Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“I’m where I want to be now.”
A yawn forces its way out of me, and I sag in his arms, the adrenaline of the day quickly leaving my body. Then, I close my eyes.
I wake to the smell of something cooking. It takes me a second to figure out where I’m at. After letting Theo hold me until all my tears were gone, I crashed in his arms. He must have laid me down on the couch and covered me with a blanket. My heart squeezes. His tenderness is exactly what I needed.
“Are you cooking for me?”
He chuckles from the kitchen. “Figured that would wake you up. It’ll be ready in twenty. Make yourself at home.”
“Can I shower?”
“Of course, beautiful. Feel free to borrow something of mine if you want to put fresh clothes on.”
The shower is nice and relaxes me. Then, after, I put on one of his T-shirts and some sweatpants. I even slip on a pair of his socks. His apartment is cold, so his clothes warm me up.
By the time I make it to the kitchen, he’s plating up grilled chicken breasts, buttery asparagus, and loaded sweet potatoes. My mouth waters. I’m starving.
“Grab us something to drink and we can sit in the living room to eat.”
His fridge is stocked with lots of healthy stuff. I know he goes to the gym most mornings with Principal Renner and Coach Long. All his hard work is paying off because his body is so nice. I’m his biggest fan girl.
“When will your mom start missing you?” he asks once we get settled beside each other on the couch.
I glance down at my watch. “Not for a few more hours.”
“Good.” He reaches over to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “I want to hold you for every single one of those hours.”
My heart flutters.
I want that too.
Chapter 10
Theo
Adam: Quick meeting in my office this morning? Was going to talk to you earlier, but you missed gym time.
Iyawn as I step out of my truck. After staying up late watching movies with Addison at my place, talking to her on her way home on the phone, and then continuing the conversation when we were both in bed, I’m exhausted. Getting up at the ass crack of dawn to have Everett run circles around me in the gym was at the bottom of my list.
Addison is going to be okay, though.
Me: Be there in five.
Another text comes through and it’s Addison. She sends me a picture of her in her bed, the morning light peeking in through the windows.
Good Girl: Morning. I’m tempted to stay in bed all day.
Me: No one would blame you if you did.
Good Girl: But you’d miss me?
Me: Hell yeah. I miss you right now.
I’m almost to Adam’s office when she sends me another picture. This time, the bedroom light is on, and she has two different outfits laid out over the blanket. As much as I enjoyed seeing her wearing my clothes last night, I love her cute outfits.
Me: The shorts. Seeing your long legs is what gets me through my work day.
Then, she sends me another picture. This one is of her legs.
Me: I’m trying to decide if you’re a good girl or a bad girl for this…
Me: See you later. Meeting with Adam. Bye, beautiful.
I pocket my phone and step into the admin office. The receptionist gives me a warm smile, nodding for me to go on into Adam’s office.
“Theo,” Adam says in greeting from his desk. “Close the door.”
After shutting the door, I make my way over to the chair Addison sat in yesterday. Her grapefruit scent clings to me for some reason. It’s like I can always smell her and I don’t hate it.
“Yesterday was a shitshow.” He grimaces and then thumps a huge stack of papers on his desk. “I’m going to be busy all day dealing with these little monsters.”
“Are they all expelled?”
He snorts. “One kid who was eighteen and stuffing all the pictures into every hiding place on his person is gone. About fifteen, including Elody Parish, are suspended for a week. Everett’s afternoons are also packed for detention for the next couple of weeks.”
Even though a lot of students got in trouble for participating, it doesn’t feel like enough.
“How do you deal with these assholes all the time?” I grumble, anger flaring hot in my gut. “They’re out here actively bullying a girl who doesn’t deserve it and they barely get a slap on the wrist.”
Adam sighs and then leans forward to pin me with a firm stare that probably makes unruly kids wither in their seat. Since I’m an adult, I meet his look with a fiery glare of my own.
“They deserve what they got,” Adam agrees, “but there were some other things brought up that I have to address.”