Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
I shrug. “Why didn’t you say anything? We texted so many times after you saw his tattoo. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know if he’d tell you. And I wanted you to tell me. I wanted you to trust me with it. I don’t expect that of him, but I expected it of you.”
I sag.
“No. I’m not mad at all.” She gives me a crestfallen smile. “How are you? When I heard about your attack, my heart broke hard. I couldn’t imagine who would do such a thing to my friend.”
“I’m good.” I rotate my face around. “See? You can’t even tell, other than that my nose is a little crooked, but it will stay that way.”
“It’s not crooked. Get in. Will’s dying to see you.”
I love her game. She’s not wrong. I was slightly disappointed when I saw it wasn’t Fitz, but this anticipation is incredibly rewarding—a massive adrenaline rush.
“I can’t get anything out of Fitz,” Maren confesses, pulling out of the parking lot. “He hasn’t made a single friendship bracelet with your name. He’s not checking his horoscope. And when I ask about his girlfriend, he says, ‘Who’s that?’”
I laugh. “Well, I’m not sure I’m his girlfriend. I’m not sure he’s the girlfriend type.”
“So it’s just friends with benefits? I don’t buy that. That look back there at the airport was the look of a woman getting ready to run into her lover’s arms. That was the look that said you were going to have at least one orgasm before making it back to the house.” She snickers, not even taking herself seriously.
“I can’t talk about this with you. It’s too weird. It’s like you’re his sister.” I cover my face and shake my head.
She rests her hand on my leg for a second. “Full disclosure?”
I nod, hands sliding down my face.
“When I spied Fitz’s tattoo, I couldn’t breathe. I stood right in front of him and put myself in your shoes. And, oh man, did my heart ache. Two of my favorite humans fell in love but weren’t together. And if you ever tell Fitz I called him one of my favorite humans, I will deny it.”
I grin.
“But it shook me. It shook me because I asked him if he slept with you, and he said yes. Then I asked if he loved you, and he didn’t hesitate. Not one damn second, not a tiny breath of hesitation. He said yes so resolutely it felt like a punch to my gut.”
My eyes burn with emotion. I can’t believe he said that to her. I need to see him. I need to see him now. It’s hard to sit still. Why doesn’t Maren drive faster? She can’t tell me how resolutely he loves me, and then drive five miles under the speed limit.
I’m dying!
My heart flips like an acrobat when Maren pulls into the driveway behind Will’s Bronco.
Will steps onto the porch first, with Fitz behind him, while Maren opens the back. I reach for my suitcase, shaking uncontrollably.
She glances over at me. “Oh my god,” she whispers, pressing her hand to her chest. “You’re so excited to see him that you’re shaking.”
I grip the suitcase. “I am not.”
Maren laughs. “I love this so much.”
“There’s our girl. All in one piece, just like we like her.” Will holds out his arms as soon as I turn.
I hug him. “Missed you so much.”
“Gah! I knew it. I knew it was me who you missed.”
Maren laughs.
Will releases me and turns. “Oh, this is Calvin. Our soon-to-be ex-roommate because he breaks the rules.”
Fitz eyes me with complete mischief, hands tucked into the front pockets of his charcoal cargo pants. “Jaymes,” he says, and his husky voice is so seductive. Or maybe I’m just needing him in a bad way. It’s only been five weeks, but that’s an eternity without Fitz.
I take several steps and throw myself into his arms.
“Oof!” He chuckles.
“Jesus, I thought you two would play it cool for a bit,” Will grumbles.
“How soon can you be inside me?” I murmur in Fitz’s ear.
He grabs my legs and lifts me off the ground, guiding them around his waist. “Later,” he says to Will and Maren, carrying me around the house to the backyard.
I kiss his neck, nibble his ear, and slide my cheek against his scruffy face. As soon as the shed door closes behind us, he kisses me with so much passion it makes me dizzy. Between kisses, our clothes scatter in a mess on the floor.
When I’m down to just my panties, I kiss his chest and unbutton his pants. “I’ve missed you . . . missed this,” I murmur over his abs.
Before I can slide his pants down his legs, he guides me back, crawling over my body, kissing me, and palming my breast. His hand then slides down my stomach, dipping into the front of my panties.