Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
“We can’t control what other people think, so you shouldn’t worry so much about it. But I care what you think, so what if I found a way to make you believe we can work and not just for a little while. Forever.”
What he was suggesting was impossible. “You can’t.”
“I can.”
“Why are you so sure?”
“Because I love you, Hunter. A man can move mountains when he’s in love. Don’t let anyone tell you different.” Ocean rested his forehead against mine and sighed. “Say yes,” he urged. “Trust that I can make you both feel safe, cherished, and loved. But even more, believe that you deserve it.” He kissed me sweetly. “Because that’s all I want to do, Hunter. I want to take care of you.”
“And Coby?”
“Hell, yeah.”
I moaned when he deepened the kiss. It was always so drugging. “We’re kind of a lot. Are you sure you can handle us?” I teased between kisses.
Ocean wrangled his lips from mine and looked down at me like I was crazy for even suggesting it. “Fuck no,” he barked, making us both laugh. “But I don’t give a shit. I need you. I need her.”
I hid my smile and shrugged. “It’s your funeral.”
Ocean froze, and then his eyes widened when he caught on to what I was saying. “Is that a yes?”
My stomach was suddenly attacked by a thousand butterflies as I stared up at him. The sheer hope in his eyes that I might surrender… I’d never felt more powerful or desired. All I wanted to do was chase that feeling. “Yes.”
Rolling off me, Ocean pulled me into him. His hold was crushing, as if he thought I might change my mind or poof out of existence. We cuddled and gorged ourselves on popcorn and candy like two teenagers while watching the rest of Die Hard. I don’t think either of us made it to the end before falling asleep.
I woke first while the ending credits were still rolling.
For a while, I just watched Ocean as he slept.
I never realized how long his lashes were until now. I lightly played with his beard so that I wouldn’t wake him, and after, when I could no longer ignore how fucking cold it was, I searched through the mountain of pillows and extra blankets for my phone.
Waking the screen, I cursed after seeing what time it was.
“Ocean.” I pecked his lips several times until he finally opened his eyes. “We’ve got to go.” I had to shake his ass awake again when it looked like he would fall asleep again. I almost felt bad for waking him, knowing he hadn’t been getting much sleep lately. “Coby will be up soon.”
He blinked and then checked his watch before frowning, sucking his teeth, and rolling away from me to slip back into sleep. “Hunter, please,” he groaned when I shook him again. “It’s barely five in the morning. Coby’s sleeping. I’m sleeping. Go to sleep.”
“No,” I whined. “I’m cold, and it’s Christmas morning. Coby’s always up before the sun because she’s so obnoxiously happy about Christmas that she can barely sleep the night before.”
Unconvinced that anyone would willingly wake up this hour, Ocean lazily reached for his phone. I thought it was to call Coby, but after staring at the screen for a while, I realized he was watching something.
I peered over his shoulder, and my jaw dropped when I saw a video feed of Coby’s room at Glainne. On the screen was a live recording of the bedroom and Coby stirring. “Is that—have you been watching us?”
“Of course,” Ocean said casually as if that wasn’t a huge invasion of privacy.
That meant he knew everything.
Saw everything.
As if reading my thoughts, Ocean looked over his shoulder at me and smirked. He rose and tucked his phone away before kissing my lips. “You’re right. We should go.”
I was a ball of confused emotions as I helped him clean up. I was sad to see our little nook go, but I was more torn over what the hell Ocean might have seen or heard and what he planned to do about it. I knew he wanted us all together, but how did he feel about Coby and me having our own thing?
Ocean drove us back to Glainne while I worked up the courage to ask.
The words still hadn’t come when we reached the glittering onyx tower. We dropped the Denali off with the valet just as Abel seemingly materialized out of nowhere. I wasn’t surprised. Ocean had been too at ease at the drive-in while in the middle of an open war with his far, which meant we hadn’t been alone after all.
We held hands as we rode the private elevators up to the penthouse. As soon as the doors slid open, I could hear Coby’s favorite Christmas carol blaring through the speakers, and for the first time in years, I wasn’t completely dreading the day.