Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
“I’m going to try my hardest. I have a lot going on right now. It’ll be a lot, and Ryland has so much already on his plate. I’m scared to let go,” I admit to myself and to him.
“Ry’s shoulders are broad enough and can carry a lot. He can take on more than you think. Now, what I want to know is what kind of magic you possess to get my grandson to take a nap.” I look down at his mop of messy hair. His chest is moving up and down, and his hand is scrunched into my borrowed shirt. He’s not waking up anytime soon.
“I thought he always did this when he got home from school?” I ask. Russell shakes his head.
“Sutton, he hasn’t taken a nap in the middle of the day in I can’t tell you how long. That boy is go, go, go from the time he wakes up until he passes out at night. Now, you ready for a drink and your pain pills?” I’m amazed. He’s only been lying with me for less than twenty minutes, yet Case is conked out.
“I don’t want them. I know I need them, and they’ll help me sleep, and that will in turn help me heal, but they make me feel loopy, too loopy.” Apparently, I’ve been given truth serum somewhere along the way, freely giving everyone any information they ask.
“How about you take them today at least? Then see how you feel tomorrow. Then maybe switch to over-the-counter medicine instead,” Russell negotiates. He knows I saw my mom on so many pills toward the end, and it haunts me till this day. Mom needed them. She wasn’t addicted; she was in pain from the cancer ravaging her body. Still, it was hard to watch.
“I like that plan, thank you.” He nods and gets up from his place on the couch. I turn my head to face the television. Ryland flipped something on earlier, but it didn’t hold my attention, and it doesn’t now either. I close my eyes and fall asleep with the sweetest little boy in the whole wide world. The only person missing in this equation is his dad. That would make this feel complete.
FOURTEEN
RYLAND
“I need to tell you something.” We’re in bed together, her head on my chest, my arm beneath her neck, and she’s slowly tracing shapes along my upper body. It’s been a week since everything went down. The first night gave us a few learning curves. Mainly when Case wanted her to read his bedtime story and Sutton felt like she was overstepping and asked four times once we tucked our boy into bed if I minded doing his bedtime routine. After reassuring her a few times, pressing my lips against hers, taking my time to ease her into feeling me, I got my first taste of Sutton Rawlins. Her tongue slid along my lip, and that’s when holding back was no longer an option. She met me match for fucking match, chasing me each time I slightly pulled back, wanting to make sure she felt no pain. After a few seconds, my fingers sunk into the back of her head, holding her where I needed her most while dominating her mouth and body.
Another conversation came about; Sutton didn’t think it’d be smart for her to sleep in my bed. The worry in her tone of voice and on her face told me then I needed to know. She thought it’d be a good idea for her to sleep on the couch. No fucking way I’d have ever let that happen. Then she suggested making a pallet on the floor in the guest bedroom. I put that to rest real quick. Mom has been keeping after me to get the spare room outfitted. I never bothered, still haven’t, and it worked in my favor. Sutton relented after I laid everything out for her; the couch isn’t for her, and it definitely isn’t for me.
This is us. We aren’t hiding our relationship, not from the people in town, not from my family, and definitely not from Case.
“And what’s that?” I ask, looking down at her. This has been our deal every night we’re in bed together. We talk for a few minutes, and usually Sutton opens another facet I had no idea about. I’ll tell her a few things, mainly about the ranch, my worries with Case and his speech. We’ve talked about her going to school, how her dream is to be an elementary school teacher. She’s almost there. The only setback for her to graduate on time will be her recovery and whatever happens with Shane.
“The night you took me home from the diner, you know, when I had dessert with you and Case?” She lifts her head, gingerly moving until she’s propped on her elbow. She’s taken to wearing my tees to bed and only wears my oversized sweats when Case is around. The lamp illuminates her figure in the light gray threadbare fabric. I’m getting a bird’s eye view of her nipples. My mouth waters, wanting nothing more than to wrap my lips around them, taking my time working her up until her hips are rocking and she’s begging me to take things further.