Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
It didn’t feel cramped anymore, the way it always had when it had been stuffed with Henry’s old furniture and papers and books. Now, it was nearly empty. The couch and small round dining table were the only reminders that Henry had ever even lived there.
I knew it was only a matter of time before those reminders were gone, too.
“Not much left,” Brady said, as if he’d been reading my mind again. “Did you wanna sit down?”
I nodded. My nerves had been momentarily pushed aside by the surprise of seeing the bare apartment, but when Brady and I sat down on the threadbare sofa, just inches away from each other, those nerves returned with full force.
I was struck again by just how big Brady was. His tall, wide frame, with his massive expanse of chest, huge biceps, and hands—hands that I just wanted to take in my own—all seemed strangely out of place in the small space, almost comical as he tried to get comfortable on the old, brittle sofa next to me.
“I just, um, wanted to…” I looked away for a moment as my voice trailed off.
Wanted to what, exactly? Should I admit that I just needed to check on Brady? To just be near him, even if only for a few minutes? Maybe that truth could wait a little longer.
“I wanted to apologize. For earlier. I probably shouldn’t have—”
“No,” Brady said, flatly.
My gaze snapped back to his, waiting for him to say something—anything—else, but he simply shook his head.
“No?” I repeated.
“You don’t need to apologize. Not for anything. I should, though.” He turned a little, angling himself so that he was sort of facing me, with our legs touching. “I didn’t mean to get so deep earlier, and I shouldn’t have put you on the spot like that. I’m sorry.”
I smiled, a feeling of relief washing over me.
Brady didn’t hate me. He wasn’t mad. He clearly felt just as bad and weird about lunch as I had. Thank God.
“You didn’t need to apologize, either,” I said. “But thank you. And I don’t mind that things got kind of deep. I wanted to tell you earlier that you can talk to me anytime. About anything.” I swallowed hard, then continued. “I get that we don’t really know each other that well, but… I see you. I know you’re hurting. And I’m here for you.”
Brady gave me a hard, long look, his eyes silently searching mine for several seconds.
“Thank you,” he whispered, finally, drawing in a ragged breath. “Nobody has ever said anything like that to me. Not since—” He looked away, then back again, his eyes welling up with tears. “Not in a long, long time. Earlier, when I asked you that about my dad, I just… I wanted to understand. I just wanted—”
He choked back whatever else he’d been about to say as a single tear rolled down his cheek.
I leaned in, instinctively raising my hand to wipe it away. I didn’t pause to think, I just reacted, just wanted to make things right for Brady. But when my thumb brushed across his cheek, the touch sent a jolt through my body that I wasn’t prepared for.
Even though I was suddenly aware that Brady was looking at me in a way that made me feel very close and very vulnerable, I didn’t want it to stop. And I still hadn’t taken my hand away from his face.
Brady turned his head until my thumb and fingers brushed over his lips, sending another jolt—as well as a full-body shudder—through me.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my throat so dry that the words barely came out.
I started to pull my hand away, but Brady caught me, his touch gentle but firm as he held my hand in place and kissed it softly before letting go.
“No,” Brady said. “I told you before, don’t apologize. Not for anything. Especially not for… this.”
I felt a little dizzy, a little breathless as I tried to make sense of the situation. My mind was swimming as my fantasies, my desires—every thought I’d secretly had about my boss over the previous weeks—suddenly seemed to be very real and very much within reach.
Still, there was something I needed to clear up before my head and my heart would let me go any further.
“Brady, I need to ask you something,” I said, my heart pounding so loudly in my chest that I thought it might just burst. “I just need to know… are you… single?”
Brady’s features softened as a wide grin spread across his face. “Um… yeah. Sort of?” He started out tentatively, even looking a little sheepish as his grin started to falter. He stopped himself and took a deep breath, slowly exhaling as he nodded. “I mean… yes. Definitely. I am… I am.” His smile returned, even wider than before. “I’m glad you asked, and I’m glad to tell you that I’m interested.”