Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 103754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
He lifts me, leaving me straddling him with my legs. My need to kiss him is so strong that I don’t restrain myself. My lips crash against his as I slide my hands down to the mass of muscles in his shoulders. I shift my hips, needing the pressure. But when a moan escapes, his hands wrap around my ribs, and I’m held, unable to move above him. “I’m trying to be so good, Spark, but you’re going to be the death of me.”
Grinning like I just won a best in show contest, I push against his hands until he lowers them to my hips and kiss him. With another kiss placed on the tip of his nose, I sit back up. “There’s no fun in being good, Poet. Trust me on that, so we might as well be bad and make it worth the while.”
I’m flipped onto my back, and my hair covers my eyes when I land. Keats takes up most of the bed, it seems like, and all my heart, but his erection between my legs is about to make me beg for more.
He pulls back and is on his feet before I can talk him into having sex. Talking isn’t the preferred method, but damn, I whine, “It feels too good to stop.” Laughter trails him as he goes into the bathroom. I prop up on my elbows, glaring at the darkened doorway I’m left with to discuss this important issue. “It’s not funny, Keats. Kisses and being left in this giant bed all alone while turned on are all I get?”
The laughter gets louder when he comes closer. He pulls his toothbrush from his mouth and says, “You’re going to survive this. I promise.”
“So you say.” When he disappears again, I flop my arms out wide on the mattress.
I hear the water running, then silence before he reappears and crawls over me. He teases me by hovering over me, our faces mere inches away from one another. “I do say. And it’s all you get for now. ‘For now’ being the operative part of that sentence.” He taps my nose before jumping off the bed again. “It’s game on later.”
I sit up quickly, wanting to see this man in motion as he strides into the walk-in closet. How is it possible to be so attracted to another human that the thought of him leaving to even go into another room causes me to miss him? “Promise?”
“That’s a promise I’ll keep. If not for you, for me.” He chuckles, stretching a blue tee over his head. “It’s Christmas. We should go do something, like eat ramen.”
Resting my weight back on the palms of my hands, I say, “I haven’t been back since I went with you.”
“Seems like a good time to return then.”
“Um.” I start, not sure how to say this. I don’t want to upset him, but I must stick to my plan before it goes sideways on me again. “I, uh, I have some things I need to do today. Remember, I mentioned moving out?”
He comes to sit on the bed next to me. No anger or conflict is resting in his expression when he says, “Of course. How can I help you?”
“You can’t. I mean . . .” I waffle my head back and forth but settle it again when my eyes are fixed on him. “You can, but not by doing anything other than wishing me luck.”
“Do you need luck?” His tone turns serious, and his eyebrows knit together.
“No.” I smile to reassure him, but I can’t do the same for myself. Even knowing my parents have flown out to wherever they’re spending the next week and won’t be there, I’m nervous, even scared, if I’m being honest with myself. They’ll be alerted before I have a chance to catch a cab on the street. I need to plan everything in advance and not waste a minute thinking about what’s next. “I’ll go, collect my stuff, and then I’ll be gone. It’s that simple.”
“Is it that simple, though? I’m thinking your parents won’t take this lightly, so I don’t think you should go alone.”
I rest my hand on his and hold my chin up. “Don’t worry. I’ll be alright.”
“You sure?” He drops his gaze to the bed between us and says, “That sounds an awful lot like famous last words.”
Famous last words.
I’ve been haunted by those words the entire ride back to the house. I should be using it to my advantage. I need my armor in place before I arrive and be ready for anything. My parents may be gone, but Gregory isn’t, and I didn’t exactly leave him on good terms.
The car parks at the curb, the engine rattling as smoke from the cold meets the exhaust clouds outside my window. “We’re here,” the driver says as a subtle nudge for me to get out.