Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 81285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
24
PRESLEY
Between Luke’s remodel, work, and everything in between, it had been a crazy few weeks. Luke had it in his head that he wanted all the renovations done before May, and while he had a lot of help, there was a lot to be done. And we both had jobs and commitments to uphold, and through it all, we were trying to date.
It wasn’t easy, but somewhere in the middle of the chaos, we’d managed to find a quiet rhythm that worked. Our days passed with the usual blur of work, errands, and responsibilities, but we always made time for calls and texts.
Sometimes, a simple text from him would make my entire day.
It wouldn’t be much. Just him asking about how things were going, but I liked knowing he was thinking about me. And every night, no matter how late or tired we might be, we always found a way to end our day together.
It wasn’t always some grand gesture or wild night of passion. While we had our fair share of those, mostly we just enjoyed the comfort of being in each other’s arms when we fell asleep. It became our normal, and I liked it.
I liked it a lot.
Which is why my heart started to race a little when I heard his bike pull into my driveway. Seconds later, the front door opened and closed, followed by the sound of his boots thudding across the kitchen floor. I was curled up on the sofa, pretending to watch TV, but in truth, I’d been waiting for him to walk through that door for over an hour.
He rounded the corner, and when he spotted me on the sofa, he smiled and asked, “You’re still up?”
“Couldn’t sleep.” I turned the TV off before asking, “How was work?”
“Busy, but busy is good.” He slipped off his cut and draped it over the chair. “It makes the night go by faster.”
I nodded, watching him a bit longer than I’d meant to, and before I could shake it from my thoughts, the images started to creep in. The stage lights. Glitter. Music. And most of all, all the gorgeous women in heels and not much else.
I trusted him. I really did. But trust didn’t magically erase all of my insecurities. When he noticed me staring, he cocked his brow and asked, “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking.”
“About?”
“I don’t want to say, because you’ll make a big deal out of it.”
“Oh, well, now you’ve got me intrigued.” He came over and sat down next to me, immediately pulling me into his lap. “Spill it, woman.”
“Have you ever dated one of the Vault girls?”
“You don’t date the Vault girls, babe.”
“What does that even mean?”
“We hang out or whatever. Nothing serious. Nothing that means anything.”
“So, by hanging out, you mean you sleep with them?”
I couldn’t believe I just threw it out there like that, but I’d said it. And there was no taking it back. He didn’t look defensive or even the slightest bit guilty. If anything, he looked entertained. A mischievous smirk crept across his handsome face as he said, “I like it when my girl gets all jealous and shit.”
“I’m not jealous. I was just asking a question.”
“Oh, yeah?” He pointed to my brows as he said, “Well, you’ve got that little crease right there that tells me you are.”
“What?”
“It’s your jealous crinkle,” he teased.
“I do not have a jealous crinkle.”
“But you do. You get it any time you’re feeling a little feisty, and it’s sexy as fuck.”
I tried to keep it together, but his playful grin was contagious. The tension slipped out of me as I admitted, “I just don’t like thinking about you with someone else.”
“That’s fair, and I feel the same about you.”
“So…” I raked my teeth along my bottom lip. “I’m your girl.”
“Hell, yeah. Like there was any question.”
He said it so matter-of-factly, so certain, like he’d decided it a long time ago, and that had me feeling warm all over. On impulse, I leaned in and pressed my lips to his, kissing him with a passion that words could never express.
He let out a soft growl, and I couldn’t help but smile against his lips. I loved knowing that I got to him just as much as he got to me. He pulled me close, his body molding perfectly to mine, and that’s all it took.
He stood, lifting me along with him, and threw me over his shoulder, carrying me toward the bedroom. “Whoa! What’s with you and the caveman act?”
“That’s all on you, babe. You bring it out in me.”
He carried me to the bed and tossed me down on the mattress. He made quick work of my pajamas and lace underwear, and before I had a chance to prepare, I felt the bristles of his beard brush against my thighs. My breath caught when he ran his tongue against my clit.