Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
The same look he always got when I called him pretty washed over his face. Like it lit a fire inside him and made him want to swoon. More than that, it was almost as if he didn’t believe me, as if he couldn’t understand why I would say that about him, which was insane. How could someone who looked like Parker not know how irresistible he was? How could he not see it? It was interesting and would likely make me continue to use the endearment. Maybe that was something that could come out of this. I could make Parker see himself the way I did.
“I decided I’d rather stay at your place,” Parker said. “After we’re done, I want to be able to come home and go back to my life as if none of this happened. It would be weird to have you in my space, considering the circumstances.”
An annoyed twitch vibrated through my chest. “Wow…you really don’t like me.”
“That’s not true.” When I cocked a brow, he groaned. “It’s not. I know I say that, but I don’t hate you. We’re just different. We want different things and don’t understand each other. It’s just not the same for me as it is for you. I feel like I lost something. I don’t say that to hurt your feelings. It’s not your fault, but…”
“Fuck,” I cursed. “We can still call this off. I know you still lost something, but we don’t have to do this. I can deal with the repercussions of my actions.”
He shook his head. “No, there’s no going back now.”
“That sounds ominous. Like we’re in one of those end-of-the-world movies and we’ve made a decision to go on but we’re not sure if it’s the right one.”
He smiled. “You got that out of what I just said?”
Eh, not really, but I wanted to lighten the mood. “You didn’t?”
“I can see it. Maybe we’re on a journey and now the terrain is getting rougher and more dangerous. We have to like…I don’t know…walk through something really scary, like a giant-spiders habitat.”
I laughed. “Giant spiders is what you came up with?”
“I don’t know. Zombies, then. Or hell, people are worse than everyone else. People who want what we have. I suck at this. You try.”
As we finished packing, we created our end-of-the-world journey and all the obstacles we were going to conquer together. It was surprisingly fun.
We loaded both our vehicles, and I gave Parker my address. I waited outside my place for him, Parker pulling into the driveway about five minutes after me.
I lived in a three-bedroom, two-story house in a residential area. There were palm trees in my front yard, as well as rosebushes and morning glories similar to those decorating Parker’s apartment complex. I wondered what he thought of my place, if he would hate it here, and again, how in the fuck we’d gotten ourselves in this situation.
Parker closed the door of his Honda and eyed my house. “Home sweet home.”
“I’ll try not to make it suck too bad.” I winked.
Parker grabbed two suitcases, I picked up a box, and we headed for the door. I pressed the code to unlock it. “We can set up a separate one for you. I can round up a key if you want, but this is easier.”
“I’m fine with a code.” He followed me inside, tentative, taking a look around. The front door led directly into the living room, which was open concept with the kitchen and dining area. My house was decorated in mostly black and white, with photography on the walls. Modern but homey.
“Wow…”
“Wow what?”
“I expected more of a bachelor pad, and holy shit! Your kitchen is great.” He let go of the bags and went straight for it. “Double oven and so much counter space. God, I would die for all this in my apartment. I love where I live, but if I could afford to…or I guess if I owned it and I could afford to, I would gut the space and remodel.”
I set the box on the counter. “You’re welcome to use it as much as you want while you’re here.”
“Marcus has a great kitchen too. I’m so jealous.”
“You’re all incredibly close.” He sure did mention them a lot.
“They’re my people.”
“Sounds nice,” I replied honestly. Vaughn and I were close, and I had other friends, of course, but the relationship between the four of them felt like more. I didn’t know them and I could tell that.
“It is. Sometimes I tell myself that’s why I’ve never got the dream, ya know? The husband and all. You can’t have everything, and I feel so lucky to have them. Maybe I’m asking for too much.”
“Not possible. You’ll find what you’re looking for. You deserve it.” That was something I truly believed. Parker was sexy and sweet. The man for him was out there.