Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 112892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Finally, he nodded, sitting up. I sat up too, pulling the sheet over my chest and leaning back against the headboard.
Cody was still for a moment, looking down.
Then he started. His hands moved in front of him, slowly at first, and then picking up speed. This was full American Sign Language, not just finger spelling, but full, fluid movement.
And it was utterly beautiful. Almost like a dance.
As he continued, his gaze lifted to mine—and held it. And his face… the expressions on it were easier to interpret than the fluid movements he was doing with his hands.
The earnest expression on his face made my heart overflow.
As for the signed words, I didn’t know what he was saying to me, but I was pretty sure I felt the same way, too.
33
MIA
“Wow, this is so good,” I said for the third or fourth time. The turkey, the mashed potatoes, the stuffing, even the cranberry sauce—it all tasted delicious. “Your sister is a wonderful cook,” I told Aaron.
He put down the drumstick he was working his way through and chuckled. “Katie didn’t cook this.”
“But you said it was from her.”
“Yes, but she didn’t cook it. Circuit court judges don’t have a lot of free time, and she can barely boil toast.”
Diego laughed at that. “So where’d she get it from?”
“Local restaurant, I guess.”
“Wherever it is, I’m a fan,” said Diego. It was high praise coming from him, since he was such a good cook himself.
“I have to stop eating,” Cody said, groaning slightly and patting his stomach. Then he plucked another ear of corn on the cob off a platter.
“You didn’t,” I pointed out.
He grinned at me. We were all being total gluttons, and it was fun. We all had wine, too, and Diego didn’t even blink an eye this time. Though none of us were overindulging on the drinks. Diego and I, at least, had learned our lesson on that.
There was far too much food, but it was delicious, and really fun to hang out and joke with these three. I was relaxed—more relaxed than I thought I’d be, considering that I both desperately wanted to be with Diego and was also a little worried about it. But he’d pulled me aside this morning, took me into the room he was sleeping in, which was one I hadn’t seen before.
There was a balcony overlooking the river, and while we were enjoying the view, he suggested that we wait until tomorrow for our turn. At first, I was a little hurt, wondering if he didn’t want me to stay with him at all, but his easy smile erased that concern.
“It’s Thanksgiving. It’s a day for us all to be together and enjoy each other’s company,” he said. Then he grinned. “It’s also one of the few holidays that hasn’t been sexualized, so we should probably let it stay that way. You and I—we’ve waited a long time. I can wait one more night. Can you?”
“When you put it like that, yes. But I’m really looking forward to tomorrow night.”
“Me too.” God, when he looked at me like that… Was there anything sexier than a dark-haired man with dark eyes? Especially one who looked at you this intensely?
I took a step closer, and my gaze fell to his lips.
“Could we maybe… could I maybe have a preview?”
He smirked. “It’s a day for friends and family, so get in there.” He got that mock-stern look that was so hot. “I’m still your RA. Don’t make me pull rank on you.”
Half laughing, half reluctantly, I stepped back inside his room. He smacked me on the ass as I did.
“That’s not helping,” I said, but later I was glad he’d made that call because it was so easy to relax and joke around the three of them. I doubted I could be enjoying such an amazing meal if my mind was totally occupied by what was happening later.
What did actually happen later was TV—lots and lots of TV. Aaron made a fire, and Cody queued up a bunch of shows and movies to stream. Diego prepared some snacks none of us had room to eat, and we all piled on the couch in the little sunken seating area of the living room.
I spent my whole evening snuggled up next to them. They often touched my arm or stroked my hair, but it was done in a friendly, joking way. I was really glad that Diego had figured out we needed this.
I fell asleep in the middle of The Sixth Sense, which Cody had insisted we watch, largely because he liked the soundtrack. It seemed like a good movie, but it was late and I was in a food coma.
I woke up alone in the suite I had originally slept in the first night. Aaron had been in it last time, so I didn’t know where he was. I was too tired and comfortable to do much more than roll over and go back to sleep. It wasn’t until morning that I even thought to wonder which one of them had carried me in here.