Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 134212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
“Here.” He pushes himself up and retrieves my book from the floor, sitting back on the couch. Helping me to turn, I settle my head on his lap. He flicks the pages until he finds the one he wants, and then slides his hand up my oversized shirt until it’s resting on my tummy. “‘Be with me always – take any form – drive me mad,’ ” he reads, and I smile. Always this part. “‘Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God. It’s unutterable! I cannot live without my life. I cannot live without my soul.’” He sighs deeply.
“I love it when you read to me.” Billy doesn’t like reading. Unless it’s sports related. He doesn’t particularly like English Literature, and he definitely doesn’t like Heathcliff. He wasn’t all that into vintage stuff, either, until he met me.
Lowering the book, he gives me a half-smile as he strokes my tummy softly. “Every time I read it, I kinda hope the story has somehow changed and Heathcliff has miraculously grown some balls.”
I smile like a crazy woman. “Me too.”
“You’re such a romantic.”
I give him an incredulous look that he totally ignores, smiling as he leans down and brings our mouths together again. I may be a romantic, but I have nothing on my man. “Why’d you have to go?” I whine.
“Because I’m marrying you tomorrow morning and it’s bad luck to see your bride on the morning of your wedding.”
“Do you believe all that nonsense?”
My lip is bitten and dragged lightly through his teeth before he gets us both up off the couch. Squeezing my cheeks in his palms, he lays his lips on my forehead. “I don’t know, but if it is true, I don’t want any bad luck interfering with our heaven.”
I sigh, taking his wrists and holding them as he spends some time breathing me into him, my eyes closed, my skin warm under his mouth.
Our moment is interrupted when we hear knocking at the front door. Actually, it’s not knocking. It’s banging. I try my hardest not to shrink so much that Billy notices, but I fear I’ve lost my battle when he looks at me with a knowing smirk. He recognizes that bang too. “My mum.” He indicates for me to hop on.
“No, your back was aching yesterday.”
“It wasn’t. Shut up and get on.”
I scowl and get raised, expectant eyebrows in return. I saw the discomfort on his face last night. He’s lying. Yet I know when I’m going to win, and this isn’t one of those times. I get up and gingerly climb onto his back, and he starts pacing to the door. “Please don’t leave me alone with your mother,” I beg, making him laugh loudly. “I’ll do anything.” It’s safe to say that I love every inch of Billy . . . except his mother.
“It’s just for a few hours so she feels part of the celebrations.”
“She’ll feel part of it tomorrow when we’re actually getting married.” Tonight was all about wine and chatter with Penny and Helen. Since Billy is staying at Penny’s place with her husband, Gareth, and Helen’s husband, Lewis, it made sense for the girls to stay here with me. “She doesn’t think I can look after you like she can,” I grumble moodily. I’ve long given up trying to prove my worth to my soon-to-be mother-in-law.
“My mother has never looked after me, Lo,” Billy reminds me, still laughing. “She can barely look after herself or Dad.”
My nose wrinkles in annoyance as Billy yanks the door open, but I just manage to wipe my disdain from my face in the nick of time before Linda’s eyes land on me. “Hi,” I chirp, clinging to Billy’s shoulder more tightly, nuzzling my face to his. I don’t think Linda dislikes me. I think she more dislikes the fact that Billy and I are so in love. So tactile. So into each other. Being rather cold and hard-hearted herself, she doesn’t understand why Billy and I feel the need to smother each other every waking second. And sleeping second, for that matter. I’ve never understood her. Not in the three years Billy and I have been together. You’d think a mother would be thrilled to see their only child so besotted and in love.
“Oh, put her down,” she immediately chastises, passing us at the door and disappearing into the kitchen. I can’t see her now, but I know she’ll be finding something to do in there, something that I have failed to do. Like take a teaspoon from the sink and put it in the dishwasher. Or fold the tea towel. Or wipe the worktop down. Anything to make a point, whatever that may be.
I remain exactly where I am on Billy’s back as he shuts the door and takes us to the kitchen to join his mother. “If she starts harping on about the seating plan again, I may cancel the wedding altogether.”