Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 85616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Except there was nothing friendly about how we pressed together. My attention homing in on how his crotch pushed against mine. The heat transformed into something more intense. A fire that crackled with the same energy I felt in the park when I nearly turned to ash as I held Miles’ stiff and leaking cock in my hand.
“I didn’t know you’d be here,” I said.
“Emmy invited me last minute.”
“I’m glad you came.”
His reserved smile was like a challenge to me. I wanted to see what he looked like when that smile spread across his face, how the corners of his eyes would crinkle. I also wanted to see how he’d look with his lips formed into the shape of an O while pleasure coursed through him, when his body was under mine and his cock inside me and—fuck, I was starting to get hard. I had to relax. These thoughts needed to stop before I made a fool of myself.
“Do you want a burger? Beer? Seltzer?” Maybe being a hospitable host would stop me from being a horny mess.
“I can use a beer.”
“Awesome. Coolers over here, by the side of the house.” Where we’d be away from prying eyes.
Ugh. Great.
I led him off the patio, across the stone steps, and around to where the barbecue and the coolers of drinks were. I popped one open and dunked my hand into the melted ice. I hoped it would work like a cold shower and stop me from thirsting so hard over this man.
Spoiler alert: It didn’t.
I handed him a bottle of beer. He thanked me and popped it open. He clinked it against mine, then tipped his head back and drank. His throat bobbed, marking the perfect spot for my lips to land on. I looked away. Miles must have noticed and followed my gaze.
“Oh, snapdragons, I love those flowers. The red ones are my favorite.” He walked over to Emmy’s small garden that grew against the fence. I wasn’t sure which flowers he was talking about but I still pretended like I did.
“Yeah, they’re beautiful,” I said, crouching down and admiring the pretty red flowers.
“These are the snapdragons,” he gently explained. He pointed at a tall bunch of odd-looking flowers.
I gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Duh. Yeah, I knew that, was just testing you.”
He crouched down next to me, smiling. “Gardening is one of my hobbies. Helps get me out of my head. My mom loved flowers, too, so it helps me feel a little more connected to her.”
“What are her favorite flowers?”
“Sunflowers. My dad said she loved them. He would always have the house filled with them.” There was a soft sadness to his voice that explained more than words could.
He’d lost his mother. It was a heartbreaking realization. “She passed before I ever got the chance to meet her,” Miles added.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my condolences being the only thing I could offer in that moment. There was a deep river of pain in him that I could feel as though it were my own, but now wasn’t the time to wade into those waters.
Miles offered me a sad smile. “I just planted some sunflowers today actually. But seeing these makes me want to grab some snapdragons from Home Depot after work tomorrow.”
“So why are they called snapdragons? Are they sassy?”
“Huh?”
“Snap? Like, you know…” I snapped my hands and tilted my head and felt quite dumb at my silly joke.
But if Miles thought it was stupid, he didn’t show it. Quite the opposite. That shy and reserved smile of his grew wider. “Not exactly,” he said, “but I do like your reasoning.” He leaned forward and gently held one of the red flowers. “They’re called that because if you look from the side, they kind of look like dragon heads. And, watch, give me your hand.”
I held my hand out. He took it in his. My entire world flipped on its axis at the touch. I inhaled sharply but he didn’t seem to notice as he guided my hand to the flowers, traced the lines of my fingers with his, placed my thumb and pointer finger underneath one of the flowers. “If you squeeze—gently—then its mouth opens and closes.”
He applied a soft pressure against my fingers. I did as he said, pressing on the flower, watching as the snapdragon opened and closed its bright red jaw.
“Whoa. That’s pretty neat,” I said.
“They’re my second-favorite flowers.” He didn’t move his hand from under mine. The moment between us was loaded. My gaze dropped to his lips, just as his did to mine. This touch, this connection, it all felt right. I yearned to explore it. Not just with my hands but with my tongue and my lips and my heart.
And so I started to lean in. A kiss, it would only be a quick kiss. And Miles wasn’t moving away. He leaned in too. His lips were almost on mine, his hand still holding mine, my body still aching for his—