Total pages in book: 13
Estimated words: 11713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 59(@200wpm)___ 47(@250wpm)___ 39(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 11713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 59(@200wpm)___ 47(@250wpm)___ 39(@300wpm)
Emily, like usual, handled it like a pro. Then again, growing up in the household she had, it was a matter of survival for her.
“I’m well. I love it over here. You will too when you come for a visit. His mother is a force to be reckoned with. It’s almost like I get to see how Selene will be like in fifty years or so.”
“She must be beautiful.”
“Incredibly so. And dangerous, smart, loving. Everything a mother should be.” Wistfulness coated her words.
“Sounds like a great one for you to have then.”
A small laugh. “Considering she only had boys, yes, I’m being spoiled and I love it. She is waiting to meet her other three daughters, though. When can I tell her you will be coming over?”
Jo finished her breakfast and waved for a coffee refill.
“Are you sure I’m welcome?”
The air around her chilled and she fought the urge to rub her arms. Emily had that ability about her. All of her friends did to make you regret what words had just popped out of her mouth.
“And we’re done with the delaying part of the conversation since you want to ask questions that don’t deserve a response. So let’s go back to my original line of questioning and yes, this is the raking over the coals bit.”
Jo nodded her thanks to the waiter, not noticing the flirty look he gave when he topped off her coffee.
“It’s not like he’s a senior in high school. He’s what seven years younger?”
She flinched like someone had taken a swing at her. “Yes.” Her response was hissed. She gulped coffee, relishing the burn that lanced her throat.
“And what if Femi was seven years older than me? Would that matter in how you look at our relationship?”
As she picked up the last of her second cup of coffee and sipped, she lifted her face to the warm breeze that flowed past. She shook her head.
“No, of course not. But it’s so different for a woman to be with an older guy.” She paid for her meal and got up to walk, needing to move, do something, to help assuage the nervous energy building within her body.
“Jo, listen to me. You and I have been friends for years. All this time I’ve seen you flit from guy to guy, nonapologetic and completely in charge and owning who you are. A stunning, sexy woman who knows what she wants. This is the first time, I’ve ever heard you hesitate.” A door shut. “Sweetie, do you think this is because he means something to you?”
In a park, she began walking along the edge of the water, sidestepping the smaller children who were enjoying their time in the late morning.
“I don’t want things to be awkward when it ends and I have to see him because I’m visiting you or Selene. Hell, or if you come back to the States and they come along.”
“Who said it had to end?”
She immediately shook her head, fast and firm. It didn’t matter than Em wasn’t even on this same continent and had no way to see her, she did it.
“He’s a young man. I’m not going to be able to keep up with him and he’ll push me aside or even just walk away without a look back because some young, tight thing flashed a smile in his direction.”
While her words were lower in tone as she thought about all the young impressionable ears around her, even she couldn’t ignore the hurt that framed them.
“That’s a bull answer and you know it. Where are you anyway, right now?”
“In Belize. I wanted to do some fun tourist thing.”
“And ended up doing the horizontal dance with Kenan.” Her tone teased.
It wasn’t only horizontal. “Something like that. It was only once.”
Emily snorted.
Jo amended. “One night.”
“Talk to him, Jo.”
She shook her head and stared out over the water. “And say what, Em? That I’m fucking neurotic because my parents couldn’t ever show me what a decent relationship should look like? That I fuck guys and move on to not get attached and that I’m fucking panicking at the thought of how I’m going to look him in the eye when he decides an eighteen year old will be better on his arm than me and brings her to some function that we’re all at?”
Strong arms slid around her waist and her squeak of shock faded the second his scent hit her. No man in the world smelled like Kenan. There was something pure and fresh around him that combined with the heady masculine scent she’d already become addicted to, and that was just after one night.
“Not running while he is in the shower is a great place to start. Say goodbye to Emily, Jo.”
His words were low and full of sexual heat. Kenan pushed a hand into her pocket and withdrew her phone as she mumbled a farewell to Emily. Then he ended the call and turned her in his embrace so they were chest to chest.