Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Dad sighs heavily, shaking his phone at me. “Amara.”
Amara is Dad’s newest girlfriend. He’s got a bit of a savior complex. Mom was way too independent for him, so now he just dates women he can fix. It’s a fucking disaster to be honest.
“What about her?”
“You really weren’t listening.”
Something out the window catches my eye. I see Casey hurrying past and I can’t help but smirk. She didn’t want to do the walk of shame, so she snuck out a window.
“I’m listening now,” I say, turning back to him. “Are you thinking of giving Amara this place?”
“What’s the alternative?” he asks, frowning. “Let her move in with us? She’s my girlfriend, but…”
He doesn’t love her.
I know that for a fact. At best, he’s kind to her and tolerates her. And, on occasion, he fucks her. I’ve heard them going at it a time or two. But moving in together? They’re missing something vital in their relationship.
They certainly don’t have what me and Casey have.
Fire. The need to consume one another. Obsession.
“You don’t have to save everyone,” I tell him. “It’s not your responsibility.”
Dad does so much for everyone. He’s a good friend to Cole, always there to let him vent. He lets the beer bros fuck him around on rent all the time because he genuinely likes them. When Clara almost caught her unit on fire, he put in a new stove and repainted with not an ounce of anger toward her for being careless. With Maggie, he lets her have a million cats and never asks for a pet deposit even though we’re going to have to burn that unit to the ground when she dies because it reeks like cat piss.
“Anyway,” Dad grumbles, not liking my calling him out. “How are things with you and Casey? I noticed you didn’t come home last night. I’m guessing it was good.”
My cheeks flame hot, and I can’t stop the stupid grin forming on my face. “Your boy’s a man now.”
Dad barks out a laugh. “No shit? Good for you.” His features pinch as he grows serious. “I saw Derek leaving this morning. What was that all about?”
Honestly, I barely know myself. I still need to talk to Casey about it.
“Thought he could have her back,” I say with a sigh. “He walked in on us. Awkward as fuck.”
He scrunches his face. “I don’t envy you a bit. You sure you know what you’re doing with this woman? I really don’t want to see you get hurt.”
I’m sure it’ll hurt.
It already has.
My heart is vulnerable and belongs solely to her. So far, it’s taken a bit of a beating. I’ve done nothing but question my every move and drown in my insecurities.
But it’s also been the most incredible feeling in the world.
I guess that’s what love feels like. A few punches and a lot of sweet caresses to the pitiful beating organ in your chest. I can get used to a little pain with my pleasure.
“I’m not being careful,” I say with a soft laugh. “I’m going all in. I feel like my heart is raw, beating fiercely in her hand. She could crush it if she wanted to, but I don’t think she will. I’m trusting she won’t.”
“Women,” Dad grumbles playfully. “They’re stressful as fuck, but man, do they make up for it in bed.”
And with their sweet giggles, gentle touch, kind words, expert tongue…
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out to see a text from Casey.
Casey: It’s not what you think. We didn’t have a chance to finish our conversation. Can you please come over, handsome? I want to tell you everything and stay wrapped up in your arms all day.
“Oh shit,” Dad says with a whistle. “You are in love. Go get your woman. I need to relieve some stress. Sanding down these walls is exactly what I need.”
I give my dad a quick hug, hoping to send some strength his way, and then hightail it out of Gordon’s unit like my ass is on fire.
Casey’s back door is unlocked, so I let myself inside. Mo prances over to me, orange tail swishing happily. I pick him up for a quick snuggle.
“You’ll be proud of me,” Casey says from the doorway into the kitchen. “I made it official.”
Mo purrs loudly and I’m glad to have him in my hands. I’m still on unsure footing with what happened with Derek this morning.
“What’s that, babe?”
She walks over to me to pet Mo and then presses a sweet kiss to my lips. Greeting me with a kiss is a good sign.
“I ran into Maggie when I came back home a bit ago. She was asking about Mo, and I confessed he’s been hanging out with me.”
My eyebrows fly up. “Oh yeah? How’d she handle that?”
“Get this,” she says with a smile and a shake of her head. “She knew. Apparently, he’s a little shit at her house so she’s been letting him out to explore. She figured if he wanted a new family, he’d find it on his own, and he did.”