Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69018 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
The first time I saw Thorn, sunk deep into the shadows of that trade show at the arena, and days before Peach Lips was catnapped, I never could have known that we’d be here now. I thought he was quite broody and beastly, thank you very much. Scowly and owly. Not someone anyone would ever want to get to know.
I’m so glad I’ve never been more wrong about anything in my life.
I kiss the side of Thorn’s neck before peppering kisses over his lips. “So good,” I whisper. “You are. Always. Such a good man.”
“Darling,” he coos, drawing out the word so I don’t completely hate it. It’s definitely an improvement over baby. “I didn’t realize I had a praise kink until right now.”
I grin so hard that it hurts my face. He smiles too. I swear I’ll never get tired of watching him break wide open like this, especially when his eyes get all sparkly and dazzling, and he looks truly…happy.
“I’m so excited to explore any and all kinks with you. To have crazy awesome bus sex with you. And those tin-can trailer home sex. All the sex. But also to do all the other things. It would be an honor to be your friend and your girlfriend. To do life together. To just take every day as it comes and wring every ounce of happiness, joy, and goodness we have out of it. I’m so glad you’re here.”
He presses his forehead to mine in that move that I’ve always found so intimate. “You wanted to make the world a better place with Peach Lips, but you do that just by existing, Ephemeral. It would be my absolute honor to milk that happiness with you. No matter what comes, the world won’t know what hit it. We’ll be a force. Together. You, me, and Peach Lips.”
My heart pretty much bursts with joy. I’m not sure how many days are in a lifetime, but however many we have coming, I know they’ll be the best of the best of the best.
Chapter seventeen
Ephemeral
Epilogue
“Hey!” I’m so freaking nervous that it makes me sound giddy. My smile is total shit-eating grin territory, but for once, I don’t care. I’m just so glad Thorn is back in Tucson.
He had to leave for a few days to take care of a few business issues—setting people up so he could take more time off than he planned. And then he contacted his family and told them he was coming. He spent that first night on the bus with me, and it was the hardest thing in the world to let him go, but at the same time, it was bittersweet knowing he’d be seeing his family, which is exactly what he needed to do.
He texted me multiple times a day during the two weeks he was gone, though never during my classes, which made me feel seen and respected. My time is important to me, and I’m dedicated to this even if they are just evening classes and very preliminary before I can get in full-time next semester. He understands that.
I curled my hair and wore a plaid dress with green alien cat heads. I’ve only worn it once. It’s got lace on the bottom and little black ties in a corset style up the side. One of Peach Lips’ fans sent it to me. She made it herself, and I’ve always been scared to wear it because I didn’t want to wreck it. I don’t own much for shoes that aren’t a walk on the wild side, but I do have one sensible pair of black flats, which I went with tonight.
“Mary Beth is watching Peach Lips. I know you warned me that the trailer is basically a construction site.”
Yesterday, Thorn was excited about this when he texted me that he’d be home, and by home, he meant the seventies tin can camper trailer that he found online in Mesa and had towed here. It was already pre-gutted, so he bought it as a shell.
I asked about his family the entire week he was gone, but all I ever got was that things were fine.
I hate that word.
And I imagine Thorn hates it too.
The more the week went on, the more my anxiety ramped up, but Thorn was funny in the texts. He used GIFs. He was lighthearted in a way that he hadn’t been in person. I understand it’s not easy. How many days did I feel like I was just walking through a dreamscape, interacting with people because I had to, and faking it when, on the inside, I was still a wrecked mess?
He’s in jeans, a T-shirt, and slides. He looks more casual than I’ve ever seen him, but something about his face is wrong. He cracks a smile, which for him is a whole lot of facial expression, but I can sense his turmoil.