Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
I don’t agree, but still, I watch it with her as she cuddles into me. In my grandparents’ home, they have an oversized chair that Emery and I always gravitate toward. With my grandma’s hand-crocheted blanket over us and snacks in our laps, we have spent many nights like this. Just us two. It’s really late, but I’d choose Emery over sleep any day.
We’re at the part where Sparkles and Bella kiss, and my eyes wander over to Emery. She has this look of wonder on her face, a sneaky, romantic grin on her lips, and hearts in her eyes. Is it pathetic I’m jealous of Sparkles right now?
Probably.
I decide I want her attention. I’m not usually this bold with her, but I want her to look at me like that. Her hands are linked in her lap against her knees, and without thinking too hard, I move mine from my thigh to between hers. She stills beside me, her breathing picking up as I slide my hand into hers and thread our fingers. Emery looks up at me, her eyes that were so full of wonder for Sparkles now only on me. I’m practically gasping for breath at the sight of her. Her lips are parted, her eyes wide and dark, as a flush creeps up her neck toward her cheeks. When she licks her tongue along her lips, I track the movement, and I know I have to kiss her.
My heart slams into my chest, and I feel like the luckiest guy on earth. She watches as my eyes move from hers to her lips and back. Unable to control myself, I turn my body toward her, and her breath hitches. With my free hand, I cup her jaw, rubbing the swell of her cheek with my thumb.
“I want to kiss you,” I admit, my voice heavy and throaty.
“Turned on by sparkly vampires, I see?”
Any other time, I’d laugh, but I’m lost in her eyes. “Turned on by you.” Her pupils dilate as my thumb falls to her lips. “Can I?”
Emery’s lips quirk at the side. “You never have to ask, Quinn.”
Blood rushes to my head, but I don’t hesitate. I drop my mouth to hers and taste heaven for the first time in my life.
The hum of the Zamboni is comforting, and while it doesn’t ease my racing heart, it’s easier to focus on than the full fucking chaos in my head. I wish Emery were here. Not for any specific reason but to be near me. Maybe I should have gone home. Maybe my need for her nearness is greater than my guilt. Unable to stop myself, I dial her number.
“Hello?”
“Hey.”
“Hey,” she says, and I hear something in her voice that has my brows rising.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” she coos. “I just left Stella’s.”
“Did you see the pink monstrosity she claims is the bedroom she shares with her husband?”
She snorts. “Yes. It was a lot.” We share a laugh, and I let my head fall back, her giggles sending heat through my body. “She’s pregnant.”
My lips tip up. “Wow, that’s awesome. Congratulations, Auntie Em.”
“Thanks,” she gushes, and my heart skips a beat at the excitement in her voice. “I’m the last one without kids.”
I scoff at that. “No rush.”
“No?”
“No, not at all,” I tell her. “I have lived three lonely years without you. I want to get my fill of you, and then I’ll share you with some kids.”
Her laugh is soft, lyrical almost. “How many do you want?”
I love big families. We each come from one, and growing up, all my dad’s teammates were more family than friends. It was always loud and pure mayhem. I love kids too, and I’ve always wanted to be a dad. I want to be the kind of dad my dad is for me. “As many as you’ll give me.”
She giggles. “So, we’ll play it by ear.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“I love you,” she tells me, her heart in her voice.
I swallow past the lump forming in my throat and rub the middle of my chest. The guilt is overwhelming. “I’m sorry, Em.”
She pauses for a moment. “For?”
“For all this shit.” I lean forward onto my legs. “I feel like I’m cheating on you, and it’s slowly killing me.”
“Oh babe, no. I think you’re actually cheating on Ava. I’m the mistress,” she teases, but I shake my head, emotion burning my throat.
“Never. You’re my heart.”
“Quinn.” Just my name on her lips has me wanting to run from it all. Take her far away and have it be just us. “It’s okay. I should be the one apologizing to you.”
Before I can ask why, I hear steps behind me. I turn to see my dad coming down the aisle with his brows drawn. “Hey, my dad just showed up,” I tell her, my eyes meeting his. “I’ll see you later, yeah?”