Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 52975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
“Sebastian Patrick, don’t joke about the holy father.”
I gather a pile of chopped carrots into my hands and move them from the cutting board into a bowl. Lainey wanted to include every vegetable that exists in this chopped salad, and she’s working on two homemade dressings for it: buttermilk ranch and balsamic vinaigrette.
“Sorry, Ma,” I say perfunctorily.
My parents are devout Catholics. I’m not, but I still go to church with them when I’m home for Easter and Christmas.
“What’s this I hear about Lainey’s fiancé breaking up with her? Is it true?”
I lock eyes with Lainey. She waves her hands and shakes her head, silently telling me not to mention to my mom that she’s here and we’re on speaker.
“Lainey was the one who broke up with him.”
“Good. He has a look about him. I never trusted him. And he’s already been seen out with another woman. Shameless.”
I cringe, wishing Lainey didn’t have to listen to this.
“Lainey and I are making dinner for some friends right now.”
“You are?”
“Yep. Spaghetti, salad and Lainey’s sourdough bread. With flourless chocolate cake for dessert.”
She sniffs. “I guess our invitation to dinner got lost in the mail.”
Lainey laughs silently.
“I’ll invite you guys for dinner soon,” I say.
“That’s more like it. We’re not that far away, you know. You could come home for a weekend.”
“Yeah, I will.”
“I heard you sigh. Why are you sighing?”
I shake my head. I love my mother, but sometimes I wish I wasn’t an only child. I could use some siblings to spread her love out among them.
“I was sighing over the spaghetti sauce, Ma. It splattered me.”
“Well, turn down the heat. You don’t want it to scorch.”
“I’ll do that.”
“Is Lainey there? Can I talk to her?”
I grin at Lainey, whose eyes are like saucers. She shakes her head adamantly.
“Let me see.”
Lainey mouths, “no.” She was raw the first couple of days after the breakup, but she’s back to her usual self. I smirk at her.
“Yeah, she’s right here.”
Lainey glares at me as she walks over. “Hey, Mrs. Stone. How are you?”
“Lainey, how are you, honey? I’m sorry to hear about your breakup, but I think it’s for the best.”
“Thank you. I think so, too.”
“Your mother already has grandbabies, so there’s no pressure on you. Me? I may never have any, and I’ve come to accept that. All I get is my granddog.”
I roll my eyes dramatically.
“Oh, don’t say that, Mrs. Stone. Bash is great with his friends’ daughters. You might still have a chance.”
“He is? You think so?”
I shoot Lainey a scowl because now my mom will ride me relentlessly about when I’m going to settle down.
“Yeah, I think he just needs some encouragement,” Lainey says.
I pick up the phone and take it off speaker. “Hey Mom, we have to go. Lots of work left to do on dinner.”
“Okay, keep that heat turned down. And call me sometime so I know you haven’t forgotten your parents exist. We used to wipe your butt, you know. Show some gratitude.”
“I will, Ma. Love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I end the call and give Lainey a look. “What the hell was that?”
She shrugs. “You fucked around and found out. How did your mom hear about me and Shane breaking up?”
“Probably just neighborhood gossip. Maybe your mom told her.”
“It’s probably the only time anything gossip-worthy will happen to me,” she quips.
She has her hair pulled up in a high ponytail, a loose strand resting against one of her rosy cheeks. I want to pick her up, set her on the kitchen counter and kiss the hell out of her. Find out just how pink those cheeks can get. Pull her body flush against mine.
“Can you keep an eye on things while I get a quick shower?” she asks.
My cock twitches with interest. I had to do another round of Stormi the Meateorologist last night before my balls exploded, but with the sound off since Lainey was upstairs. I couldn’t get off until I stopped watching Stormi and started imagining sneaking into Lainey’s room.
I fantasized about her waking up to find me getting into bed with her. She blushed and asked me what I wanted. I told her to be a good girl and undress for me. Just the thought of touching her pussy was enough to get me there.
When I lost my virginity, it was to a woman who was twenty-one. I was eighteen. I was so damn careful in high school, busting my ass to make it in hockey and unwilling to risk getting someone pregnant.
Every woman I’ve ever been with has been experienced. Bare pussies, sexy tats, sometimes even pierced nipples. I’ve always enjoyed women who know what they want in bed and aren’t afraid to ask for it.
But Lainey’s innocence is like a drug to me. I’m sure she’s not a virgin, but she’s shy. I imagine she’s a passive participant, and Shane probably only did the bare minimum. Does she even know how mind-blowing sex can be?