Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Early. I need to be there by seven-thirty in the morning. You don’t have to worry, though. I can take myself—”
“I’ll be driving you. Once you're finished, we can start heading back to Kentucky. It will probably take us a bit. There’s still heavy rain pounding the area. I checked in with Raze last night. He said they were already experiencing flooding in the area.”
“That’s even more reason for me to stay here,” I grumble.
“You know better. A lockdown means all families and old ladies are locked down in the compound and guarded. You’re in both those categories now, Peaches. I’m getting you home where I can make sure you’re safe and not have to worry about the two of us getting ambushed.”
“I don’t want any more steak, Torin. This thing is huge.”
“Are you saying you don’t like your meat big? Because, baby, that could be a problem.”
“Oh my God!” she gasps, her cheeks flooding with color. “You are nuts.” The woman is so flustered that I can’t help but laugh.
“You need a couple more bites of baked potato, Peaches. You will need your strength for all the fun we’re going to have over the next few days.”
“I’m really not that hungry. Plus, you ordered dessert. I might be curvier than most of the women you’re used to, but even I can’t eat this much food in one sitting.”
“Stop. You will never compare yourself to another woman again.”
“I wasn’t—”
“I’ve fucked around, Skylar. I’m not hiding that. I didn’t get around as much as the club members and girls made it seem, however—especially not in the last three years.”
“Don’t lie to me, Torin. If you really are serious about the two of us trying to—”
“There’s no trying. You and I are going to make this work. Now, open and eat a bite of potato. It’s a vegetable. It’s good for you.”
She giggles, holding her hand to her mouth as she takes the bite of her melted cheese covered potato from my fork. “Did you really just say that?” she responds right after swallowing down the gooey goodness.
“What? They are good for you.”
“Okay, I know you like being in control and shit, but—”
“And you like it, Peaches. Don’t bother denying it.”
“I like parts of it,” she mumbles, her cheeks darkening once more.
“You’ll like every part eventually,” I hum.
“The point is,” she stresses, “I am not the girl who will ever call you daddy.”
“Skylar—”
“So, stop with the parental shit about how my vegetables are good for me. It’s creepy, to be honest. I’m not now nor have I ever looked for another parental figure in my life. I have parents. That’s not even remotely why I’m attracted to you. If anything, this whole ‘Eat, It’s good for you’ crap is a deterrent. It’s right up there with you trying to pretend you’re not a man-whore.”
“I’m not pretending anything. I fucked around a lot. It sucks to admit, but I tried to fuck you out of my system, Peaches.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better? Hell, am I even supposed to believe that?”
“How didn’t I know you curse like a sailor?” I respond with a smirk, wondering just how much I can poke her until she loses control.
“Because you never bothered to get to know me at all,” she responds.
I can hear the pain in her voice. Fun and games are off the table now. I can’t allow her to think she never mattered. It takes some maneuvering, but I get her in my lap. I put a hand on each side of her face and force her to look at me.
“I know you took your first step at ten months. I know your first word wasn’t mom or dad. It was Dragon—a fact your father still gets pissed off about. I know you’re a closet country music fan, which drives your brother and sister insane. You dig some lame ass Parker dude the most and buy all of his music even though you already get that shit for free on Apple Music.”
“Torin—”
“Just saying, Peaches, I won’t be listening to that shit with you.”
“I don’t understand,” she whispers. Her eyes are bright with unshed tears, but I don’t let go of her. I make sure she can’t turn away and that she’s forced to look at me.
“Your favorite color is burnt sienna, which woman, is just plain orange to me—”
“It’s darker than just orange,” she whispers, her voice thick with emotion.
My heart squeezes in my chest as a tear falls from the corner of her eye. I lean in and kiss it. The salty wet drop coats my lips. I can’t stand to see her hurt. I never could. It used to eat me alive, knowing I caused her pain. Fuck, it still does. It will take me a lifetime to make it up to her, but I’m going to spend every day from here on out doing exactly that.