Total pages in book: 189
Estimated words: 181808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 909(@200wpm)___ 727(@250wpm)___ 606(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 909(@200wpm)___ 727(@250wpm)___ 606(@300wpm)
“What’s wrong?”
“Did you forget to lock the front door?”
She thought about using “pregnancy brain” as a convenient excuse, but it would be a lie.
“I knew you were coming.”
“I don’t care if you knew I was two minutes away. You lock the fucking door,” he snapped.
Her shoulders tensed at the tone he used with her until she read the worry evident in his eyes.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ll be more careful.”
Moon looked as if she had just taken the wind out of his sails. “You are?”
Larissa nodded. “Yes.”
“Why aren’t you arguing with me?”
She shrugged. “Because you’re right.” Looking down at her feet, she started wiggling her toes again. “And … I heard about Pace.” She looked up through her lashes to catch his reaction.
Moon sighed loudly. “I was going to tell you.”
“You’ve had several opportunities, so why haven’t you?”
“To be honest …” He sat down and picked up the towel beside her, placing it on his lap, then lifted her foot closest to him and rested it on the towel. He used the ends of towel to gently dry her foot before he started massaging her sole. “I wasn’t ready to discuss it. Maybe in a couple of days.”
Resting back on the arm of the couch, she luxuriated in being cared for, as if her comfort really mattered to him. She didn’t want to spoil the moment by pressuring Moon before he was clearly ready. She decided to wait and give him more time to process losing his friend to suicide.
Being a midwife, she had witnessed fathers doing little things for the mothers many times. Propping them up on pillows, rubbing their backs, foot massages, getting them the food they’re craving …
Regarding him as his fingers moved to rub the side of her foot, she decided to go for it. Nothing was ever gained unless you did it yourself … or asked someone else to do it for you.
“Um … you hungry?” she ventured slowly.
“You?” Moon’s fingers went to her toes.
Larissa nearly lost track of what she was about to say. Lord … oh my … his fingers were magical. She had to swallow hard before answering.
“Starved. I would offer you something, but I was too tired to make it to the grocery store. I planned to get take-out on the way home.”
Sliding his hand down her foot, Moon cupped the heel in the palm of his hand then started rubbing the back, near her ankle.
Every drop of blood turned into molten silver at the speed of light.
“Why didn’t you?”
“Huh?”
“Why didn’t you stop and get take-out?”
“I wanted hamburgers.”
Moon’s eye narrowed on her. “I’ll call and order a couple of burgers from King’s.”
“Those aren’t the hamburgers I was craving.” Pouting, she tried to keep a straight face.
“Is there something wrong with your lip?”
She sucked her bottom lip back in. “Papercut,” she mumbled.
“That’s painful,” he commiserated.
She gave him sad eyes and took another shot. “Not as much as wanting the hamburgers from Marty’s.”
Moon ran his hand up the back of her calf to knead the taut muscles. How she kept her eyes from rolling back into her head, she’d never know.
“No.”
“Please …”
“I’m not dealing with that asshole.”
“He’s not that bad.”
Moon arched a brow at her. “Then why didn’t you stop and pick them up?”
“My feet hurt too badly.”
“Yeah, right,” he snorted. “How about I run to the grocery store and buy some hamburgers and buns—”
She started crying. “Because I don’t have his grill for you to cook them on. The pickles won’t taste the same, either. He marinates them in something and won’t tell anyone in what.”
Moon seemed bewildered at her behavior.
Larissa was at the point she didn’t care she was coming across as a loon. She wanted those freaking hamburgers.
“Have I asked you to do one thing for me since I’ve been pregnant?”
His hand on her calf stopped moving. “No …”
“The least you could do is get me those damn burgers!” she shouted at him. “I would go get them for you if you wanted them!” She wouldn’t, but he didn’t need to know that. “It’s your fault I’m pregnant, anyway!”
“How is it my fault? You snuck into my room.” Moon stared at her disbelievingly.
Larissa cried even harder when he raised his voice at her. “You’re the one who doesn’t know how to use a condom! Not me! Next time, buy a better quality! Did you buy the cheapest, thinnest ones you could?” she berated his choices.
From his expression, she could tell she had hit it on the nail.
“I didn’t buy the condoms. Wizard buys them in bulk, and I—”
“Who is Wizard?” Larissa looked at Moon wildly.
“The president of The Last Riders in the Ohio branch—”
She grabbed one of the throw pillows within reach and started pounding him with it. “I’m pregnant because you used a condom bought in bulk!” she screeched at him. “Who does that?”