Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 117415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
I can’t believe I almost let that happen.
“Now we’ve gone and done it,” I mutter.
He cracks a smile. “Yeah, we have.”
“What do we do now?”
“We stop wasting time,” he suggests cutely.
I oblige without missing one dang beat, diving right back into his perfect lips. He clutches my body so tightly that I lean forward, nearly falling onto the counter with him. My lips depart his as I start kissing his cheek, then his jaw, his neck, digging in with such ferocity I feel like I’m consuming him. He groans against me and clings tighter, breath crashing over my hair. Apparently his neck is super sensitive. Ah, the lovely things I’m learning so fast …
There’s more noise outside the door, but we don’t stop this time, ignoring it completely. Thirty minutes of talking nonsense with Emmett, Raj said? No one ever checks on him? I’m trusting all of those claims of his, determined to enjoy every last second I can with Timothy. If only I could fit him in my pocket and sneak him onto the tour bus with me.
Other words Raj said suddenly snap back into my brain.
His drawers are loaded. Don’t touch the sticks. The sticks part makes sense, wouldn’t dream of touching Raj’s drumsticks. But … what’d he mean by the drawers?
“Is everything okay?” asks Timothy.
Guess I just froze in place. I pull back only slightly, eyeing the drawer, which happens to be right next to where I sat Timothy down on the counter. I pull it open.
My eyes drop out of my dang face.
Condoms. Half of them flavored.
Four bottles of lube.
Pair of fuzzy handcuffs. Spiked collar with a leash coiled up. A white-and-purple puppy mask.
Green dildo the shape of an actual dick, veins and all.
“What in the heck?” says Timothy, seeing the same contents.
“I, uh …” I’m still blinking. Does all of this seriously belong to Raj? To our dear, precious, innocent-eyed Raj?
“Is that a … a Hulk dildo?”
I slap shut the drawer. “Sorry, I, um … think Raj got the wrong idea …”
“What idea is that, exactly? That we’re Team Marvel?”
I bring my gaze back to Timothy. “That you’re just a guy who caught my eye at the Horseshoe and all I am is horny and wantin’ to get off.”
“Or you’re just … super interested in ducks and stray cats.”
I hook my fingers around his back. “I want the real deal with you. I want nights like we had in Fairview, but all the time. Nights where I don’t run away at the end. And days like we had in Spruce, doin’ what we want in the broad daylight, grabbin’ a bite here or there without worryin’ an obsessed fan is gonna snap a shot and turn us into a headline.” I brush his short, messy bangs off his forehead, then settle my hand on his cheek, caressing it. “I wanna make sure you don’t get bored of me after another week of this.”
“I doubt that very much.”
“Don’t be so fast,” I warn him. “I’m a pretty simple guy when you take all of this away.”
His hands gently move to my shoulders. “I can do simple. But I have a suspicion you’re … not as simple as you think.”
“Do you?”
“I don’t know what we are yet. But I love how I feel with you. I’m not myself, and I mean that in the best way possible. You make me question what ‘myself’ even entails.”
“Takin’ the words straight outta my mouth,” I murmur back, tempted to go for another kiss, lips hovering in front of him, too close, pulling me in.
“You make me wonder if ‘Timothy’ was just some outfit I tried on to pretend I’ve got control of my own life.”
“You’ve got more control than you think.”
“Maybe Timothy doesn’t exist. I’ve been TJ all along.”
“I’ve probably been lyin’ all along about what makes me, me.” I lean in closer.
His lips find mine, finally giving me the kiss that keeps teasing between our hovering mouths. “We’re all liars.”
“Chase Holt … Austin Love. Which one’s really me?”
“You can call me TJ.”
“I’ll call you whatever you want as long as you’re mine.”
“Does this mean you won’t push me away again?” He kisses me once more, fingers finding my hair, weaving into it.
It feels so good, I’m instantly reminded of us in the hotel once again, cuddled together on the bed, fingers drifting wherever they pleased. I shouldn’t have left, even if it felt completely right at the time. I should’ve let him wake up by my side.
I don’t know where this could lead.
If it leads anywhere at all.
What if this is the only moment we get? What if Ian finds out three minutes from now, sends Timothy on his way, and gives me another harsh lecture about how a million and a half lives hinge on my behavior?
Any of the dozens on our crew could find out, too.