Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
She tilts her head at me.
“You mean, what we did at Wissam’s store?”
I nod.
“Exactly that. I’m too old for you, honey. You should find a boy your own age. Someone who’s not over the hill with wrinkles and gray hair—”
“You don’t have wrinkles or gray hair!” she exclaims indignantly. “Well actually, I see a strand or two at your temples, but it makes you look more handsome, Killian. Distinguished, even.”
I smile despite myself as my heart warms.
“Thanks, sweetheart, but you get my drift. You should be dating boys who don’t have any gray hairs, period. They should be your age and share your interests. I’m an old coot by comparison, honey, and you’re too good for me. We don’t belong together.”
Leah shakes her head furiously.
“I don’t agree. We’re perfect together.”
I shake my head again.
“How can you say that? Leah, honey, I’m more than twice your age. I went to college with your dad and held you when you were two days old. I remember what it was like to live without a cell phone. Without computers and internet, even. You, on the other hand, can’t even conceive of such an existence. The world wide web has always been there, and our world views are different as a result.”
Leah squints at me.
“No, I can conceive of a different age. I can conceive of a time when people didn’t have cars, and had to use horse-drawn buggies. I can conceive of a time when there was no TV, internet, nor cell towers, and everyone had to congregate in the town square to learn the latest news. I have an imagination, Killian, and I read too. I’m not dumb.”
I let out a heavy sigh.
“Of course you aren’t dumb. I wasn’t implying that, honey. All I’m saying is that I’ve seen a lot of the world already, whereas you’re just starting out. You deserve a partner with whom to experience the blessings of life. You don’t need someone old and jaded like me.”
Leah squints at me.
“Yeah, but maybe I want a man who’s old and jaded. Maybe I want someone with experience so that I don’t have to start from scratch. There’s no point in re-inventing the wheel, after all.”
I sigh again. Shit, Leah’s smart and I have to give her credit for that because she’s able to parry and thrust with the best of them. For every reason that I proffer, she has a perfectly logical counter-reason. And they make sense too. I find myself at a loss for words.
“Fine then,” I state in a low tone. “I see that my arguments are having no effect. Let’s just put it this way then: we can’t move forward because I don’t want to. It’s not right, and I won’t do this to either you or Jimmy. There, happy?”
She squints at me.
“Are you serious, Uncle Killian? Is this some kind of ‘your word is law’ type thing?”
“It is,” I say in a slow tone. “I hate to do this, but it takes two to tango, and in this case, I’m putting the brakes on things. We’re not moving forward with this relationship. At least, not in the way you’re hoping.”
Leah’s silent for a moment, but I can practically see the wheels turning in her head.
“That’s your final answer?” she asks.
“It is,” I reply, even as my stomach drops to my feet. This feels awful, even though I know it’s the right thing to do. Goddamn, it’s hard to be a morally ethical person these days.
But Leah shakes her head then, brown curls swinging.
“No, I don’t agree,” she says in a firm voice. “We’re going to continue what we’re doing, Uncle Killian. In fact, you’re going to be the man to pop my cherries. Would you like that?”
My cocks jerk at her words, and my heart begins to race. But I know I can’t give my excitement away. After all, I just rejected Leah, although it seems that the curvy girl’s not taking the rejection well.
“Leah,” I say in a low voice. “We’re through. What happened at Wissam’s was a one-time thing, and a mistake too. There’s no more ‘us’ if there ever was an ‘us.’”
“Yes, there is an ‘us,’ Uncle Killian,” Leah asserts confidently. “You have to agree with me.”
I squint a bit at the curvy girl, my hands gripping into loose fists.
“What do you mean? Sweetheart, I’m an adult and you can’t control me. It takes two to make the kind of magic you’re referring to, and I’m not going to fall for your tricks again. Even if you strip down here in the kitchen and offer your curves to me, I’m not going to touch you, sweetheart. My control is stronger than you think.”
Leah laughs breathily, throwing her brown curls back.
“Oh no, I wasn’t going to seduce you, Uncle Killian. I was going to threaten you.”