Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Other than one slip-up a few days ago, she hadn’t talked about leaving or selling her place for a while now. Not even when we worked on the house in between lovemaking sessions. I wanted to believe it meant things had changed, but I wasn’t that much of an idiot. It had only been a month.
She told me she was focusing on living in the present and enjoying the moment, but Chick Martin was bringing the future with him, and I couldn’t help worrying that our moment was almost over.
I resented his shit timing because we’d finally gotten ours right. She’d been out of my reach for years, and now I was in her life and in her bed. It wasn’t just the sex, though that was even better than I’d imagined. It was all the little details I noticed each day. How adorably out of it she was until she had her coffee in the morning. The way she leaned in to my simplest touch. Her humor, and that out-of-practice filter that had her saying whatever was on her mind. She was bright and beautiful and, for the moment, she was mine. I wasn’t ready to lose her yet.
“Wade.”
Bernie stared at me with unexpected understanding. “I don’t like the face you’re making, but I really do have to go. Alice the Dragon Lady can’t run the evening classes without me. Are you good?”
“Yeah.” I swallowed hard and nodded. “Thanks for keeping me in the loop today.”
“I did it because you’re my brother. And because I’m counting on you to be on my side at the testosterone-laden team meeting.” She pointed at me, thankfully from a safe distance. “Don’t you be mean to those boys when I’m gone. Imagine that they’re working their way through college or trying to support their elderly parents or something. I have a date with the tall one and I’d like him to remain intact.”
There was a tall one? They all looked the same to me. “They’re children, Bernie. What happened to the Hawaii guy?”
“He bought us tickets, even though I said no. You know I don’t like presumptuous men who think they can make decisions for me.”
Poor chump. He’d probably thought he was being romantic. I tore my attention away from the door long enough to smirk at her. “So, you thought you’d try getting one young and training him right?”
She whacked my arm. “I thought I’d go dancing with someone who knows how. Mind your own business. You’re the one who left the object of your affections alone with four practically naked bits of beefcake. Not that you have to worry—you should have seen her blush when I figured out you’d already made your big move.”
I opened my mouth and she shook her head. “I know, I know. Don’t tell anyone but Phoebe. Based on her side of that phone conversation, I’m guessing Chick knows about your new status too. As someone who has had secret assignations before, I can tell you with authority that neither one of you is being that subtle. If you don’t want another family night like the last one, I suggest you think about giving Morgan some warning on the new development.”
The fact that Chick knew about me made me feel moderately better. The idea of telling Morgan didn’t, but I knew Bernie was right. “Thanks for the advice.”
“It’s nice to give it for a change. I’m enjoying this new side of you, Wade. For the first time in my life, I’m not sure what you’re going to do next. It’s all very exciting, as long as you aren’t planning on getting hurt and making me hate her again. Because I love her and that would suck. Now, I really do have to go.” She popped up on her toes, kissed my cheek and then walked toward the bicycle she’d left leaning against the garage. She owned a car, but unless she had errands to run, an appointment she couldn’t miss or groceries to pick up, she usually rode her bike to work.
I knew exactly what I was going to do next.
Inside, I found Merlin lounging on the couch as if strange men trampling up and down the stairs were an everyday occurrence. “For being so huge, you’re not the best guard dog,” I told him.
When he licked himself in reply, I snorted. He could use some competition, and I knew just the dog I could train to make sure August was safe when I wasn’t at home. The old wizard might hate that, but it was something to think about.
Two more shirtless wonders were coming down the stairs, and when they caught sight of me, they put up their hands in unison, as if I were a cop and they wanted to look harmless.
“Hey man,” one said. “Only delivering furniture here. These are costumes. No funny business, I swear.”