Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“I want you to be comfortable,” I force myself to say.
It’s fucking killing me how badly I want her. I shift again, and I wonder if she knows how deeply she affects me. That she’s basically a siren and I’m the captain of a ship, ready to steer my boat right into the jagged rocks that surround her. The desire in her eyes has me fighting the need to wrap my arms around her and smother her mouth with mine. But then she says one word that has me about two seconds from doing a victory lap. “Okay.”
“Okay,” I breathe out as she looks back down at the first aid kit. She closes it up, her fingers brushing against my thighs and leaving me with one hell of a hard-on.
Thank God I’m sitting.
My voice is strained as I say, “I’ll get you a key made.”
She nods as she hands me the kit. I toss it to the seat, my eyes still on hers. “Thank you.”
“Always,” I say, looking up at her and loving how she towers over me like this. Her chest is rising and falling, her eyes dark and sultry.
“Dean?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you make me laugh?”
My heart clenches in my chest as I reach out, taking her hips in my hands and bringing her in close. Not as close as I want, but enough so that she knows I’m here for her. She takes a sharp breath.
“What happened?”
Tears gather in her eyes as she shrugs. “Just feeling down.”
I squeeze her hips, and she steps toward me, her thighs between my legs, touching my inner thighs. “Darlin’, you blocked him?”
She nods. “Yeah, but he called the boys, and the boys called me. They told me not to give in to him, but I feel like a bad mom, allowing him to try to manipulate my boys.”
“But he didn’t. They called you. They wanted you to be okay,” I stress, my eyes burning into hers. “You’re nowhere near a bad mom, Kenni.”
Her lip wobbles as she looks away. “It’s just so much. I wish I had never met him.”
Fucking same.
I swallow that sentiment and squeeze her hips. “But then we wouldn’t have the boys.”
She exhales. “I know,” she agrees, once more moving her eyes to mine. “So, give it to me.”
I choke on air.
I’m so cool.
“Sorry?”
Her lips curve. “Make me laugh.”
Duh, yeah.
Here for the comic relief.
Nothing more.
I search her gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. “Is your name ChapStick?” Her face lights up as she snorts, and I can’t help but grin back. “Because I want to put you on my lips.”
Her laughter is loud, vibrating her whole body as she shakes her head. She pushes off my chest, walking backward. “Good thing I know you’re only picking on me, or by the way you’re looking at me, I’d think you really want that.”
I lick my lips. “Who said I’m only picking?”
She stops walking, her eyes narrowing as she presses her hand to her chest. “Are you not?”
I shrug as I turn in the seat, shutting the door. I look through my open window and grin at her. “Nope.”
She takes a deep breath, and I love the look of shock on her face. It’s as if she can’t believe I want to kiss her.
Kissing her is the bare minimum I want to do to her.
“Text me, roomie.”
She’s all kinds of fumbling, trying to reach for her phone with her mouth still parted. When she unlocks her phone, she stares back at me. “I don’t have your number, do I?”
I glance over at her, my lips quirking at the side. “It hasn’t changed.”
Then I drive off, unsure what I just did or how this will play out.
But I’m bursting at the seams with excitement.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
The Cousins
Skyye
it’s moving day!
Skyye
why am I always the one to text first.
Skyye
and y’all take forever to answer.
Flint
because you’re still a kid and have no real responsibilities.
Flint
we are busy young men with girls coming for us at every turn, hockey to play, and we have to cook for ourselves now since Mom isn’t here to do it.
Skyye
I am not a kid. I have a job and parents to care for.
Flint
aren’t they supposed to take care of you?
Ash
I don’t like that Mom is moving in with Dean. Why can’t we find a nice little apartment for her?
Skyye
because it’s tourist season and NOTHING is available. Trust, we looked.
Flint
I looked too.
Flint
this is good. She’s still near SI, and Dean isn’t even home half the time.
Ash
he better be a gentleman and be better than Nyle.
Skyye
Dad is better than Nyle. Aunt Kenni is excited.
Ash
that’s what worries me.
Ash
What if he lets her down?
Flint
he won’t.
Skyye
he won’t.
Ash
I just want her to be happy.
Skyye
we all do. Especially my dad.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-THREE
Kenni
Me
You’re absolutely sure?
Dean
Yes, KenniLeigh.
He’s always said my name like he’d capitalize the Leigh. He doesn’t run the syllables together like everyone else does. No, he says, Kenni. Leigh. But together. That doesn’t make sense. I don’t know, I just like that he capitalized the Leigh.