Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Emotion pressed down. A thousand pounds on my chest.
The man was conflict.
Sweet and good.
Rough and fierce.
A beautiful beast with that broken halo tipped to the side.
I wanted to reach out and straighten it.
Promise he was decent and right.
True, I hardly knew him. It didn’t matter. I could still see.
Could feel.
It was something Bobby had always said I possessed—the ability to barely brush into someone’s atmosphere and know the state of their heart.
Whether it was ugly or honest.
Corrupt or kind.
“What are you going to do?” Caution filled my quieted words.
Hope shimmered around his big body. “I’ve hired a new lawyer, and I’m petitioning the court for full custody. Didn’t want it to come to that, had hoped that we could come to some sort of resolution, but…”
He inhaled heavily before he slowly blew out, the gentleness that was this man at odds with the ferocity that radiated from his flesh. “My in-laws won’t budge. They keep claiming I’m unfit. A threat to my children’s well-being. It doesn’t help they are loaded. They basically pay for things to go down the way they want. But if they want to fight me, then I’m going to fight back hard.”
“What can I do to help? I could be a witness. Tell them what a really awesome roommate you are. I mean, who wouldn’t want someone like me vouching for them?” I joked.
But I meant it.
“I’ll do anything you need, Milo.”
“How is it you’re so good, Little Dove?”
“I am pretty great, right?” My smile was soggy, hoping he understood. That I truly wanted the best for him.
“I mean it. Anything you need,” I reiterated as my hand tightened around his.
He shifted it to thread his fingers through mine. We both just kind of…stared at where we were joined.
Contemplating what it meant.
Friendship, Tessa. It meant friendship.
But I couldn’t deny the way my guts were tangled in a coil of excitement, sitting there with him like this.
I had to blame it on my own loneliness.
Sure, I had friends. Eden was my world. The best friend I could ask for.
But there was always something missing. With each loss I’d suffered, the void inside me had been carved deeper.
Karl had done nothing to fill it.
He’d only amplified it.
Filled it with chains and shame and this gross feeling that had seeded itself so deep in my being I’d thought I’d never be able to uproot it.
With Milo?
My throat thickened, and I tried to swallow around the rising of something fascinating.
Enchanting.
Lovely and formidable.
And I was suddenly struck with an idea. A freaking crazy, wild, reckless idea.
Milo frowned, catching up to the shift in my mood. “What is it?”
Anticipation had me stroking my tongue across my lips. “I have an idea.”
“What’s that?”
“We pretend to be engaged.”
Shocked, he started to yank his hand away, but I held on tighter. “You said it yourself that your in-laws have painted you in a bad light. Let’s repaint it. Show them that you’ve moved on with your life. That you’re healthy and happy and in love. Building something new. Let’s show them that you deserve to have your kids back.”
“Tessa.” My name fell from his lips like a reprimand. Like I’d jumped off the deep end.
I wasn’t swayed. “Think about it, Milo. Why do you think they haven’t given you custody? Because you’re some dude who lives by himself, right?”
He flinched like I’d hit him, and I gathered up his hand tighter. “I’m not being flippant about this, Milo. Think about it. What would your attorney say if they were told you were engaged? Be honest.”
He shifted his gaze away, looking to the wall. He might have wanted to reject my idea, but I could tell the way his chest heaved that there was some validity to it.
“What would your attorney say?” I pressed again.
“She’d probably be thrilled to hear it.”
“See,” I drew out, holding too tightly to his hand, excited by the prospect.
“This is a terrible idea, Tessa.” His voice was a deep rumble.
“All the good ones are.” I grinned.
A soft chuckle tumbled off his lips, and he raked a hand through his hair, eyeing me carefully. “Are you serious about this?”
“I meant it when I said I’d do anything to help you, and I’m pretty sure this is the best thing I could do. We’re friends. We’re supposed to help each other.”
“I don’t think I can ask that of you.”
“You aren’t asking anything of me, Milo. I’m offering it.”
Disbelieving amusement flitted through his strong features. “You’re insane, you know that?”
“Completely. That’s why you love me.” I said it light, but emotion wobbled through the air.
“Do you think we could pull it off?” I rushed, trying to ignore the way my insides quaked with how close he was.
The smile that kicked at the edge of his mouth was sad. “It couldn’t be all that hard imagining getting to love you.”