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)
While I really didn’t love the outdoors, I also didn’t hate it as much as I made it sound, but we both delighted in the back-and-forth teasing. Since it was a short trip, he wanted to jump in right away, and I pretended to want to rest while he dragged me out of the house.
We’d left Santa Monica early, but only having one day would seriously limit what we were able to do. We’d brought towels, swimming trunks, and things like that, so I assumed he would want to head to the lake right away. Still, I asked, “Where to?”
He looked at me and grinned. “The zoo.”
“The zoo?”
“You heard me.”
I…hadn’t expected that, but I kinda loved it. “Did you choose that for me or for you? Because this trip is supposed to be all about Elliott.”
“All about Elliott are probably three of my favorite words, and I love the zoo here. They only take in wounded or orphaned animals, or ones who can’t live in the wild on their own. They work to rehabilitate them where they can and, if possible, eventually reintroduce them to their natural habitat.”
I hadn’t known that, but the fact that Elliott did and that he cared so much gave me all the warm and fuzzies. Ugh. This man. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
I looked up the address and let the navigation lead us there. It was fairly busy, but we didn’t have any trouble getting in right away. Elliott didn’t argue when I paid for us. He entwined his fingers with mine as we made our way along the path, stopping at every habitat.
They had multiple species of bear, as well as wolves, mountain lions, badgers, leopards, and more, but by far, my favorite were the flying squirrels. “Oh my God. We should totally get one!” I said as if that was a real possibility.
“Oh, so I can spend the rest of my life cleaning up after you and a flying squirrel?”
“We’re both cute.” I grinned, and he did the same.
“You’re cuter.” He gave me an adorable, wrinkled-nose look that made me melt inside.
“I’ll reward you for saying that later, Mr. Weaver.”
“I like the sound of that.”
After the zoo, we grabbed fast food for lunch so we didn’t waste time at a sit-down restaurant.
Elliott said, “We should head to the lake. Next time we come, I want to take you hiking up Castle Rock Trail. It’s only just over a mile, but it’s a pretty tough hike. Worth it, though. The view is incredible.”
Next time. He said these things as if we would have more days like today, more weekends away together, as if we were a real couple and not two men who were supposed to get divorced soon. “Okay.”
Don’t get your hopes up, don’t get your hopes up, don’t get your hopes up.
My whole life, I’d never talked to myself as much as I had since I’d married Elliott.
The lake was busy as hell. We definitely should have come earlier in the day, and I hated that I felt like I’d robbed Elliott of the place he enjoyed with such a short trip. I wanted more for him, wished I could make him feel the way he did me, even if it was just a sexy game we played together.
But it didn’t seem like just a game to me. Not anymore.
We changed in the restrooms, which were honestly a little gross. When I came out of my stall, Elliott was there in—“Board shorts?”
He turned, his eyes taking me in from head to toe. Hunger crackled in his gaze, making me vibrate with need of my own. “I like yours much, much better.” Mine weren’t quite a Speedo, but they weren’t fucking board shorts either. Not that he didn’t look hot as fuck in them because Elliott looked hot in anything, but still, I felt underdressed with my very short, short swimming trunks. Elliott said, “Think we can sneak—”
“No. Be good.” Though the thought of being bad with him sounded a lot more fun. “There are families here!”
“Totally should have chosen somewhere more secluded instead of the lake,” he grumbled.
“Your mistake,” I joked.
“Come on…I want to have fun with you.” He nodded toward the door, took my hand, and we went outside.
The beach was filled with families, but there were also couples and groups of friends. I noticed a gay couple kiss before running for the water together.
We found a spot and laid our towels out. I was surprised when Elliott sat down instead of heading straight for the lake. Still, I did the same.
“What was your favorite vacation spot with your parents before your mom passed?” he asked, and God, I loved that question.
I smiled. “We liked winter trips. There’s so much sunshine in California that we liked snow destinations. Mom was a great skier. We only got to do that once, in Colorado. We skied, played in the snow, drank hot chocolate by the fire. She was so happy that it just made me and Dad happy too, ya know? She had that ability with people.”