Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
I was going to care for him in every possible way. Laurie and I would make sure he followed all the doctor’s instructions.
I glanced around the room, realizing Laurie wasn’t there. I hadn’t even had a chance to talk to him. I wanted us to break the news to Beck together once he’d had something to eat. “Where’s Laurie?”
Miles frowned “I’m not sure.” He looked at Ben who shrugged.
“He was here a few minutes ago, but I’ve been focused on Miles and Beck, so I didn’t see where he went.”
I glanced at Carter and Matteo. They rarely missed any comings or goings.
“He headed down the hall,” Carter said. “I heard a door open.”
I rose and checked my bedroom. He wasn’t there. He wasn’t in the bathroom. He didn’t seem to be in the apartment at all.
“Laurie!” I called. Shit. I sounded really stressed.
“Is he not here?” Beck asked.
“I’ll find him.” Where would he go? The roof. I prayed he was up there as I rushed to the stairs. How could I not notice him walking away? I knew he was worried he didn’t fit in here, but I’d been so caught up with Beck I’d hardly talked to him. Surely he understood that, though.
“You didn’t listen to me, did you?” Beck called.
Fuck. “No, but it’s going to be fine.”
“Dammit, Worth. I trusted you with him.”
“You can still trust him,” Miles said. “I’ve seen the way he looks at your friend. This isn’t Worth’s usual fling.”
“It’s already lasted almost a week,” Ford pointed out.
I couldn’t deal with this yet. I took the steps two at a time. I let out of relieved breath when I saw Laurie sitting on the sofa gazing up the sky. “You left.”
“You were busy. Everyone was busy. You didn’t need me down there.”
“I’m sorry. I knew if I touched you or even talked to you, Beck would know instantly. I was trying to wait to tell him until he’d been examined and gotten something to eat. I should have just picked you up and kissed you when I came in like I wanted to.”
Laurie shook his head. “Worth, it’s all right. You’ve got your life here and your friends. I get that.”
“No, you don’t get it at all. I love my friends, and I love my brother, but I need you. I need you to stay here.”
“I can’t force myself into your world, Worth.”
“You’re not leaving.”
Laurie scowled. “You can’t force me to stay here.”
“Please.” I dropped to my knees in front of him and set my hands on his thighs. “Please don’t leave. I know you think this is crazy. I know you think everything has to change, that this was a vacation fling and nothing more, but that’s not how it is. While I was sitting in the car waiting for Miles, Carter, and Matteo to come out with Beck, I was worried about him. I was thinking about him, about their safety, about whether he was injured, but I was also constantly thinking about you, about how I would feel if you were the one who had been taken. I would burn the world down to get to you, Laurie. I love you.” The impact of those word hit hard. “I’ve never said that to any man before.”
“Not your brother, your dad, your friends?”
I shook my head. “My parents didn’t believe in emotions. I’ve never been able to say those words, but I’m saying them right now because you have become everything to me. You make me feel more than anyone ever has, and I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay here with me. I want us to build something together. I’ve got an idea. I was going to share it with you later, once Beck was resting, but I think you need to hear it right now.”
Laurie was staring at me, eyes wide. “I love you too. I’ve thought about you ever since we first met. When Beck introduced you, and you shook my hand, my whole body lit up.”
“You felt that?”
“Do you mean you felt it too?”
“I did. If Beck hadn’t warned me off, I would’ve done a whole lot more than shake your hand, but I probably wasn’t ready then. I needed the time that’s passed to realize I’m not happy living like I have been, but you make me happy every minute we’re together. I would absolutely love to build a fashion brand with you, but what I would also love to do is help other people who are in your position.”
“You really want me to live with you here?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I thought the villa in Aruba was nice, but this…I can’t even imagine what a place like this would cost. I would imagine one month of it would be more than I’ve ever made in a year.”