Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 145155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 726(@200wpm)___ 581(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
He lies silent as he stares at the ceiling. “Do you want to know what I did after I kicked that girl out of my car around the corner the other night?” I nod and roll onto my side to face him.
“I ran on the treadmill for six hours, had a fight with Cameron and crashed my car.”
I frown. “Why in the hell did you have a fight with Cameron?”
“Because he told me I was a gutless prick and deep down I knew he was right and then he told me you were too good for me anyway. I just snapped. I couldn’t help myself. We got into an argument and he told me to marry a stripper, seeing that’s all I deserve. I disgust myself.” He puts the back of his forearm over his eyes.
I put my hands over my face. “Josh,” I whisper. “Have you seen him since?”
“Yeah, we made up late last night, but the guilt I felt knowing you would be heartbroken this morning had me going insane and, he’s right, I don’t deserve you. Everything he said was completely true.” He goes silent. “Tash, please don’t let me mess this up. I can’t explain it, but it fucks with my head big-time knowing I depend on one person so much for my happiness.”
I smile a sad smile. “I feel it too, Josh, and you’re right, I depend on you for my happiness. So, man up and make me happy, dickhead.” He growls and rolls me onto my back as he holds my hands above my head.
“You just got yourself a ticket,” he smiles into my neck.
I giggle. “To where?” I ask too sweetly.
“Pound Town,” he smirks as he bites me hard.
25
Natasha
“Cabin crew, cross check.”
We are seated in Josh’s private plane bound for LAX Airport and I have to say I’m pretty damn nervous. Cameron and Adrian have come along for the ride, Cameron to check out the hospital and living arrangements and Adrian to catch up with his boyfriend. After not seeing him for eleven weeks he jumped at the chance to go home for a week. They are sitting together three seats behind us. Max and Ben and, what’s-his-name, Adrian’s bodyguard, are seated at the back together already playing cards, obviously used to extensive travel. To think it’s only been nine weeks since I started seeing Josh again and already I can’t imagine my life without him. I blow out a breath and close my eyes. I hate flying. I’ve watched way too many episodes of Air Crash Investigation to sit back and enjoy the ride, who knows what the hell is going on in that damn cockpit? Half the time I don’t think the pilots do. One thing I do know for sure is that they don’t tell the passengers anything is wrong until they have approximately five seconds to live.
I frown at Josh. “Who is this pilot again?” I ask.
He smiles and shakes his head as he closes his eyes and leans his head back on the rest. “Will you chill? Do you think I would let a pilot who can’t fly, fly the freaking plane?”
I frown as I take his hand for comfort. “Did you check his references?”
Josh opens his eyes and frowns at me. “Is that a joke?”
“Josh, this is serious. We have precious cargo on board, you know. Namely me.” I bat my eyelids to accentuate the point.
He gives me a swoon-worthy smile. “Very precious cargo,” he repeats as he leans in and kisses me gently on the lips. “Why don’t you read a book? I have work I have to get done and then we can have sex and a sleep later?”
I frown at him and my eyes shoot around the cabin. “Sex in here, with everyone on the plane?” I gasp. He mischievously smiles and nods as he does wide eyes at me. I lean in to whisper, “I know you’re an exhibitionist but there is no way in hell I am having sex on this plane.”
He smirks. “Handbrake,” he whispers as he does wide eyes at me. Oh, I’m shocked.
“Did you just call me a handbrake?” I ask.
He smiles and nods. “Totally.”
The plane speeds down the runway and I brace myself for take-off. Joshua senses I am scared and puts his arm around me for comfort. I always feel so safe when he’s around. It’s like I’m in a safe bubble when I’m with him and I know it’s a false sense of security, the last week has shown me that. My mind wanders back over the last few weeks. The strip club when I saw him with the blond stripper. I hated that night. And then seeing his tattoo at the fight, this brings a smile to my face. What about when he told me he fucking adored me the first time? I swoon at the memory. And to think I am on my way to LA with him to pick out a house for us to start a future in together. Could he be more perfect? Hmm, unfortunately, yes he could. The horrible memory of TC enters my head. The amount of sex he has had with other women is definitely a fly in the ointment. The stripper he was kissing the other night. I close my eyes and rub my forehead in frustration. Is Bridget right? Is he really just covering his ass with an elaborate story? Is he the world’s biggest player? Have I turned into one of those pathetic girlfriends that make excuses for my philandering boyfriend?