Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 96046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Jesus. Did I not say it back?
“I do. I love you, Dorian. So much it hurts.” I wiped my eyes. “God, I’m such a disaster.”
“You’re my disaster, Rosebud.”
I blinked. “Rosebud?”
Dorian’s cheeks reddened. “It’s what I’ve called you in my head for some time. I guess this is the first time I’ve said it aloud.”
“Well, I love it.” My cheeks hurt from smiling.
He held me close for a moment before he got up from bed.
“Well, good. I’m glad we got that settled.” He brushed off his hands. “So now, what do you want for breakfast?”
I clutched the sheets. “What do you eat to celebrate being a hot mess?”
“Pancakes?” He grinned.
“Sounds good to me.”
Dorian went downstairs, leaving me sitting in bed, a pile of mush from the love fog he’d put me in. I’d gone from panicked to euphoric. I’d broken up with several men in my life, yet not a single one had fought me on it. Not a single one had told me they loved me in response. Every single one of them had let me go without a fight.
I shook my head and got myself moving. This was nothing like those other relationships.
***
After a nice breakfast of pancakes that Dorian managed not to burn and a day of working in my art room, I felt like a new woman. By the time Chandler and Candace arrived, I was ready to see friends and celebrate my happiness—our happiness.
When the doorbell rang, I went to the door while Dorian set out some drinks. It was a cooler night, so we’d opted to have dinner inside rather than an evening barbecue out by the pool.
They were all smiles when I opened the door. Candace wore a long, blonde wig and looked totally different from the first and only other time I’d met her. She had such a pretty face that it didn’t matter what she had on her head, but the wig definitely complemented her.
“Your hair. I love it!”
“I wish it were mine.” She shrugged. “You really like it?”
“It looks so good. For some reason, I pictured you as a brunette, but the blonde really suits you.”
“I asked Chandler who he felt like fucking later. He said Daisy.”
“We have names for all the wigs,” he added, rubbing his wife’s back. “They’re now her different personas. The blonde is Daisy. Short brunette is Lorelei. And the redhead is Gia.”
Candace chuckled. “Gotta find some enjoyment in this situation, right?”
I ran a hand over her tresses. “I can’t wait to meet them all.”
“Hey!” Dorian wrapped his arms around me from behind. “Who brought blondie?”
Dorian told me he’d filled Chandler in on the evolution of our relationship, but I wasn’t entirely sure what they knew. They didn’t seem too surprised to see Dorian hanging all over me. But I had a feeling I’d be explaining a lot to Candace tonight.
The four of us migrated to the kitchen where Dorian had set out wine and glasses, along with the snack plate of crackers, cheese, and fruit that I’d prepared earlier.
“So, by the way, thank you both,” Candace said as she munched on a cracker.
I looked over at Dorian then back at her. “Thank us, why?”
Candace smacked her hand on the counter. “I won a hundred bucks because of you two.”
“What did we do?” Dorian asked as he poured some wine.
“I bet Chandler that you two would get together before the end of the year. It happened even faster than I’d anticipated.”
“I wasn’t lying to you that day, by the way,” I told her. “There really wasn’t anything happening between us the first time we met.”
Dorian took a sip and laughed. “Those were actually the final hours before everything blew up.”
“The sex game, you mean?” I chuckled.
Candace stopped mid-chew. “Oh my God. What are you talking about? I need to know.”
“Remember that card game you found in the pile?” I asked. “After you guys left, Dorian and I sort of played it.”
Dorian nuzzled my neck. “It’s all innocent until you do a body shot off of the woman you’ve been trying to resist for weeks.”
Chandler and Candace both had their mouths hanging open.
“Let’s just say if Dorian hadn’t been a Boy Scout the rest of that night, we would’ve gotten together a lot sooner,” I added.
“What did he do…or not do?” Candace asked, looking all too amused.
“He actually turned me down that night,” I confessed.
Chandler’s eyes practically popped as he turned to his friend. “Are you out of your mind?”
“We both were a little out of our minds that night,” Dorian replied. “A little too drunk. So, yeah, I forced myself to be good. But it was hard.”
“I bet it was,” Chandler chided as we all cracked up.
Candace smiled. “I’m so happy for the two of you.”
“Thank you.” Dorian kissed the side of my forehead.
“How are things going with you guys?” I asked them.