Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88447 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88447 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“Promises, promises.”
I would have taken her banter with me as flirting, but I could practically feel the pain and worry radiating from her. Layla was good at putting on a brave face and a strong front, but if I pushed too hard, she would crack. Vali joined us as I slipped my hand into Layla’s then took her inside.
We went through the main floor rather quickly. I was eager to get her upstairs, and not just because my bedroom was up there. While I fully intended to spend the rest of my life between Layla’s shapely legs pleasuring her, she needed a different kind of care from me right then.
After we took the wide tiled steps up to the second floor, she came to a complete stop as she looked through the doorway to one of the guest rooms my sister had decorated.
Cringing as I took in the floral, ultra-feminine space crammed with ruffles, antiques, and dried flowers, I quickly said, “We can change anything you want in the house. Especially this room.”
Layla slowly turned to me, her soft brown eyes wide. “Why would you want to change this? It’s perfect.”
“What?”
“I mean…just look at it.” Taking a step forward, she ran her fingertips over a pink velvet couch next to the doorway. “The rest of your house is awesome, but super masculine and…clean. I was worried that you’d faint if I tried to put some pink throw pillows onto the sofa. But this room…it’s like you looked into my imagination and made it real.”
“You like this?”
She wandered over to the center and turned in a slow circle. “I love it, but I have to say, this room doesn’t seem very you.”
“My sister Carley decorated my guest rooms,” I grumbled. “She’s diabolical.”
“What?”
I sat on the edge of the bed, the soft mattress making me sink into it as a lace throw pillow tumbled into my side. “Carley can give a sad puppy dog look that would make Satan himself give her whatever she wanted. It’s her superpower. So, when she came to visit with her family and complained about the guest rooms lack of character, I told her to fix it if she didn’t like it. Stupid me even gave her my credit card. Two days later, I wake up to…this. My brother-in-law, the asshole, encouraged her to get as girly as she wanted because he sure as fuck wasn’t living in a gypsy flower shop back home.”
Giggling, Layla wandered over to the window and ran the ends of the white tassels decorating the edges of the curtains through her fingers. “Is it bad that I love it? That I think she has amazing taste?”
“I shouldn’t be surprised. I have seen your office. And if you recall, I bought you those pink unicorn satin sheets you loved so much.”
The smile fell off her face as she whispered, “Do you remember where you got those? I’d like to get a new set, since I’m pretty sure I had those sheets on my bed. According to my insurance rep, my bedroom was a total loss, so it’s probably safe to say my sheets are toast. As soon…as soon as the fire marshal says its safe, I can go see.”
She didn’t resist me when I pulled her into my arms, letting her snuggle onto my lap.
As I stroked her hair and let her cry, my mind drifted to my late wife. While Gracie and Layla were similar in many ways, they were also very different. Gracie had been fiercely independent. When she was upset, she needed space, not to be held. Layla needed me in a way Gracie never did, and I decided that it wasn’t good or bad, just different. By being with Layla, I wasn’t trying to replace my time with Gracie, or to duplicate it. What Gracie and I had was amazing, but it was the past. I knew that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t relive it or change it, so it was time to focus on the here and now. On Layla.
“Shhh, baby bear,” I murmured as I held her. “It’s going to be okay.”
“I know, it’s just stuff,” she hiccupped out. “But it was my stuff. My memories. Things I’ve collected that meant something to me. All the wonderful treasures you gave me.”
I suddenly realized there was a way I could possibly make her feel a little better. “Stand up. I have something to show you.”
She wiggled off my lap, grabbing a few tissues from a decorative box carved out of mother of pearl.
“Pretty,” she said as she wiped at her face.
“I’ll let Carley know you like it,” I took her hand, rubbing my thumb over her smooth skin. “Follow me.”
Chapter 10
Layla
I found myself admiring Mark’s tight bubble butt as he led me down the hallway past a few more uber girly guest rooms to a closed door.