Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“Get in bed, Court.”
“Um—what side?”
“I’ll take the side closest to the door.”
“Is that your side, normally? I don’t want to put you out.”
“My side is closest to the door when you’re in my bed.”
Tilting my head to the side, I study him. “Okay.”
He nods and waits for me to slide under the covers before turning off the lamp and doing the same. My heart beats rapidly against my ribs. My palms are sweaty and I try to wipe them against the sheets discreetly.
“Why?” I ask into the silence of the room.
“Why what?”
“Why do you sleep by the door when I’m here?”
The bed dips, and I hear him turn over. I do the same. I can barely make out his features in the moonlight. I suck in a breath when he reaches over and pushes my hair out of my eyes.
“When you’re here, I need to be close to the door. If someone breaks in, they have to get through me to get to you.”
My heart.
My vagina.
This man… I’ll never be the same.
I swallow thickly in order to reply, “I bet you have to drag the ladies out of your bed the next day.” It’s meant to be teasing. However, my tone sounds more sad than anything. I can’t seem to help it. The thought of another woman lying next to him, in this very spot, sends a wave of sadness washing over me.
“I couldn’t say,” he replies, his voice thick.
How could he not know? “You can tell me,” I say, irritated that he’s not being honest with me.
“Baby, I wouldn’t know because you’re the first woman to sleep in this house with me, in this bed.”
“What?” I whisper my disbelief.
“Just you, Court. You’re the first.”
I don’t know how it’s possible, but he has no reason to lie to me. He’s given me a first, and it’s only fair he knows that he has one of mine as well. “Mine too. Well, not just here, but my first time sleeping next to someone. A man, someone,” I add.
“How is that possible?” he asks, voicing my thoughts about him.
With the darkness of the room, I give him more. “In my... limited experience, it’s been more of get in, get out, and go home.” I can’t believe I just told him that, but Ryder’s words still ring in my ears.
Fight for what you want.
I can’t expect to get more of this... situation if I’m not willing to put myself out there. It’s scary as hell, but I don’t want to live with the regrets of what if.
“So you’ve never woken up with a warm body next to yours?”
“Not until you.”
CHAPTER
TEN
Merrick
I’m reeling. How has this beautiful creature been overlooked by the men in this town? I know Willow River is small, but Courtney is... not easily missed. There’s a fire burning inside me at her confession. It could also be that she’s lying next to me in nothing but panties and my T-shirt. I want to give her everything she’s missed. I want to be the one who experiences all of her firsts with her. I want to be there for all of it.
I don’t understand the feeling, but I’m not running away from it either. We have a connection, and even though we’re pretending, it’s easy because, well, I don’t have to pretend when I’m with Courtney.
“Let me show you.” Fuck me, my voice is so thick with desire, even I can hear it. She doesn’t reply, but in the stillness of the room, I can hear her breathing pick up. She’s processing, and I can give her time to do that.
“Okay.”
Okay?
Holy fuck, she said okay.
My heart hammers in my chest. The pressure is on not to fuck this up for her. This is her first time sleeping next to a man. Swallowing hard, I reach for her. “Come closer,” I tell her. She does as I ask and helps me haul her into my body.
My hand settles on her hip as I think about how I want this to go. I know what I want. I want to strip her bare and slide inside her. I want to hear her moan for me, and then hold her all night long, but that’s not what this is about. This is about her and giving her something she’s never experienced.
Maybe with time, the other ideas bouncing around in my head will come to fruition.
“Hey,” I whisper as I move my hand to trace her spine. I feel her shiver against me.
“Hey.”
“Thank you,” I say softly.
“For what?”
“Letting me hold you.” I know her confidence is low, and I need her to understand that this is a privilege for me. I don’t take the trust she’s put in me lightly.
She chuckles. “I should be thanking you.”
“Nothing I’d rather do,” I admit. “Well, maybe one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I want to kiss you.” Cautiously, so as not to come on too strong, I slide my hand behind her neck. She can tell me no, but damn, I hope she doesn’t.