegrating under his touch, and when he slides his hand up my skirt and between my thighs, letting out a groan of relief and lust, I remember that we’re in a public hallway.
“Hey,” I say, pushing a little at his shoulder. “Should we go up to your flat?” I say as he undoes the buttons of my shirt. “Someone could walk by.”
“Who?”
I pull the sides of my shirt back together and try to ignore his hand pressing against my clit through my underwear.
“People from flats A and B, and who knows, D and—”
“Oh, no,” he says, straightening and taking my hand. We turn to the left and straight through the door. “I combined the flats and haven’t gotten round to swapping out the buzzer. The C buzzer is the only one that still works.”
We enter into a gorgeous kitchen/living room, which is all exposed brickwork, stainless steel countertops, industrial exposed electrics, and brown aged leather. It’s like something out of a magazine.
“You combined the flats?” I don’t know much about the London property market, or about doctors’ salaries, but I know this flat wasn’t paid for by his hospital wages. “Did you sell a kidney or something?”
“Just fucked around with Bitcoin back in the day.”
“You fucked around with Bitcoin. That’s not code for anything, is it? I don’t keep up with the kids. Is Bitcoin an older woman who liked to treat her boys to houses when she’s done with them?”
He laughs and heads to the fridge. I plonk my bag on the counter and unpack what I’ve brought with me.
“My brother Dax and I got really into trading Bitcoin a few years back. And we got out at the right time. I bought this house. It’s between him and God what he’s done with his money.”
“Your brother’s name is Dax? There’s too much I’m learning about you today.”
He sets a glass of wine on the counter next to me. “Dax is one of the four. They each have their own names.”
“You’re hilarious.” I press a palm against his abdomen and he shrugs as if to say, obviously I’m hilarious, it’s effortless.
He takes my hand and kisses my wrist. “There’s a lot of getting to know you we still have to do. But it’s just filling in the gaps. I know your heart.”
No one has ever said anything as kind…romantic…sweet.
“You do?” I ask. I’m not fishing for compliments; I’m just wondering if he’s as perceptive as he thinks he is. My heart is open to him, but it’s still tender from years of misuse.
He nods. “I know you’re hardworking and kind and loyal and…” He narrows his eyes. “An excellent kisser.”
He steps up to me, as close as he can get, and cups my face, smoothing his thumbs over my cheeks before sliding his lips over mine. “It’s good to have you here.”
My body sags against his, relaxing at his touch, his words, the way he seems to like me and isn’t afraid to say it. I’m not sure if it’s because Shane and I got together so young, but I’m not used to feeling like the man touching me can’t not touch me. I know everything with Zach is fresh and new and exciting, but it’s difficult to remember examples of how Shane showed me his love. Looking back, it’s not clear to me if Shane even liked me, let alone loved me.
There’s no doubt about Zach’s affection, despite the tiny bombs of doubt about the future that intermittently detonate in my brain. Each time the dust clears, he’s still there, looking at me like I’m the best thing he’s ever seen, touching me like I’m to be cherished.
Kissing me like he wants to ruin me.
I end our kiss. “I need to cook, or we’re going to go hungry.”
“We could get sweaty instead,” he growls.