Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 126564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
“No one’s gonna want to do that.”
“No?” He made a sad face. “Too bad.”
Tears pinched at the back of my nose. He was being his special brand of asshole again. The message was clear—he didn’t want anything to do with me sexually. A fling was off the table. Texas was a one-off. Who knew? Maybe he wasn’t into me there, either. What if he just felt bad for me because of Craig? A pity fuck. His version of a friendly pat on the back.
Yeah. That’s all it was. He didn’t want me to fall apart at the wedding. To be unwell when his entire job was to keep me together. He was only ever fixing me, not fucking me, that night.
I wanted to be sick.
“Hand me my phone back?” He opened his palm, placing it between us.
I dropped the device into his hand, looking away.
I Siri-texted Keller on my way to the house.
SOS. Need mental TLC and friendly advice. See you at my place.
By the time the taxi pulled up to my front door, Keller’s cherry red Ford Mustang Shelby was already there, blocking the garage door. Keller hopped out of the car just as I materialized from the cab, wearing a neck scarf, oversized glasses, and an ironic Hawaiian shirt.
“Darling! Back from the wilderness.” He kissed the air next to both my cheeks. He slid his glasses down his nose and widened his eyes to what was happening behind my shoulder, AKA the bane of my existence exiting the taxi, then pulling our suitcases out of the trunk.
“My, my. I’ll have him for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.”
“Just be careful not to choke,” I muttered, sliding my sunglasses up to rest on my head. “He’s a health hazard.”
“He looks like a vice.” Keller smiled to himself, hugging my shoulder. “You wanna tell me you still haven’t sampled him?”
“About that.” I cleared my throat. “Let’s head inside. We need to talk.”
“And leave him with the suitcases?” A mischievous glint zinged in Keller’s eyes.
I tossed a look behind my shoulder, then gave Keller a shrug.
He winced. “Ugh. I can already tell the energy between you two is so not good for my skin.”
Keller and I walked into my house. I grabbed a couple La Croix cans and made my way up the stairs. I locked both of us in my room before Ransom could give me the third degree about screening people before they entered the house.
“Tell me everything.” Keller clapped his hands together. “Starting from the rumors your sister was a bridezilla. The tabloids are having a field day after what was leaked from the pre-wedding photo shoot. Was she that bad?”
“No,” I said, crossing my legs over my bed. “She was worse.”
Keller gasped, flinging himself next to me. “She’s giving me intense Aquarius vibes. Is she an Aquarius?”
“Naturally.” She was an Aries, but it was basically the same thing.
I told him about Hera’s deplorable behavior, omitting the part where the groom had assaulted me. I liked Keller a lot, but I didn’t fully trust him. Not with my truth, anyway. Then I told Keller about my hookup with Ransom, again neglecting all the parts that left me feeling too exposed. I didn’t tell him how much it had meant to me. Falling apart in someone else’s arms. Just that it happened, and that Ransom was not game for a repeat.
“But he seemed into it the night he insisted on sharing a bedroom with you.” Keller munched on the tip of a tortilla chip. “Right?”
“Right.” I moved uncomfortably, taking a sip of my soda. He didn’t have the full context of the situation, the way Ransom had also saved me from Craig’s abusive hands, so he didn’t get the whole picture. “But I think it was just a moment of weakness on his part. We were at my parents’, and everything just…simmered.”
“Once a weakness, always a weakness.” Keller shook his head. “All he needs is a little push in the right direction. Who wouldn’t want to do you? I mean, I would. You’re super hot.”
I smiled, reaching to squeeze his hand. “How are things at Main Squeeze?”
“Oh. Fine. You know. The holiday season is upon us, so I’m waiting for people to gain weight so they’ll start their crash diets.” He hopped off of my bed, sauntering to my window to light up his joint. “That’s what I’m capitalizing on. Other people’s misery. Making a living is such a tedious job, Hal, let me tell you.”
I leaned back on my satin pillow, braiding a lock of my hair absentmindedly. “You can always take a break if it’s too much.”
“And who’d run Main Squeeze?” Keller perched his ass on the windowsill, pushing the rolled cigarette between his lips.
“I don’t know, hire a manager?”
Keller smiled lovingly at me. “Oh, Hal-Pal, I do love you.”