Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“What’s wrong?” Disappointment that he stopped her had her cheeks heating. He didn’t want to go further? “You don’t want this?”
Pulling her down to rest her forehead against his, he breathed out hard, not speaking.
He groaned and lifted his hips slightly, letting her feel how hard he still was. “Oh, I really fucking want this.” He opened his eyes and pulled back so they could look into each other's eyes. “But as much as I want to be buried so deep inside you that I can’t see straight, I can’t do this.”
Her heart stuttered at his words, at what they meant.
“I don’t want to do this here. You deserve more than a shitty barn while trespassing on private property.” He lifted his hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I want you so fucking badly I can taste it, feel it in every cell in my body, in my very marrow.”
Her heart pounded fast and hard. Keira wanted to tell him that she needed this, with him, right here, but she kept that to herself. She didn’t care if they were in a dilapidated barn on private property. She just wanted him.
But he was right, and she was glad one of them was the voice of reason.
He helped her off of him, and she started putting her clothes back on, very aware of how he watched her, his desire seeming to increase the longer he stared.
And as she thought about what he’d just done to her, what he’d given her, all Keira could keep thinking was how she’d never felt this way about anyone.
How could she become so attached to someone in such a short amount of time?
How could he make her feel so complete when she hadn’t even known she’d been anything but?
20
The following day
Keira had been riding the high ever since last night, ever since Reese had touched her in a way no one ever had. She still felt sensitive, her skin tight, the pulse still beating between her thighs.
She’d grown attached to him—that was clear.
Keira had been thinking about Reese ever since he dropped her off last night. And she felt like she wore a constant smile. She just felt so warm at the thought of him.
Her mom walked in, already done up for the day, dripping in jewels and wearing designer clothes. “Good morning, Keira.”
The clack of her mother’s heels on the tile seemed overly loud. She loved her mom, but right now, seeing the wealth abundant, knowing what Reese went through—not just during his childhood, but now—annoyed her.
“Morning,” she muttered and grabbed her toast.
After her mom poured herself a cup of coffee, she sat at the table across from her. “You came home pretty late.”
She was surprised her mother even noticed. She assumed she would have stayed in the city.
“Not too late.” Honestly, Keira wanted to stay with Reese all night.
“Did you have fun?”
Keira glanced up—not because of the question, not because of her mother seeming interested, but because of the way it was asked.
Suspiciously.
“Reese Trenton, Keira?” Her mother arched a perfectly manicured eyebrow and brought her cup to her mouth.
Her mother could be classified as one word most of the time. Snob. She was pleasant and nice, and didn't judge too harshly when it came to most things, but at the end of the day, what she valued was money, wealth, and status.
Most people who were connected to BMA were the same way.
“How do you know anything about that?” Keira wasn't keeping things secret, and she wasn’t surprised her mother found anything out. This town gossiped. But she was a little shocked she found out this soon.
“He’s nice—”
“You’re too good for trash like that.”
Keira felt her hackles rise. Her mother had said that so nonchalantly, like she hadn’t insulted the boy Keira was falling for. “He’s not trash.” Keira said that last word so strongly her mother raised both eyebrows.
“No?”
Keira slowly shook her head and leaned back in her chair. “He’s smart, damn smart to get a full-ride to BMA.”
Her mother set her mug done and tapped her acrylic nail on the ceramic. “I suppose, but his family are worthless drunks.”
“Parents don’t make up who their kids are.”
“Perhaps not, but when you have a father like Reese does, one who is a drunk and who gambled away any money they had, then brought down his wife to the pits of that hell, it’s not unrealistic that it leaves a lasting impression on a boy.”
Keira said nothing, because she had nothing to say. Reese’s parents didn’t shape who he was, and she wouldn’t let anyone in this fucking town, at Black Mountain Academy, or even her parents, try to talk her out of being without him.
“Molly’s coming over. I have stuff to do before then.” She grabbed her plate, threw away her unfinished toast, and left her mother sitting at the table. She'd never been more thankful that Molly had text her first thing in the morning to swing by and talk about Ian. It had been an excuse—an escape—for Keira to exit that conversation with her mother without Keira losing it. She expected this from people at school, but her parents should know better, should want her happy no matter what.