Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 176012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 880(@200wpm)___ 704(@250wpm)___ 587(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 880(@200wpm)___ 704(@250wpm)___ 587(@300wpm)
“Why do you like them?” I ask, trying to keep her to myself as long as possible.
My voice is barely a whisper, but I don’t mean to sound like I’m telling a secret.
She looks thoughtful and then shrugs a little. “Maybe it would be nice to have someone to talk to, after all.”
“You have family.”
“It’s not the same thing. They can’t really talk to me, can they?” she presses. “Do I really want to know what my family members are doing in private?”
More kids race through, leaping and crashing.
“If I share, so will they, and I’m not interested in the mental image of Hunter sinking his head beneath Dylan’s sheets, for crying out loud.” She offers a little smile. “But then that means I can’t tell them private things, either.”
I narrow my eyes. Like someone with his head under her sheets?
She looks away. “I need someone to talk to.”
We rock like we’re on a boat, and I open my mouth to say something, but I don’t know what. If this was ten years ago, I’d tell her she can talk to me. She used to have that.
And I would’ve told her she can be friends with anyone she wants. I don’t want her to feel lonely.
It’s different now, though. Am I really that worried she’ll get hurt by some guy? Honestly, it’s probably the best thing that can happen to anyone. She’ll probably cry over three or four guys before she finds the one meant for her.
Darts of water hit us, and Quinn and I jerk our eyes up, seeing Madoc’s daughter and Jared’s son shooting their water guns.
“Brats!” Quinn teases.
The eleven-year-olds giggle and come somersaulting over the slide, A.J. barreling toward us.
Quinn pushes into me, squealing, and we tumble to the floor. I start to catch her, but her knee jabs into my dick, and liquid fire spreads. I gasp, squeezing my eyes shut at what feels like fifteen fucking needles impaling my balls, creating a lightning storm down my thighs and up into my stomach.
I grunt, starting to curl up on reflex. “Oh, shit.” I try not to cry, forcing it to come out as a pained laugh, instead.
She sucks in a breath and pushes herself up. “Oh my God.” She looks down at me, horrified. “Are you okay? Did I…”
“Yeah, you clipped me a little bit,” I grit between my teeth, trying to breathe. “Fuck.”
I don’t know where the kids went, but they’re gone, and I just try to manage lying still as the pain gets worse before it gets better.
Quinn’s body trembles on mine, and I pry one eye open. Laughter gleams in her eyes, her lips trapped between her teeth.
“Are you laughing?” I burst out.
“I don’t mean to be.” She winces. “Can I do anything?”
I realize my arm is around her, my hand at the curve of her waist. I move my fingers just a hair, the feel of her skin making my fingertips vibrate.
“Yeah, get off me,” I joke, jerking away. “So I can get the hell out of here before you kill me.”
But as I rise up and offer her a hand, her smile has fallen, her expression torn. I didn’t mean ‘get out of here’ as in ‘the country.’ Just the bounce house.
Finally, she takes my hand and I tug her up.
I gaze down at her, easily lost in her brown eyes. Eyes that have seen me as a boy and counted on me when I was a man, trusted me, and looked right through me, the same now as they ever did. Eyes that gravitated to me with all of her questions and kindness and ease.
“You can do better, you know?” I say, continuing our conversation about Noah and Farrow. “You’re not the type of girl to go for guys like that. At least, I never thought so.”
Her expression falters, pain hitting her eyes, and I don’t try to apologize. It was a shitty thing to say, but I want to hurt her feelings. I’d forgotten the kind of man I used to be in her eyes, and I hope I forget again just as quickly.
Before she has a chance to move away from me, we’re surrounded. Kade shows up with a backpack, as well as Hawke, his girlfriend, Hunter, Dylan, and Farrow.
“Nice hiding place.” Kade looks between Quinn and me as he digs into his backpack. “Let’s do a toast.”
What time is it?
He starts tossing tubes of something pink, which I can only assume are shots.
Dylan catches one. “Yesss.”
I check my watch. An hour and a half left.
I should just leave now. Fuck it.
“Want one, boss?” I hear someone say and raise my eyes to see Farrow holding a tube out for me.
Boss…
The gleam in his eyes meets the ire in mine, and I glance around, no one really noticing. Or registering any meaning to his choice in words.