Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Matt just snorts, but then there’s another ring at the door. Fortunately, I’ve gotten more at ease by now.
I’ve got a true Italian family. We’re loud, there’s a lot of us, and we tease each other often. But the Marshalls can easily compete with us, especially when Matt’s older brother, Adam, is added to the mix.
He comes in like a tornado and it’s game on as soon as he spots us.
“Lastra!” he roars from the entrance and stomps closer in a sweater depicting female reindeer… girls with big boobs and hips. At least they’re wearing fur-trimmed bikinis, for the sake of the one minor in the room.
“Hey, Adam,” I say, holding Matt’s hand even tighter. Like their dad, Adam likes to joke around, but he’s far less subtle about it.
“Don’t you hey me, Lastra. I hear you already have a baby with my brother. I don’t remember giving you two my blessing,” he says, crossing his arms on his wide chest.
“You know how those things happen. When a boy and a boy love each other very much—”
There’s a small chuckle, which I swear comes from the gay cousin, but when I glance his way, he’s engrossed in whatever’s happening in his phone.
Adam points to my eyes with two fingers. “I’m watching you, Lastra. If you break my brother’s heart, I’ll be the one collecting alimony, so think real long and hard if you want to get a puppy as well.” He squints as if he’s serious with all this over the top ridiculousness.
Matt smirks and pets his flat stomach. “How do you know we don’t have a puppy in the oven already?”
Both Adam and his dad gasp in mock-shock.
“So irresponsible! Soon enough you’ll have a whole litter of them!” Adam says before pulling me into a hug that smells of some spicy cologne. “Whatever. Welcome to the family. I always knew, Lastra. I knew.”
He’s bullshitting, but I’m not gonna call him out.
“Adam, get yourself ready and come to the kitchen. You’re helping me serve,” calls out Mrs. Marshall as he pulls away.
Matt gives me a quick kiss out of nowhere, but I’m not complaining. “Mom? Do we have ten minutes?” he yells to the kitchen.
“Yes, but not more!”
Adam squints at us. “Just don’t go making any more puppies!”
Matt shakes his head and pulls me by the hand. “I’ve got something for you,” he whispers.
My heart skips a beat, and I follow his lead upstairs, all the way to his attic bedroom, which still features all his trophies and pictures of athletes, which have gained a new meaning to us both.
I pull him into a kiss as soon as we’re past the door.
He’s putty in my hands, and that always makes me stand an inch taller. Matt Marshall, the golden boy with blue eyes and dark blond hair, the boy with cute freckles, pretty smiles, and a body to die for. All mine.
I’ve got a gift for him too. We’ve had this tradition for years. We don’t get anything expensive for each other, but the gag gifts are always a special treat. We mailed them to each other even when we studied in different colleges.
He’s filled with glee when he pulls away and grabs a large flat envelope with Christmas stickers on it. I respond by removing a little box from my backpack.
“You go first,” I say, offering him the gift.
He bites his lip, as if he’s struggling with the choice, but he’s a sucker for presents and quickly rips the colorful paper wrapping.
He opens the box and pulls out the T-shirt I got him with a large cartoon of a troll’s face inside a prohibition sign. The writing above the image reads Don’t Feed The Troll!.
Matt starts laughing and hugs it. “I love it! Is this your revenge for Halloween? I sure hope you do feed the troll.”
“Oh, he shall be fed,” I whisper, leaning close so that no one could overhear us. “Maybe I should stay over, and we can go through with that plan you had about reliving our high school sleepover on the floor, because the bed creaks?”
Just thinking about it makes me hot.
Matt is such a sex pot.
His eyes glaze over. Oh, he’s thinking about it. I can see the cogs in his head moving.
“I just have to check in with my mom…” he says absentmindedly, so I take the opportunity to open the gift from him.
The envelope contains a little flat box, and when I open it, the first thing I see is a large canine pendant attached to a leather strap. I look up. “That’s… a really cool gift. Are we done with the gags now?” I ask, suddenly feeling like I haven’t gotten an important memo.
Matt shoves at my arm. “Cass! It’s a mountain lion’s tooth, cause you’re an expert lion tamer. I even got you a tattoo to commemorate you saving my life.” He reaches into the envelope and pulls out a flat sheet of paper I haven’t noticed yet. It’s a temporary tattoo of a tacky puma’s muzzle that’s supposed to look badass to a ten-year-old.