Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
“I jumped to conclusions, and I should have given you the benefit of the doubt. You’ve done nothing but be good to me.” I can’t stand to see her sad. Tinsley is a bright light full of life. “I mean, I know how obsessed with me you truly are, so that should have been my first clue.” She tries to tease, but I’m not letting her skirt around this.
“Would it help to know that I love you getting jealous over me?” That gets me a small smile from her. “I think maybe you’re just as obsessed with me as I am you.”
“Yeah, but you have your life together. I’m a mess over here. I have no self-control even when I try. These outbursts and ideas pop right out of me. It’s too much. I know that. It wears on people, and soon it will wear on you too. You’ll get sick of it too.”
“Too?” Whoever put that thought into her head?
All of New Hope adores her. Tinsley thinks that town is a part of her, but it needs her too. When I met new people there, they all had the best stories to tell me about her and the things she and Katherine could get up to.
“I wasn’t Miss Popular at school here in the city. I know my roommates often thought I was too much." Tinsley's shoulders drop. I can't stand the defeat that appears to be pressing in on her.
“Tinsley.” I try to grab her hand, but she starts pacing back and forth. I don’t stop her. She needs to get this out, and I want to hear it, even if I don’t agree.
“You’ll get tired of me. I’m a lot, and my stuff is stupid and silly. I let my own thoughts get away from me. I know who you are, and should have trusted that. What you have been through in your life. You don’t let people close but you let me and then I just—” Her head drops to stare down at the floor.
There’s the crux of our problem right there. Her thinking that I would ever get tired of her.
“You finished?” Her head snaps back up, a lick of fire flashing across her eyes, but she shakes it away.
“Yeah.”
“Then, it’s my turn,” I tell her, swiping her off her feet and into my arms. I turn to head toward the master bedroom to see Katherine standing there.
“Are you going to set her straight?” Katherine asks.
“Yes.”
Katherine steps out of the way.
“Hey.” She huffs, and I shift her, tossing her over my shoulder. “What are you doing?” I give her ass a smack, and a small squeal leaves her. When I make it to the bedroom, I toss her onto the bed. “There—”
“My turn,” I cut her off, coming down over her, pinning her beneath me.
“You won’t even have sex with me. You can at least admit that. There is an out for you.” I can’t stop the bark of laughter that leaves me. “Babe, I’ve still come inside of you more than a few times. That’s not me wanting an out,” I point out.
“Oh.” Her brows pull together. “That might be true.”
“We’ll circle back to the sex, but right now I need you to understand something. To see what I see, and to know that I pushed my way into your life fully knowing who you are. You lit up my whole world when you came bursting into that office.” Her lips part, letting out a small gasp. “When you’re going off on a tangent or getting worked up, even when I’m the target, I’m right where I fucking want to be.” I’ll never let anyone try to dim her light, especially herself.
“Really?” I watch as shy vulnerability peeks through, a reminder that she’s younger than me with an innocence still clinging to her. I’ll do anything to protect that.
"Tinsley, you have given me more in this life than any other person has. I didn't believe that I could have this. Hell, I didn't know it existed. And you're not only giving me yourself. I get all the things that come with you. The town of New Hope"—damn, the town's name really hits different now.
"They want you there." She licks her lips. "I want you there."
"I enjoy the hell out of being a spectator in your life the same as you love getting up to your shenanigans."
"They're not shenanigans. They are often serious business matters." There's my girl.
"I stand corrected." I chuckle. "But that's why we fit. I want to be the man in your life that gets to take care of you. You take care of everyone else. I don't think you see how much we all need you. You're not too much for me. I promise you that. In fact, if there's more, keep on giving it to me. I can handle it." I give her a smirk. "I can handle you."