Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 108862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108862 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“You don’t always have to be on the defense, y’know.” I look at him. “You’re allowed to let your guard down now and then. I’m not sure if you noticed yet, but this town’s a safe, pleasant place.”
He shrugs. “Has its perks.”
“Friendly faces—no matter how averse you are to them.”
“Sure.”
“Always someone to watch the dog when you’re outta town. Or water the plants.”
“If you say so.”
“There doesn’t have to be enemies lurking in every corner of your life.” I scoot up closer to him, our hips touching. “Maybe I’ll teach you how to smile more often.”
He eyes me. “I’ll be smiling when we finally eat. I’m starved.”
“You’re cute.”
“And starved.”
“But mostly cute.”
He drops his knife and grabs me, causing me to laugh, and the two of us get lost in a mess of kisses against the sink.
Dinner is slightly delayed.
But when we enjoy it, Diego proves he wasn’t lying. I get the biggest smile out of him as he chows down on our meal of pasta tossed with fresh sautéed vegetables—a personal favorite of mine that makes me feel at home no matter where I am.
Hope that feeling of home seeps into him with every bite.
Afterwards, he takes it on himself to do the dishes despite my insisting we can leave them for later. “There’s no ‘leaving for later’ when I’m here,” he insists, his tone extra loaded for some reason, like he’s saying something else I don’t get. I snort, shrug it off, and join him by clearing off the table and the countertops.
He stops on his way to the trash. “You seriously never go out there?”
I look back at him from the sink, then notice him by the door leading out into the garage.
I shrug. “Maybe someday.”
“Sounds like never.”
I toss the dish rag aside. “If you want to risk a long trip to the hospital tonight on account of a kiss from a black widow or brown recluse or another nightmare lurking between my dad’s things …”
“I doubt there’s anything like that out there.”
I come up next to Diego, gazing at the door. After a second, I let out a sigh. “I promise I’ll … I’ll go out there someday. Not never. Definitely someday. Perhaps when I finally come to terms with the fact that my parents … likely will never come back home.”
He seems to take a second with that, says nothing, then pulls me in for a hug. “Don’t worry about it,” he decides. “You don’t got to open that door ever again if you don’t want to.” Then his lips get close to my ear. “But if you do, I can be here with you, Wyatt. Don’t gotta do it alone.”
I enjoy the warmth of his arms enclosing me against his body.
Even though I’m not sure I meant what I said so deeply. Like I’m afraid of opening some deep, painful scar by opening that door to the garage.
But maybe I’ve also been lying to myself.
Protecting my own feelings by denying they’re there at all.
What if going out into that garage does scare the shit out of me, because I don’t want to think my parents really did just leave? When is the last time they called to check in? What did they say when I asked when they’re coming back?
These are questions I don’t think I’m ready to have answered.
Maybe that’s exactly why I won’t go out there. Diego can see right through me. It was never about deadly spiders.
“Do you want to stay over on purpose?” I ask.
The hug he’s still giving me grows stiff. “On purpose?”
“Yeah. Not on the couch. In my bed. Like normal people. You and me. Sleeping.”
“We haven’t slept in a bed before?”
“Not on purpose.”
“I’m pretty sure we slept in a bed before. My bed.”
“I don’t think so.”
He pulls away to argue, and I just put a kiss on his lips to shut him right up. Works every time.
After showering, we slip under the sheets with nothing on at all. He tucks me against his body, playing big spoon, and I enjoy every second of his warmth. His face is nuzzled into my neck, his breaths softly crashing over my shoulder. “Dunno if this was a good idea,” he groans against my neck. “Having your hot body all naked and pressed up against me like this …”
“Sleepy time,” I tell him, holding his arm around my waist like a belt, locking our bodies together. “Sexy time was earlier.”
“Sexy time is any damned time we want it to be.”
I chuckle, then just keep myself snuggled inside his embrace. He drops it soon after, settling against me, seeming just as happy to hold me as he is to have sex with me.
It’s nearly just as satisfying, the feeling of being held.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around me.
Like nothing on earth can possibly bring me harm.