Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
When she began to hum, I listened closely. Then she opened her mouth and sang quietly. “Ground control to Major Tom…”
I couldn’t help but smile at her selection. “Space Oddity” by David Bowie. Great song. It was stupid that something as silly as her song choice proved just how much she’d grown as a person.
She was a blooming flower, her petals blocking out the sun.
To stand in her shadow was a privilege I wasn’t worthy of.
Finally, Tom settled and when he was asleep, Emmy placed him gently into his stroller. That was my cue. I stalked over to her, my prey, and the second she noticed my stance, her eyes widened and she backed up, licking her lips. Her hand shot out. “No, Connor.”
Without asking, I lifted her onto the counter and stepped between her knees. “Why not?” Placing my hands on her thighs, I splayed my fingers across them and moved them upward until they landed on her petite hips. “Tom doesn’t mind. Do you, bud?” I peered into the stroller then smirked. “See? He already knows not to cockblock a brother. We’re good, baby. Now.” I leaned in. “Kiss me.”
When her hand came up to stop me from reaching her lips, I nibbled on her finger. She swallowed hard. “Connor, I’m serious. Not while the baby’s here.” She then looked around and stated firmly, “Not in the suite.”
To my cock’s absolute horror, she was serious, and I stopped my ministrations. “Is this what it’s gonna be like when you have kids? Sorry, honey, no sex tonight. The baby’s fast asleep and clearly doesn’t need me right now but I’m gonna sit here and wait for him to wake up?”
“I didn’t say no sex. I said no sex in the same room,” she expounded.
I blinked down at Tom then stared at her. “He can barely open his eyes!”
“He’s right there! What if he wakes up and sees, and then he ends up having some weird sex fetish because of us.” Fuck, she was ridiculous. Why did I like that so much? She shook her head. “I’m not risking it.”
“You know what?” My nose bunched. “I want a divorce.”
Emmy laughed quietly and it hit me right in the balls. “Connor, sweetie. Marriage requires monogamy.” Then suddenly, she looked ashamed of herself. “Hey.” Reaching out, she gripped the front of my tee and pulled me closer. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“I know what monogamy is, smartass. Besides—” I licked at the vee of her fingers, watching closely as her eyes glazed over. “—I told you. I’m over groupies.”
Her brows lowered and after a quiet moment, she asked, “Are you saying that you haven’t been having sex? At all?” She looked baffled by the thought.
My brows arched. “What do you call what we’ve been doing?” At her silence, I revealed, “Hate to break it to ya, Emmy, but that’s sex.”
Those beautiful blue eyes avoided mine. “I know that. I just…” She hesitated. “I just thought it was like a side quest for you. A boredom thing.”
It was. At first. “I’m anything but bored when I’m with you.” I sucked her finger into my mouth and watched those full lips part as she gasped lightly. “I mean, how many other men can say they get to see their best friend’s boobs, huh?”
At that, she blinked. “I’m your best friend?”
I really hadn’t meant to say that but I suppose there was a reason I did. “Yeah,” I revealed slowly, scratching at the stubble on my jaw. “I guess so.” She looked utterly delighted. I couldn’t handle it. I pushed forward. “Kiss me.”
Her surprised laughter was soothing, calming my entire being.
As long as Emmy was happy, so was I.
She struggled out of my playful assault. I pressed my lips to her nose then her forehead, her chin, until finally, she begged me to stop. “Stop! You’re being ridiculous. All this for a kiss?”
“Yes.” I licked the spot under her ear, causing her to squeak then giggle. And I loved every second. Finally, I grumbled, “We haven’t kissed in years.”
“Days,” she corrected with a slight smile.
Didn’t she know that her lips were my therapy? “Baby, please?” One last time, I leaned in and muttered quietly, “I need you.”
I did need her. The more I came to realize this, the more my angst rose.
When she heard my quiet words, her face softened and I knew she’d given in. That was Emmy’s one and only fault.
She was in love with me.
And I pretended not to know.
I didn’t deserve her love. I was an asshole. She was too pure, too innocent, and I would somehow destroy that part of her.
That didn’t mean I didn’t want her.
Jesus.
She was air, and I was dying to breathe.
“Okay,” she near-whispered, then cupped my cheeks with her small hands. When her warm lips touched mine, I took everything she gave. Everything she had to give was breathed into me and like the starving man I was, I ate at her mouth.