Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 114284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 571(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
He flashed a quick scowl at the last words. “You think you know me.”
I did know him.
“Uh-huh.” I was just gonna move past that. “Anyway. Feelings got involved over the next couple months, despite what we wanted, but our limits didn’t change much. I’m not interested in a primary partner, and he was hung up on his ex-husband—or in his words, he was damaged goods from a married past. And he’d mentioned pretty early on that he was still technically married but hadn’t seen the man in two years…” Okay, time to stop the brain spin. I preferred to keep my stories short, and did that ever fucking work? Hell no. “His drama made me cling to my boundaries even more. I liked the guy a fuckload, but I wasn’t gonna risk being sucked in completely.” I raised my brow when I made the next point. “Around that time, he started saying he wanted me to join Mclean House.”
“House Mclean,” Corey said. “Go on.”
Whatever.
“Bottom line, I didn’t wanna throw fuel on that fire by telling you I was with him until Macklin and I spent Christmas together,” I said. “We were dating. We went out to dinner, acted more like boyfriends, and really cared for each other. So we discussed being official soon—with an emphasis on soon.” I shrugged, finally reaching the end of my rambling. “Then Florida happened, and you found out because Kit was there. Otherwise, I probably would’ve told you in the next couple of weeks.” Fuck—I wasn’t done after all. I did have one more reason. “Also,” I tacked on, “you’ve had a busy fall, Cor. I know you would’ve made time for me in a heartbeat if I’d asked, but I didn’t want you to. You were finally away from that scumbag you were with for two years, and you were settling in with three new partners—an hour and a half away from here. My telling you I had a boyfriend I was sort of, kind of dating semi-casually wasn’t at the top of my list.”
Frankly, I’d struggled more to make sure he’d met his deadlines at work. Because when something new happened in our lives, we forgot everything else. Including what paid our bills sometimes.
Corey popped the last of his chicken into his mouth and mulled over what I’d said. He didn’t look angry or anything, so I wasn’t worried. He wasn’t the type to get pissy over something like this anyway. He could bitch half seriously, but if something bothered him on a more genuine level, he got hurt and upset, not angry. And he was none of that now either.
I suspected I knew why too. Because he’d kept something from me as well.
“I’ve decided to give you a pass,” he told me thoughtfully.
I snorted a chuckle and lifted my brows. “Could that have anything to do with the fact that you never told me Ty joined your community?”
His innocent grin gave him away. “In my defense, I was gonna set you two up.”
How was that a defense?
“I’m not sure scheming is a strong defense,” I replied dryly.
“Let’s not dwell on the past,” he advised. “I clearly would’ve succeeded too, since you were all up in each other’s love business in Florida.”
Kit could really fucking talk, couldn’t he?
“Does this mean you’re poly now?” Corey wondered. “When is Ty coming back? Are you gonna move in with him? Will you and Macklin have your own fuck nest?”
Whoa, slow your roll.
“Ty and I aren’t a thing.” I furrowed my brow. “We hooked up in Florida. That’s all. And now that Macklin is back with Walker, our dynamic will change a little bit. We’re each other’s secondary, I guess you can say.”
We hooked up in Florida. That’s all.
Listen to my bullshit.
No need to mention that Ty invaded my dreams at night and made me wake up in a whole bondage setup of grief and longing.
“Hollup,” Corey said, the picture of confusion. “Kit said you and Ty couldn’t be separated.”
Kit said a lot of things, evidently.
I swallowed uncomfortably as a rush of emotions threatened to surface, and I couldn’t afford that. Ty and I had been temporary—period. I had to move on. I had to move on from the lies, the embarrassment, and the stupid feelings I’d developed.
The problem was, I didn’t want this to be another secret between Corey and me. I’d already told Macklin the truth, how Ty and I had met in the past, how I’d dated his daughter… Corey’s high-school best friend.
“Ty doesn’t remember me from high school,” I admitted. “He doesn’t know I’m your cousin, the guy who dated his daughter for a while.”
Corey’s eyes went wide in shock.
Yeah, kill me now.
CHAPTER 1
Walker McKenna
“A toast is in order,” Ed announced and held up his wineglass. “To Walker not only staying with Westwater but setting a world record for finding a new office space.”