Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
With that, he was gone.
“He’s… intense,” Everleigh said after we listened to his door slam, then his engine purr to life.
“He’s an asshole,” I countered. “But, I guess, that’s what makes him good at what he does. Rather have an asshole on our team than against us.”
“That’s true,” she agreed. “I feel like he wants more from me than I can give. I just don’t really have any contacts. And I guess I’ve always kind’ve seen the best in people. I still can’t believe Gav is a drug dealer. And that he was so heartless as to get me involved. I’ve worked so hard for him,” she added, voice going thick.
“Hey, don’t be crying over him,” I said. “He’s not worth it.”
To that, she sniffled hard. “Maybe not. But I think it’s okay to be upset that he took advantage of me.”
“That’s fair,” I agreed. “I’d hate for you to turn cold and cynical because of him, though. This is on him, not you.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, hiding her face in her hands as she tried to pull herself together.
Some part of me almost wished she didn’t. That she would let me go over there and pull her against my chest and hold her like I’d done at the courthouse. I liked how soft she was, how sweet and good. She was everything the world needed more of. And I was fucking enraged that Gav had the power to potentially change that about her.
“Ah, ‘scuse me,” a voice said, making Everleigh jump, turn, and rush into the kitchen, busying herself by starting to wash some dishes. “Did I interrupt somethin’?” the HVAC guy asked, shuffling his feet.
“It’s alright,” I said, following him out of the room to give Everleigh some privacy. “Did you figure out what’s going on with the heat?” I asked.
“The blower,” he said, nodding, but the way he sucked his teeth afterward told me that it didn’t end there. “Problem is, I don’t have the one you need. I can order it in, but it’ll be a couple days. Mail is slow out this way.”
“Well, there’s nothing we can do about that,” I said, shrugging, playing it off. While, inwardly, I was fucking over the moon about it. “Order it. The room’ll be there when you get it in stock.”
To that, he nodded.
“Aight. I’ll get it going. And will be back in… three days. Don’t have a time. I’ll have to check my schedule.”
“Drop in whenever. Someone is always around.”
“Good good. I’ll head out,” he said, but then turned back. “It’s none of my business, but I find buying some flowers and running a bath for the lady does wonders,” he said. “‘Less it’s a hormonal thing,” he added, clicking his tongue. “Then, your best bet is a boatload of chocolate, ice cream, a soft blanket, and keeping your damned mouth shut,” he said, whacking me on the arm, then walking off.
When I walked back into the kitchen, Everleigh had pulled herself together. “Why do I feel like that was too quick?” Everleigh asked, nodding toward the door where the HVAC tech had just walked out of.
“Because it was. He has to order a part. It’ll be another couple of days.”
“I can, ah, sleep on the couch until it’s done,” she said, looking uneasily at the living room.
“No. You’re fine where you are,” I said, brushing that off. “If anyone is going to be sleeping on the couch, it’s me.”
“No!” she said, a little too quickly. “No, it’s your room. So long as I’m not kicking you around or stealing your covers, you should just stay too.”
It was stupid.
It was getting harder and harder to keep my hands to myself. I’d needed to roll away from her just to keep myself from touching her.
But I wanted her there, no matter the struggle.
After the thing in the bathroom, I knew that I had no other choice but to practice some self control.
Because, yeah, she’d enjoyed herself. Yeah, she’d moaned and writhed and dug her fingers into my head. She’d come hard and long.
But when I’d looked at her afterward, her eyes huge, shock clear on her beautiful face, I knew it couldn’t happen again.
“You okay?” Everleigh asked, head tipped to the side.
“Yeah, fine,” I said, nodding.
“Why don’t I believe you?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at me. “You know what you need?” she asked.
“What’s that?”
“Hot chocolate and Home for the Holidays,” she declared.
“Home for the Holidays?” I asked.
“It’s one of the few Hollywood Thanksgiving movies. It’s perfect for this time of year. I’m not really a Halloween girl. So I like the Thanksgiving movies more. That one and Son in Law, in particular.”
“Sounds like a mini marathon is in our future,” I decided, watching the excitement brighten her previously sad eyes.
You had to love that about her.
How simple her pleasures were. How easily she found things to be happy about. Movies and hot chocolate. That was all it took to lift her mood.