Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
She allows this for a few seconds before wiggling off my lap. Suddenly she’s shy. Her cheeks are pink, and I don’t know whether it’s from what we just did or embarrassment. Her eyes are fixed on the floor somewhere between her feet and mine.
“I have to—I need to—maybe you should—” Like before, she can’t finish the sentence, and this time, she runs away instead of toward me. The bathroom door slams shut behind her.
I stare at the door and then down at the wet spot on my jeans.
Inside the bathroom, I hear the water turn on. It runs for a while until I realize that she’s not coming out until I leave. I stand up and pull my T-shirt out of my jeans. It’s not really long enough to cover, but it’ll have to do until I get home. The bathroom door pops open, and a pair of gray sweats fly out. Before I can say anything, the door shuts again.
“They're from a friend of my mom‘s. I don’t know if they’ll fit. But you can have them. Keep them.”
“I take it you want me to leave.”
“I think I should spend the rest of the night alone.”
I slide out of the jeans and pull on the sweats. They’re too short and too tight but better than walking around with a wet spot on my crotch. “My number is in your new phone. I’ll see you in the morning. But if you need me before then, call me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I’m sure you have had people who have handled this so much better than me. I come off as a child.”
“No. I wouldn’t kiss a child like that. I’m not interested in children. And I haven’t kissed anyone before anyway.”
I don’t get an immediate response to that. I lay my jeans over the arm of the loveseat. I’m not leaving them here for her to clean. They’re my excuse to come back.
I make sure the door locks behind me before I make my way out of the apartment building and spot a tatted stranger leaning against my mark on the apartment building. He shoves away from the wall when he sees me.
“You behind the tag?” He jerks his head toward the graffiti.
I nod slowly. I hear the sound before I see anything. The snick of a switchblade is ingrained in my head. I spin out of the way to see a guy fall forward. His blade flashes in the light.
Great. Someone was unhappy I made the tag, but this is how territory is gained—and lost. Might makes right.
There are four guys in total. They come after me, two with blades and one with a bat. The bat catches me on the side, and I block it with my forearm, but other than that, I leave unscathed. Can’t say the same about the others. One of them is gonna be walking with a limp. Three noses are broken. One is going to have a problem seeing out of one eye. I don’t think anyone will be trying to take this territory from me. Not anytime soon.
Chapter Eighteen
ANDY
Wow, Andy. Could you be any more of a dork? What is wrong with me? Thinking about how I ran after Niki gave me an orgasm has me wanting to never leave this bathroom. How the heck am I ever gonna face him again?
That hadn’t been the only thing he’d given me either. There was also the phone and new sneakers. I’m not only a giant dork, but I’m also a jerk. That man has been nothing but good to me from the second I met him. And how do I return the favor? By acting rude and unappreciative.
I feel like such an asshole, but it all became so overwhelming. I didn’t know how to process everything. It was a lot of firsts to happen in such a short period of time. The kiss, the touching, his mouth on me, and then the grand finale orgasm. Not to mention the wet spot I left on his pants. I didn’t know you could get that wet. Sure, I’ve touched myself before, but it was nothing compared to what Niki did to me.
Knowing I can’t hide out in the bathroom forever, which is silly because he’s gone now, I force myself to leave. I go over to the shoe box, opening it. They’re even my freaking size.
There is so much more to Niki than meets the eye. I hope he knows that. I’ll make sure to tell him—if he ever talks to me again. As soon as that thought enters my mind, I quickly push it away, not wanting to go down that path on my birthday. He said he’d be back in the morning. I’m not sure why, but he said it.
I grab the phone to get it set up and link my old one to it. I sit down on the couch and call my mom to check in with her, but she’s still asleep. A small weight lifts off my shoulders knowing she’s tucked in for the night. I don’t have to worry. You don't realize the weight of that burden until it lifts off your shoulders.