Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 159(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
“Thanks, Aunt. Tell her to call me when she feels up to it.” The doorbell rings, and Anthony pops up off the sofa to get it.
“I will. Rest well, sweetie, and when you feel better, make some cute babies with that handsome young man.”
“I will.” I’m so glad he wasn’t sitting here to hear that. I end the call just as he brings in the pizza. The thought of having his babies makes my ovaries burst with excitement. I can almost feel my womb getting ready. Either that, or I’m just really freaking horny.
“Here we are, madam. Your dinner is served.” They even included paper plates and napkins with the order. Perfect.
“I’m so happy Penny’s having the baby now.”
“I know. They’re all giving birth. There are going to be a lot of kids around the same age in town.”
“Who else? I haven’t been around, and Penny and I haven’t had much time to talk lately.”
“Well, there’s Doc and Sophie, or Sophia. People call her both. Beast and Mary are expecting. Then, there’s Ghost and Grace, and now Wrench has just gotten with Mackenzie.”
“Mackenzie? The girl who works at the grocery store?” I remember thinking I hoped Anthony didn’t like her.
“Yes. He’s going to laugh when I tell him that even you have met her. He’s like the last person in town to come face to face with her.”
“She wins the best game of hide and seek, I guess.”
“Yes, and soon I hope that we’ll be adding to that group of little ones.”
“We haven’t even…”
“We will.” His phone goes off again. “Son of a bitch,” he snarls. “Eat. I’ll be right back. It’s my parents. I’m going to kill Roxie.” He opens the pizza box first, though. “Yes, Pops, what’s going on?” He stands but doesn’t go far, so I can hear him but not his parents.
“She can’t keep her big mouth shut for a whole minute. I haven’t asked her yet. Look, I’ll talk to you later. We’re in the middle of dinner.” He hangs up on his parents and powers off his phone.
“Just want an hour of peace with you.”
“I’m glad I don’t have my phone, then.”
“I think that should be a rule. No phones during dinner.”
“That’s a good rule. They want you to ask your sister something?”
“No, baby. My mother was talking about planning the wedding.”
“Wedding?”
“Yeah. See, they’re crazier than me.” I take a bite out of my pizza to avoid the conversation and not give away that my heart aches to be his wife. “What do you want to watch?”
“Pick something. I’m terrible at picking television. I’m a reader.”
“How about a movie based on a book?”
“If it’s not Harry Potter or Pride & Prejudice, I’ll pass.”
“Harry Potter it is. Which one?”
“Can we start with the first?”
“Whatever you want.” He starts the movie with a quick search, and we eat our food in companionable peace.
I don’t remember when I fell asleep, but I wake with a scream. “Shh, it’s okay. You’re here with me,” Anthony whispers. I turn to him and press my head against his bare chest. I shouldn’t say bare, because he has a nice spattering of hair that is just enough to make him even sexier. This man is truly all man, and I’m so in love it’s ridiculous. He soothes me to sleep, and the rest of the night, I don’t wake again.
****
It’s been nearly a week since we arrived in Steeleville, and we’ve seen all the Harry Potter movies. I even convinced him to watch Pride & Prejudice, which he loved. Jackson and Penny came over to see us and to show us their little one. I fell in love and yet, I don’t think I’ll ever have a baby. Anthony hasn’t done more than kiss me again. It’s almost as if he’s scared to hurt me, but the way he pulls away hurts more than he can understand. His parents come tomorrow, and I’m sure that he’ll act like a complete gentleman, and I’ll be hornier than ever.
He wants me to think of this as my permanent home, but how can I when we’re just dating? Hell, we’re more like roommates. He hasn’t let me go into his forge. We share the same bed, but that’s it. He doesn’t even know if I’m terrible at sex. Maybe once he has me, that desire, hunger, might fade. I’ve seen it happen to people. Oh my goodness. What if he’s already regretting this? I’m probably nothing but a burden to him.
“Hey, beautiful. Where are you?”
“What?”
“You’re in that head of yours again.”
“Nothing much. I’m thinking about how you won’t let me into your forge.”
“It’s not that I don’t let you in there. I just figured you didn’t want to go.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s full of knives, Precious.”
“Well, so is the kitchen, but I find myself in there.”
“I suppose you make a great point. If you want to come in, just come in. I’ll keep it unlocked.”