Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“You’re a dork.”
“Yeah, but you love me.”
Donovan clears his throat and tosses the cloth into the hamper.
He walks toward the door, and I say, “Hurry back to bed, husband. I miss you. I want to cuddle you…and I totally want to do that again. Maybe every day. Do you think we can do it all day? Is that possible?”
Like I hoped he would, Donovan laughs, and whatever weirdness was there a moment ago seems to have disappeared.
He turns out the light, and I remember our kitty who is all alone in the other room and may be scared or sad. “D?”
“I’ll open the door so she can come in. That way she knows she can if she wants to, but if she’s already tired of us, she can have some space.”
I smile at how he read my mind.
Donovan climbs into bed with me, and I pull the blankets over us, then tug him close, arms tight around him. My smile grows in the dark room, and when I feel the bed move, our cat at our feet, I drift off to sleep, happier and more sated than I’ve ever been.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Donovan
Me: Emergency meeting of the Jilted Exes’ Club. Stat.
Hayes: Uh-oh. What happened with you and Eric this time?
Anthony: Did you realize you’re in love?
Me: I’m dying. Seriously freaking out here. When can we meet?
Hayes: Rylan is traveling. Our place?
Anthony: I’m free. Need me to pick you up, Donovan?
Me: Thanks, but I’m good. I can drive. I’ll head over now. Thank you both. I don’t know what I’d do without you.
Hayes: That’s what friends are for.
Anthony: We got you.
Eric and I have been fucking like rabbits the last couple of days, and I’m totally and incredibly screwed. Well, clearly, I’m screwed since we don’t go much time without his dick in my ass, but that’s not the kind of screwed I mean right now.
If I thought we were acting like a real couple before, it’s even worse now. He kisses me when he goes into the other room, holds my hand at odd times, and is basically like Velcro.
I’m not complaining. No one has ever wanted to be as close to me as Eric does. It makes sense for us, but it’s one hundred percent messed with my brain, and odds are, things will get really, really messy.
I grab my wallet and head for the door. Eric is with Ana, which is the perfect time for me to go see Hayes and Anthony. I’m surprised that the thought of Eric and Ana together doesn’t make me jealous because holy fuck, I was jealous before. What in the crappy best friend was that, and how did I not realize it? Luckily, this time I’m too in my head about us to feel anything else.
My fingers tap on the steering wheel the whole drive to Hayes and Rylan’s place in Hermosa Beach.
It’s a huge house on the water. From what I’ve heard, a lot of professional sports players live in the area, but I know Mads doesn’t. He seems to march to the beat of his own drum.
Anthony pulls up right behind me. He gives me a knowing smile when he sees me. “Get things sorted out?”
“I did, and it’s devastating. Let’s get inside so I only have to say it once.”
He nods. We make our way to the front door, which Hayes opens before we can knock. “Is everything okay?”
“No. It’s terrible.” I walk into the house.
“Did he hurt you?” Hayes’s tone is serious.
“What? No. That’s part of the problem.”
“I’m confused,” Anthony says. “You want him to hurt you and he’s not into that?”
“No! Everything is getting mixed up here. I think I’m in love with Eric.” I turn to face them, waiting for a response, but they both just stand there like they’re waiting for me to say more. “I’m pretty sure I’ve always been in love with Eric and just didn’t let myself see it. I was so insistent on building walls between us, walls that would prevent him from ever questioning how I might feel about him, that I somehow kept myself locked out of the truth too.”
They stare.
Blink.
Hayes breaks the silence first. “You really didn’t know?”
Anthony swats him lightly on the arm.
“I mean…congrats?” Hayes says, and Anthony sighs. “Sorry. You guys know how bad I am at this stuff. I just didn’t realize you didn’t actually know. I thought you were just keeping it to yourself, but then, it took me a while to realize I loved Rylan too. Not most of my life, but…shit. I’m shutting up now.”
I can’t help but laugh. It’s such a Hayes response, and it helps lower my stress level.
I sit down on the couch, making their black cat, Puck, run away. “I’m so fucked.” I drop my head against the back of the couch.