Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Maybe that's it. Celine thought Gabriella's big brother would be less impetuous than her college friends. She thought I'd be mature and cautious and maybe harder to convince to play her games.
I should be.
But because I understand all the shame and feelings of inadequacy that come with being on the receiving end of a cheater, my desire to give her whatever she needs outweighs my need to be a mature and responsible man.
This won't really help her. Not in the long run. If anything, getting mixed up with three different men who are most probably only looking for physical release has the potential to crush all her shattered pieces into dust. My internal voice is correct.
It's a pain now or pain later situation.
I can take her to Molly's. I can do everything she wants me to do to her and more. I can help her hurt herself, but I don't want to. Not with everything I've learned going through the same situation. Not when she deserves so much more.
She's smiling as I walk her to the door. I pause to kiss her, hoping that it will be enough for those watching to make the assumptions Celine wants them to make.
And when we're inside my car, and the music is playing softly, only then do I tell her that I'm taking her home.
"I can't do what you're asking me to do," I say. "Not because I don't want to, because I do. I really do. But because I know using sex to mask feelings is a really self-destructive thing to do."
Celine gapes at me, and then her body stiffens. "You know what, Travis. You're not my big brother, okay? You don't need to take care of me. I'm not some fragile doll. I'm a grown woman, and I know what I'm doing."
I reach out to place my hand on her arm, but she pulls it away. "I care about you. You're a good person. I don't want to be on the same level as your ex."
"We're not dating, so you can't cheat. I don't get what you're trying to say."
"Sex shouldn't be a weapon or a bandage."
She huffs, turns to face front and folds her arms across her chest. "All I'm asking for is a good time, Travis. Not world peace."
This conversation isn't going anywhere, but I don't want Celine to hate me. I don't want her to feel humiliated because I've turned her down. "I like you, Celine. I'm happy to do whatever you want me to do to help you feel better, but this isn't going to work."
"Can you take me home?" she asks through a tight throat.
"Of course." I put the car into drive and focus on the road. My throat feels tight, and my hands tense on the wheel. I can feel Celine's energy, and it's unstable. I can't leave her like this. On the left, we're about to pass a fast-food restaurant that makes incredible desserts. If I pull in and offer her something sweet, it'll give us a chance to end the night better.
She turns to look at me when I signal and pull off the main road. As we approach the counter, I ask her what dessert she'd like to order. I can feel her warring with herself, wanting to turn down my offer but also wanting to go along with my attempt to lift the mood.
"A chocolate fudge sundae," she says, and when I've placed our orders, she thanks me.
When we've driven past the window to pay and collect our order, I pull into a space in the lot that's out of sight of the restaurant.
Celine spoons out a huge chunk of brownie that's heaped with soft-whip ice cream and chocolate sauce and puts it all into her mouth. The way she moans is so sexy, I almost drop my caramel sundae into my lap. That would be one way to chill out my semi-hard cock.
"Good?"
She nods, still chewing. There's a smudge of chocolate sauce on her cheek, which I rub away with my thumb. Her eyes widen in surprise, and she licks her lips.
Celine really is beautiful, like a medieval fairy transported into the twenty-first century, and given a sprinkle of sass in the process. It's a stupid description, but it fits.
"See, ice cream is better at fixing feelings than sex."
"Gabriella recommended cocktails and chocolate."
"Also great end of relationship fixers."
"Ellie suggested rebound sex."
"Did she?" That surprises me. Ellie always seemed quite conservative when it came to relationships. Before her stepbrother harem, she barely dated. Gabriella thought we might have been a good pair, but I told my sister that her friend was too young for me. It's funny that I'm now fake dating her other bestie, who's the same age.
"I know what you're going through," I tell her. It's time to come clean so she understands better where I'm coming from. "My ex cheated on me. It's why I left Germany."