Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 103431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“Yes. Please.” It’s dumb, but I was so worried I’d never see Fefe again, never get to stroke her soft fur or fuss at her for stealing, well, anything she can get her paws on.
Mom’s lip curls but she nods, resigned. “I’ll never understand your affection for that... thing.” She visibly shudders. “But anyway, let me tell you about Terry. He was the Staff Captain and is hung like horse...”
Much to Ellis’s horror, she spares no detail, telling story after story until my eyelids droop and exhaustion once again takes me under.
“You’re making great progress, Scarlet,” McKenna, my therapist says.
“Am I?” An inelegant snort rips out of me. “I’m just saying… because Ellis won’t stop treating me like I’m some fragile butterfly with a broken wing.”
“Give yourself—and him—some grace. It’s only been two weeks since you both experienced something deeply traumatic. Everyone copes differently.”
“I know, but...” My shoulders slump. “I miss the dynamic we used to have.” I miss his playfulness and sex. I really miss sex, but Ellis is once again holding out on me—this time under the guise of not wanting to push for too much too soon. I can’t seem to get him to understand that I need him. If anything, his touch will help to erase Clint’s. “I just want everything to go back to normal.”
“Have you communicated all of this to him?” She crosses her legs, waiting patiently for my reply.
“Not in so many words.”
She nods. “So maybe you could be more direct in asking for what you need.”
More direct... there’s a thought. “I can do that.” In fact, an idea is already forming.
“Great.” She snaps her fingers. “Oh, while I’m thinking of it, did you decide what to do with your townhouse?”
Slowly, I nod. “It is officially on the market.”
“I’m really glad to hear that. Same time next week?”
“Yes. Please.”
She marks the appointment in her tablet before writing it on a card. “Here you go.”
I always tell her the reminder text is sufficient, but she insists.
“You’ll notice I wrote the name of a book on the back. I really think you’d benefit from it.”
I flip the card over and note the title. “Thanks. I’ll check it out.”
We both stand and she walks me to the door. “As always, I’m only a phone call away if anything comes up between now and our next appointment.”
Ellis pops up when I enter the waiting room. “You ready?”
“More than you know,” I murmur, my mind fully on the plan I’m concocting.
“Good.” He wraps an arm around me and kisses my temple. “Atlas texted and asked if we want to get lunch.”
A sigh tries to escape me, but I manage to swallow it back. “You mean Nora forced Atlas to text.”
“Maybe.” He shrugs. “What do you want me to tell them?”
“Might as well.” My stomach grumbles like it’s a paid actor. “Gotta eat.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” he says, grinning down at me. Clearly, he already agreed on my behalf. I want to be mad, but... seeing Nora and James is always a bright spot.
The thought sparks like a lightbulb. “You just want to see James,” I harrumph. Atlas may be his best friend, but Ellis is absolutely smitten with James.
“Guilty as charged.” He boops my nose. “And you do too.”
“Obviously.” My tone is completely unrepentant.
He laughs, and the sound wraps itself around me like a warm hug as we walk to his truck.
Those hours with Clint, when I didn’t know if I’d see Ellis’s face or hear his voice again, were some of the worst of my life. But they also gave me a new lease on life, so to speak. I’ll never take the little things for granted ever again. Which is why him holding himself back from me hurts so much.
“So where are we meeting them?” I ask once we’re in the truck.
The tips of his ears go red as he fumbles around his response. “I... um.” He drums his fingers on the steering wheel. “They might already be at our house.”
“They’re at our house?” I parrot his words back to him.
“Mmhmm.” He looks nervous—as he damn well should. I love him but I’m beyond tired of the coddling and overstepping. I may have gone through something traumatic, but the kid gloves have to freaking go.
Honestly, I don’t know how Nora handled it after her ordeal; she had to deal with Atlas and Ellis.
“Why?” My question cracks through the cab of the truck.
“Well, I thought getting together there would be low stakes. You know? Less pressure?”
“Ellis.” I sigh. “You know I love you, right?” I roll my head against the seatback to look at him.
“Yeah. And I love you too.” He flashes his eyes my way. “I feel a but coming.”
“That’s because there is. Remember the aftermath of everything with Nora? How overbearing y’all were? How y’all babied her?”