Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“This is going to end with both of us miserable.”
He shrugs. “I know that you’re a free spirit. I know that you want to travel for your photography. I know that you’re only here for a short amount of time. I also know that I can’t stay away from you during that time. I don’t want to, Scarlett. I’m a grown man. I know the risks. I know that once your contract is up, you’re leaving Willow River. I know that, and I still want you.”
“We should stop this.” My words are whispered as if maybe if I’m the only one that hears them, then they won’t be true.
“Probably,” he agrees. “I know that you tried to warn me not to fall for you, but I blame you.”
“What?” His words cause my heart to twist inside my chest. I’m surprised, yet when I think about Archer and the way I feel when we’re together, the way he treats me, I know I shouldn’t be.
A grin pulls at his lips. “You’re too easy to fall for, Scar. Does this make us crazy that we’re setting ourselves up for heartbreak? Yeah, but I still don’t care. I’d rather have this time with you, being honest with how I’m falling for you, than not have you at all.”
“Really?” My heart races. I’ve never had someone other than my parents choose me, not like this. I have this warm feeling in my chest.
“Yes. Really.” He reaches out and wraps his arms around me, embracing me with his strong arms. I melt into him. I can’t remember ever receiving a better hug or feeling as safe and as content as I do at this very moment.
“Are you ready to get out of here?” he asks, still holding on to me. “Is there anything I can help you do to close up?”
“Yeah, I’m ready.” I pull back from him. “I just need to pack up my camera and laptop and lock up.”
“Let’s do that. We can go back to my place. I need a shower, and then you can tell me how you’re feeling about this. About us.”
“Okay.” I’m distracted. My mind is a video reel of our conversation as I step away and go about packing up my camera. I keep it with me at all times. Next is my laptop, and when I turn to face Archer, he holds his hands out for both. I don’t argue with him that I can handle them or that I do every day. He’s offering because he’s that nice of a guy. Not because he thinks I can’t do it on my own. He just doesn’t want me to when he’s there to help me with it.
“Ready?” he asks.
“Yes.” I move toward the door, turn off the lights, flip the sign to Closed, and step out the door, making sure that it’s locked behind us. Side by side, we walk to my car, which is parked beside the building. I hit the Unlock button on my key fob and pull open the back door. Archer places my things inside and closes the door softly.
Then he’s kissing me. It’s slow and sweet, just like the man himself.
“I’ll see you at home,” he says. He reaches around me and opens my door for me. I slide in behind the wheel and pretend that this is normal. That this man hasn’t just flipped me and my heart upside down with his surprise visit and subsequent confession.
Twenty minutes later, I’m sitting on Archer’s couch, a pillow on my lap to rest my laptop on as I skim over the images I took the night we went fishing. I haven’t seen him to show him. I sent him a few screenshots, but I’m excited to show him everything from that night.
Archer is upstairs in the shower while I make myself at home on his couch. It’s a new concept for me. I can honestly say the only place I’ve ever felt I could just relax and be me was at my parents’. I had to sell the house to pay the medical bills, and that’s when I started to travel.
I no longer had a home.
Nowhere felt like home.
That’s when I decided I would pursue travel photography. I always loved it when we went on family vacations, and it made me feel closer to my parents. Now, here I sit, feeling like I might actually belong on this couch with the man who owns it.
“Sorry, I needed that.” Archer sits next to me on the couch, his hair still wet from his shower.
“That’s the fastest shower ever.” I laugh.
“I didn’t want to keep you waiting. Get in, get it done, and get out.” He nods at my laptop. “What are we looking at?”
“The images I took the night we went fishing.”
“Really?” His eyes light with interest.