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)
I tuned back in to the podcast just in time to share our sponsors, and then we finished recording the episode.
When we got out to the living room, Elliott and Sebastian were waiting for us. While they hadn’t been able to spend a lot of time together the past few months due to Sebastian’s travel, they were close. They spoke often, and I knew how much Sebastian’s friendship meant to El.
“Hey, beautiful.” Elliott pulled me into his arms and nuzzled my neck.
“Gag,” Declan teased.
Corbin said, “I think I want to try this praise thing. It sounds right up my alley. Try it on me, Elliott. Let me see if I like it.” Corbin playfully tried to join our hug.
Elliott put an arm around him too. I loved how easily he’d fit in with the guys now that they didn’t think he was going to break my heart. They actually teased me about being the heartbreaker of the two.
“I’m not sure it’s praise you need,” Elliott told him. “You’re affectionate as fuck. You want someone touching you all the time.” Wow, that made sense. My husband was good at reading people.
“Are you calling me a cuddle slut?” Corbin asked before his pupils blew wide. “Holy shit. I’m a cuddle slut. So I just need to find guys who want to touch me all the time? Eh…but I’m not typically affectionate in that way with men I’m sleeping with; just with Parker, Declan, and Marcus.” When I cocked a brow, he added, “And your partners. Whatever. Same thing.”
“Kid, get your ass over here and stop flirting with Parker’s husband.” Marcus wrapped a hand around Corbin’s wrist and tugged him closer.
“Aww, you missed me. You secretly like hugs. I know you do.” Corbin buried his face into the rose-and-skull tattoo on Marcus’s chest. Marcus rolled his eyes, but still hugged Corbin.
“I’ll get the grill going,” Declan said. He kissed Sebastian before heading outside.
We all ended up out there together, cooking, chatting, and just hanging out. Our group had grown from four to six, and every day I was thankful for the people sitting around me.
“How’s the bar doing?” Corbin asked Declan.
“Good. I’m a little stressed out because I might lose Kai. I give him shit sometimes, but he’s really come through for me more times than I can count. His landlord is raising the rent, and his roommate is moving back to San Diego. Kai was already struggling, so there’s no way he can afford to live there even if he found someone else to move in. He’ll probably have to head back to Riverside, where his family is.”
“Damn, to the IE, huh?” Parker asked. Riverside was part of the area known as the Inland Empire or the IE.
Sebastian said, “It sucks because he loves it here. Dec and I wanted to help him out, but he’s too proud to let us help him with rent, plus with Dec being his boss and all…”
We got off the subject of Kai a few minutes later. Declan and Sebastian were the first to say they were heading home, followed by Elliott and me.
“Did you talk to your dad about next weekend?” Elliott asked. His parents liked to get us all together at least once a month. Dad had been every time so far. We were both making a point to be more active in each other’s lives, and Dad was also trying to get out and do more on his own. I didn’t know what it was about me finding Elliott, but I felt like it set something free inside Dad—at least, I hoped so. I wanted him to be as happy as I was.
“Yep. He said he’d be there.”
“Good. I really want to take him to a football game this season.”
“He would love that. Do I have to go?”
“My pretty boy doesn’t want to go with me?” Elliott said in that low, seductive voice of his. There was nothing I wouldn’t do when he spoke to me that way.
“Ugh. I hate you. Yes, I’ll go.”
He laughed. “You love me.”
“I do…more than I thought possible.”
He pulled into the driveway at home, the porchlight shining into the car. “I love you, beautiful. I’m going to take you inside and show you just how much.”
“My Prince Charming is so much hotter than in the movies,” I said, making him laugh.
We raced into the house, me pulling off clothes and tossing them as I went. When we fell into bed, Elliott worshipped my body the way only he could, and I knew we would spend the rest of our lives creating our own happily ever after, just like they did in the books.