Total pages in book: 185
Estimated words: 191421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 957(@200wpm)___ 766(@250wpm)___ 638(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 191421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 957(@200wpm)___ 766(@250wpm)___ 638(@300wpm)
I guess it’s not the question, it’s the person asking the question.
And my person is him.
My Bandit.
Which makes me even more determined to go to LA. with him.
“Reign, I —”
“If I couldn’t bear the thought of being apart from the ring,” he says, his features tight and sharp, “what makes you think I can stay apart from you when you’re wearing my ring?”
“But Reign, your dream. Your —”
“Dreams change, yeah?” He clutches my hand wearing his ring and brings it back to his chest. “It wasn’t even my dream before you came along. I wouldn’t even know that I had this dream, if not for you. So I don’t fucking care. I don’t fucking care where I get to play as long as you’re with me. If I’m as fucking good as they say I am, my future is bright anywhere. I’ll make my future anywhere. Besides, it’s my turn.”
“Your turn for what?”
“To compromise.”
“What?”
He shrugs. “We streamed Die Hard last weekend when you wanted to watch Notting Hill. So this week, it’s my turn to give you what you want. Remember?”
I do.
We have this system where we take turns compromising. Because we realized as soon as we started dating that even though we have a lot of things in common, we have a lot of things that divide us as well. He likes action movies, while I like romantic ones. He loves Chinese food while I love Mexican. He likes to go on hikes and do athletic things while all I want to do is sit around my couch and read or write. He has no interest in books while I can’t stop talking about them.
So we devised a system where we both take turns to do the things that the other likes.
And yeah, it was my turn last week to compromise, which means it’s his turn now.
I fist his hoodie. “This is more than a movie and takeout, Reign.”
His jaw clenches. “I know. Which means it’s going to happen, so you need to get with it and soon.”
My heart is squeezing in my chest. “I can’t… I can’t believe you’d do that for me.”
His grip on my body flexes. “I’m doing it for me. I’m sick, remember?”
This guy.
I love him so much. So so much.
“I’m sick too,” I whisper, placing a soft kiss on his mouth. “Which means when I graduate, it’s my turn. To go where you go. To do what you do.”
And then before he can say anything, I go for another kiss and this time when we come up for air, our foreheads are resting together and I’m up in his arms with my thighs around his waist.
Smiling, I whisper, “So I don’t think you’re my boyfriend anymore.”
“Yeah, so what am I?”
My smile widens. “Fiancé.”
“Not for long though.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m thinking Saturday.”
“Saturday for what?”
He squeezes me with his arms. “For getting married.”
That gives me a pause. “You mean this coming Saturday?”
“Yeah.”
Fisting his t-shirt at his shoulder, I inch away from him. “That’s only a week away.”
He makes a face. “Feels like fucking years but we’ll live.”
I fist his shirt harder. “Are you insane?”
“For you, yeah.”
“No,” I tell him. “I’m not getting married to you in a week.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Because I can barely tell everyone I know by Saturday, let alone put together a big, lavish wedding.”
Not to mention, now that my parents have started to like Reign — my mom more than my dad — they would want in on all the planning and stuff. And oh my God, I cannot wait to call her tonight and tell her, and all my friends too.
He raises his eyebrows. “There’s going to be a big, lavish wedding.”
“Um, yes.” I roll my eyes. “I want a big wedding. And I want music and flowers and cake. I want cake, Reign. And I want birds flying and people dancing. And I want to wear a pretty white dress and you to wear this gorgeous tuxedo. Plus the wedding invitations with ornate filigree. Yes, I want a big wedding and…”
I trail off when I notice that his lips are on the verge of smiling and that he was totally pulling my leg. I punch him in the shoulder. “You jerk.”
He chuckles. “Well, I would’ve married you Saturday but if you want a big wedding, I’ll give you a big wedding, Bubblegum.”
I paste on a fake smile. “Thank you, Bandit.”
“But you gotta give me the other thing.”
“What other thing?”
“About who gets to tell the kids.”
“What kids?”
“Our kids.” Then, with a smirk, “About how once upon a time, Daddy climbed into Mommy’s room through her window. And how while Mommy was writhing under Daddy and screaming in Daddy’s ears about how good he makes her feel, they got caught and —”
“You asshole! I can’t believe —”
He bursts out laughing and that’s how he claims my mouth.