Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 96752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
I can’t help but smile. He’s so bad at this. “Ah, we’re going the Cruel Intentions route.”
He winces. “It’s Dangerous Liaisons, Harper. One is a brilliant play and the other is for teenagers. But I suppose you could say it’s an inspiration. Wealthy, bored people like to play games.”
I’ve started to wonder about the wealthy part, but I leave that for another day. “Yeah, you look like you’re having a ton of fun.”
He’s back to pacing, every lean line of his body tight with anxiety. “Whatever you believe, understand that I am going to see her. I’ll leave the project we both love, the one we’re both committed to, for her.”
“Jer and I will hold down the fort, sir,” I vow.
He ignores my jaunty salute. “I’ll take her places I would never take you. Fancy places. Expensive places.”
I groan at the thought. “Good. CeCe already makes us dress up when she takes us out. She thinks denim is for mountain people. What are mountain people and how do I become one because I think they get to wear boots? Those heels are torture devices. I’m with Ivy. I like a food truck.”
His hands are clenched around the bed posts. “I’ll be photographed with her. You’ll have to see it online. You’ll read about our love story.”
That is where he’s wrong. I’m perfectly happy to stop stalking him online. It leads to hurt feelings and does no good. “I’m not much of a reader of magazines. Now a good romance is another story. If she can get Jen Armentrout or Kristen Ashley to write it, I’ll have to rethink my stance.”
He sighs and stops and plays what is likely his last card. “Harper, I won’t ever marry you.”
I sit up. “See, I knew I should have taken you up on it this afternoon.”
“This is not a time to joke,” he scolds. “She will always be in my life. She will be known as the love of my life, and for that reason alone you need to leave.”
We’re back to this. I don’t bother with the sheet. I let it pool around my waist, and for a man who claims he loves that supermodel, his eyes go right to my chest. “I’d rather stay. Reid, I care about you. I think I’m falling in love with you. I don’t know what’s happening with her. I do know she’s got something she’s holding over your head and it likely has to do with your brother.”
Reid’s eyes narrow. “Why the hell would you say that?”
“Because if it was about you this would be over. You would never allow her to put you in a corner over something that embarrassed you or hurt only you. You would put it out there and take whatever happened. But you will go to the ends of the earth for him. So here’s what’s going to happen. Jeremiah is going to figure this out, and he’ll do the right thing in the end. I don’t know what you’re both hiding, but I think he’s almost there and when he proves he loves you, too, I’ll be waiting. You say you’re not going to marry me. If you don’t, that’s okay. If you don’t because you don’t love me and you think someone else will make you happier than I can, then it’s good. But if it’s because some chick in Sweden is blackmailing you, I’m not okay with it.”
He stares at me for a moment. “I don’t understand you.”
“I know. I don’t think I understood until earlier today. I think this feeling I have for you is more important than being loved by you. Your love isn’t something I can control, but I can decide how I want to treat you, how I want to honor this feeling inside me that only you have ever brought out. You think we’re alike because we had fairly awful parents, but I had these amazing friends. I wasn’t responsible for them. We were equals. Ivy and Anika… They’re my touchstones, and I would never leave them and they wouldn’t leave me. Reid, I won’t leave you alone in this. You don’t have to ever tell me what happened between you and Britta if you don’t want to. You don’t have to marry me and promise to love me forever. I’ll still be your friend if I can’t be your lover. Damn. I think I figured out what love is. So odd. Turns out love is just putting someone ahead of you not because you were taught to or because you’re obligated. You do it because their happiness is the most important thing.”
He’s silent, and for a moment I think he’s going to find a way to kick me out.
Then he moves to the bed. He shuts off the light and crawls in beside me, his arms wrapping around me. He holds me close and I feel something wet against my cheek. My heart threatens to break.