Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
He gives me a small smile, then kisses me. The second he pulls away, I have this thought…and I wonder why I didn’t consider it before. Maybe because I never had someone I wanted to bring home? “Come with me.”
“Huh?”
“Come with me. Today. We always have a shit ton of food. He hires someone to come in and cook. There will be plenty.”
He tenses. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know that being good with parents is gonna be my thing. I’m not great with people in general, so I can’t imagine I’d magically wind up being amazing with a boyfriend’s parents.”
“My dad is shit with me, so who cares?” I tease, trying to lighten the mood. I run my fingers through his hair, playing with the strands. “You’ll be great. I love being around you. I don’t want to be without you today, and I don’t want you to be alone either. You deserve to be with someone who cares about you today. Come with me.”
Miles brushes his nose against mine, hand now tangled in my hair too. “You care about me?”
“Maybe a little,” I joke, before getting serious. “Maybe a lot.”
Miles sighs, but I hear the resolve in it, know that he’s coming around because even if Miles doesn’t see it, not only is he good at being a boyfriend, at being someone’s friend too, but he’s lonely. He doesn’t want to be alone, and I’ll do anything in my power so he’s not.
“Please.” I flutter my lashes. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
He cocks a brow. “Oh yeah? How will you do that?”
“I’ll give you a hint: it has something to do with my ass.”
“How can I turn that down?”
“Really?” I grin, happier about this than I realized I would be.
He shrugs as if it’s not a big deal. “That’s what boyfriends do, right?”
“It is.”
I kiss him, and we get out of bed. Miles goes into the bathroom and starts the shower. I take a minute to text Cedric, letting him know Miles is coming with me and asking him to make sure Dad knows.
Cedric: You’re really serious about this guy, aren’t you?
Me: I am. More serious than I’ve ever been about anyone.
Cedric: I must admit, I was nervous at first, but as long as he treats you well, that’s what matters. I’m happy for you.
Me: Thanks, Ced. That means the world to me. How is he today?
Cedric: In a bad mood. Who knows why. I’m trying to avoid him. Hey, do you know where our birth certificates are? I need to get my passport. Dad’s pissed I’ll be taking time off, but I’m going on a trip to Europe with friends in the fall.
Cedric never does anything for himself, he’s always in Dad’s pocket, so I love the thought of him doing something that’s just for him. He deserves a trip with his friends. It’ll do him good to have some distance from Dad and his expectations.
Me: I think he keeps that shit in his office. Good luck! And good for you. The trip sounds fun.
I stick my phone on the charger, then join Miles. He kisses me as soon as I’m in the shower with him, pressing me against the wall, rutting his cock against mine and jerking us off. I’m not proud to admit it only takes me about two point five seconds to come, Miles teasing me about being a quick trigger this morning, before I get on my knees and blow him. It’s not long before he’s giving me a nice shot of morning protein, and then he’s washing me and taking care of me in this way I never knew I liked and that I never expected from him.
“So…I might want to kick your dad’s ass today,” he says when we’re in his car, heading to Atlanta.
I laugh. “Can’t say I’d blame you. He deserves it, but maybe we can try and refrain from violence.”
“Hey, you’re the one who wanted me to come,” he jokes.
I know he’s only teasing. Miles is a lot of things, and yes, he struggles with his temper, but I’ve also seen the changes in him, seen him letting this lighter side out to play more often. He’s kind and bighearted and wants so much to feel loved.
“Why are you being all weird today?” he asks.
I chuckle. “Is wanting to spend time with my boyfriend and having him meet my brother and asshole father weird?” Though I’d told Cedric about the fire and what went down last year, and there’s overlap between his time at Peach State and Miles’s, they’d never met. Heard about each other, sure, but they don’t know one another.
“When your boyfriend is me? Yes.”
“Stop talking about my boyfriend that way. Let’s play a game.”
“Are we twelve?”
“No, we’re fun.”
He humors me, and we play silly car games while we drive to my father’s house. I feel less tense than I have coming home in a long time.