Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Jesus fucking Christ, I just couldn’t stop thinking about him.
What was the question, again?
“Ugh.” I scrubbed at my face and shook my head quickly. “I need a Kingsley lobotomy.” I blew out a breath and summed things up as simply as I could. “What’s nonsexual is up to you and your partner, Franklin. Kingsley and I did a lot of demos together, and as long as we weren’t getting off or someone wasn’t balls deep in a mouth or ass, it was nonsexual. You get desensitized after a few years in that environment. You’ll see people screwing all over the place, and it won’t faze you one bit. I imagine it’s just like a male gynecologist who sees vaginas every day.” I shrugged and folded my arms over my chest. “I guess it’s a matter of what attracts us, too. Kingsley and I are both very mind-oriented. A hot piece of ass is a hot piece of ass, but the brain is what gets us going.”
I was running out of steam again. I wanted to go home—my actual home—and take a long nap in Lee’s arms. That’s what I wanted. Instead, I was gonna walk over to Colt, Lucas, and Kit’s house, where their basement awaited me. Not to mention countless moving boxes I hadn’t bothered to unpack yet.
It was a nice studio apartment, decorated much like an upscale hotel suite; it just wasn’t home. I missed our mismatched rugs under my feet, the music when we cooked dinner, and even how spotty the Wi-Fi was in the bedroom. And God, I missed his notes. Our notes, I should say. He’d left me random love notes in the bathroom and on my instruments. I’d left him sweet replies on the fridge, next to the coffeemaker, and on the TV remote.
“You’re not feeling well, Tate,” Franklin murmured.
I chuckled, even as tears quickly welled up in my eyes and I shook my head. “No, I’m not. I’m sorry I’m being a horrible friend. We haven’t talked about your situation at all.”
“Don’t be silly. I’m the one who’s too curious about your lifestyle for my own good,” he argued. “If anyone should apologize, it’s me. My mind is so focused on selfish pleasures right now—I can’t even begin to understand your pain, because I’m fleeing from something entirely different. The last thing I want is a relationship. So I’m sorry if I come across as thoughtless.”
He hadn’t once come across that way.
“Of course you’re focused on selfish pleasures,” I replied. “You want what you’ve missed out on for so long. You have nothing to apologize for.”
“That’s debatable, but neither do you.” He patted my leg for a quick second. “I think you should get some rest, dear.”
Dear.
“Yeah, maybe.” I cleared my throat and rubbed my eyes. “You mentioned you’re moving next weekend.”
He inclined his head. “I found a condo just a few blocks away from the house. Lily will ultimately live with me more than with Samantha, but it has to be a slow adjustment.”
That made sense. “How is Lily taking it?”
He sighed and refolded his napkin, presumably to have something to do. “I believe she understands what’s going to happen, but she’s quite unresponsive about it.”
I wasn’t surprised. That little sweetheart despised change. I had several students like her, and it was because of them I had gotten into a minor war with the school headmaster last semester. I understood that a school that was easy on the eyes could justify raising tuition, but you simply didn’t go from white walls to yellow when you were surrounded by autistic children. Thankfully, I’d had the support of other teachers as well as some parents, so that project had been altered. The walls had been repainted—in the same color.
We’d still had some students who’d struggled to adjust to the smell of fresh paint the first few weeks.
Most people didn’t think about insignificant things like that.
“Let me know if you want any help around school,” I told him. “I can get Tiana involved too.” She was Lily’s counselor, and they had a wonderful bond.
“I’ve been thinking about that.” He nodded. “It’s probably best you’re prepared in case she has questions.”
No doubt. “I’ll talk to Tiana tomorrow.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Tate Ridley
“Tate?”
I turned around and spotted Kit on the stoop.
“Oh wow. I wasn’t sure it was you at first.” He trailed over with an overnight bag. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in…that.”
What, sweats and a hoodie? Yeah, well.
I pulled down the hood and offered to grab the bag from him.
“It’s fine—I got it.” He grunted and dropped the bag behind their big truck. “We’re gonna have fun this weekend! It’s my goal.” He gave a firm nod, then eyed me carefully. “Colt and Lucas have ordered me to keep an eye on you, just so you know. We’re worried.”