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)
Clearly, I need some caffeine or something. My brain’s off the rails today. But I roll my eyes and force myself not to react to my errant thoughts. “Get your ass over here, Scarlet.”
She huffs and shuffles my way, settling herself near my feet.
“It's weird, really,” she says after a minute.
“What is?” I ask as I absentmindedly run my fingers through Fefe's soft fur.
“She's not big on strangers.”
“She's met a lot of strangers?” I ask, caught somewhere between desperate for her answer and dreading it at the same time. All I can picture is a parade of random men, and the thought enrages me. Which is fucking dumb because I have no claim over her. And I don’t want one either... right?
“Well, I guess I don't know that for sure. She’s only ever met my Mom, who she does not like and Nora, who she's indifferent toward.”
Something unclenches in my chest at her response... something I'm not sure I want to look too closely at.
“Guess she just knows I'm special.”
Scarlet's dark eyes twinkle as she nudges my sock-covered feet. “Sure, that must be it.”
“Wanna order in?” I ask, collapsing down next to Scarlet on the couch after finally convincing Fefe to go into her cage for the night.
After a full day of Fefe running around my house, stealing my socks and hiding them under my dishwasher, and demanding my attention like an impatient toddler, I’m too fucking exhausted to do anything, much less cook.
“Sure.” She twists to face me, tucking her feet underneath her. “You tired?” she asks, her voice dripping with humor, which is welcome, even if it’s at my expense. She hasn’t been herself most of today. Not that I can blame her.
“Scarlet.” I level with her a dead stare. “Your fucking ferret is more exhausting than James, an actual walking and talking toddler.”
She giggles. and I swear to god, the sound shoots through me like a bolt of electricity lighting me up from the inside. “I promise, she’s not usually so... intense.” She bites her lip. “I mean, she’s definitely a little thief. Socks, as you know, are her favorite, but she’ll pilfer anything she can get her little paws on. Just be glad she only has one hiding spot here. So far, anyway.”
“So far?” I bolt upright. “What do you mean so far?”
Scarlet cackles in delight. “She’s a clever girl. At my place she also stashed things behind the dishwasher, as well as the washing machine, and in the bathroom closet.”
“She’s a menace.”
“She is, and I love her.” Her smile drops as she turns serious. “I promise, she’ll calm down. This was just a big change for her and she... well... she really seems to like you.”
“What can I say, Princess? I’m irresistible, to all species apparently.”
“You’re also a menace, so really, it’s a match made in heaven.”
“Haha, funny.” I shove my sock-covered toes into her thigh. “What sounds good?”
She wrinkles her nose. “What all delivers out here?”
I shake my head. “Not much. It’s pretty much pizza or burgers.”
“Ohhh, from where?”
“Buns Out,” I say, my mouth already watering at the thought.
“They deliver this far?”
“From town? No. But they opened a food truck at the top of the mountain that will.”
“Hell yes. Brunch burger and eggy fries for me, please. Extra aioli.”
I gag a little as I pull up the app to place our order. “You eat the weirdest shit.”
“Don’t knock it till you try it, Sunshine.”
“Sunshine?” he asks, quirking a brow.
“I don’t know.” She shrugs, suddenly looking shy. “Officer Jackass doesn’t really feel right anymore. And since everything’s gone to shit, you’ve sort of...” She trails off, buries her face in her hands, and groans.
“I’ve what?” I ask, as I tap the confirm order button on my screen.
“You’ve-sort-of-been-my-sunshine.” She says it all as one word and it takes a minute for my brain to digest her words.
“Well hell.” I sit all the way up, absolutely beaming as I open my arms to her. “That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
I’m even more shocked when she understands what I’m silently asking and crawls across the couch into my arms for a hug.
“Do friends cuddle?” she asks as I tug her closer, settling her in front of me so that I’m the big spoon.
“I don’t see why not,” I say, slightly bewildered by my actions, because I am not a fucking cuddler. Especially not a platonic one.
She hums under her breath, like she doesn’t believe me. But she doesn’t move either, so I’m calling it a win.
“Gossip Girl while we wait?” I ask.
“Sounds good.”
“Pass me the remote?” I nod toward it on the coffee table.
“Sure.” She leans forward to reach it, and the motion presses her lush ass directly into my groin.
“Fucking hell,” I groan under my breath, wondering if she’s aware of the simultaneous torture and temptation she’s subjecting me to. I mean, surely, she can feel my chubby, right?