Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“Nothing. I’m just drunk and being weird.”
“Isaac…”
“Leave it alone, Hutch,” he snapped, and I nodded. I couldn’t force him to tell me. “Now, you have a gorgeous man on the other side of this condo who’s crazy about you. I could see it. Go ravage him while I lie here being depressed that the rooms aren’t closer so I could at least listen in and jerk off.” I chuckled, and he continued, “Seriously, though…it doesn’t work out for everyone. There are much worse things than falling for your sister’s ex. If you and Ryder can find a way to make it work, do it. You deserve love.”
“You do too.”
He shrugged. “I’m not so sure of that.” I opened my mouth, but he shook his head, shutting me down. “Good night, Hutch.”
With a sigh, I stood. “Good night.” After turning out the light, I slipped out the door, closing it softly behind me.
18
Ryder
I’d stripped out of my clothes the second I got back into Hutch’s room and went straight for the shower.
I had fun with him tonight. It felt good to actually be out together the way other couples were, to have someone know about us.
I startled when the glass doors opened and Hutch stepped in. “Shit. You scared me.”
He entwined his arms around my waist from behind. “I was stuck between getting in with you and enjoying the view.” He pressed a kiss to my shoulder.
“I think you made the right decision.”
“You do, huh?” Another kiss.
“Yeah, I mean, how lucky are you that you can shower with me whenever you want? No one has ever been so lucky. I’m a prize.”
Hutch laughed. “You’re a cocky bastard is what you are.”
“You like me this way.”
“Yeah, I do.” Hutch nudged me. “Scoot over so I can clean up too. You always hog up all the space.”
With a smile, I stepped to the side. He was half hard as he reached for the soap and sponge.
We washed, moving around one another, taking turns standing under the spray. Eventually I turned the water off, and we got out. Hutch handed me a towel, then grabbed one for himself. We dried ourselves off, and after wrapping the cloth around our waists, stood at the counter to brush our teeth, side by side.
It was late, and I could tell Hutch was tired, could see the weariness in him, but something else was going on too. He was pensive in the way he got when his mind was even heavier than it typically was. Hutch thought a lot, analyzed things, and worried. I figured it had to do with Isaac, because something sure as shit had been wrong with him tonight. I didn’t even know the guy, and I could tell that.
When we finished, Hutch hit the bathroom lights, and we made our way into the bedroom, where only the lamp on my side of the bed was lit.
“What are you smiling at?” Hutch asked, dropping his towel.
“I didn’t know I was smiling, but I assume it’s because I thought of this as my side of the bed. It makes sense in some ways because this is where I sleep, but…I’m not sure I could feel that way if it were anyone else’s bed. Even if I’d slept there as much as I do in yours. Does that make sense?” Hell, I was losing my damn mind. I didn’t know what I was trying to say.
“Yeah.” He grinned. “It makes sense. Now get naked and lie down on your side of the bed.”
“I’m only listening because I like being naked with you.”
“How lucky are you that you get to be nude with me every night? I’m quite the prize,” he playfully returned my words from earlier.
I rolled my eyes. The second we were under the quilt together, my head resting in the crook of his arm, which was around me, Hutch kissed the top of my head.
“What’s wrong?” I plucked at a hair on his chest.
“Nothing really, but I’m worried about Isaac. He’s definitely hurting, but he won’t tell me what’s wrong, and he said… I told him. Who you are.”
I looked over at him and cocked a brow. “No shit? What did he say?” Isaac was the first person to know about us, and I couldn’t help wondering how it looked from his side. How he felt about the fact that I’d married Hutch’s sister, but now I was in love with him.
The realization came to me in that moment, and I wasn’t shocked, wasn’t scared, didn’t wish it away. I was in love with Hutch, and a part of me was in awe of that. Of the strength and passion of that feeling that filled me up every single day. It was both foreign and like finally being home.
“He said it’s not ideal, of course, but that it didn’t matter. That we deserved to be happy and there are worse things than falling for your sister’s ex. He told me not everyone has their feelings returned, that they don’t all get to have who they love, so if we can make it work, we should.”