Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
“Hey, you good?” Brock asks, lifting an eyebrow.
“Yeah, just ready to be home already.”
“Seems to be a constant with you lately,” Callum says, appearing out of nowhere.
I’m uncertain what to say, feeling as if I was just caught skipping class by the principal.
“I’m just tired, that’s all.”
Good one. I want to slap my own head for that stupid reply.
“We need to have a talk, little brother,” Callum says, crossing his arms.
I’ve been dreading this very moment, but before I can even reply, Griffin is calling for Callum about a shipping problem. Relief floods me and I let out a sigh as I scrub my face.
“You can only avoid him so long. I don’t know what’s going on with you, baby brother, but I’m here if you want to talk,” Brock says, walking away.
I check the clock and by some miracle, it’s time to get the hell out of here. I know I need to face Callum and the ultimate decision he’s going to give me, but right now I don’t really care. Right now all I want to do is see my girl.
I head straight to Millie’s from work. I knock on her door, my heart racing with anticipation as I wait for her to answer.
Finally, I hear the sound of footsteps approaching the door, and my breath catches in my throat. The door opens, and there she is, standing in front of me with that soft, welcoming smile that I’ve come to crave. All the anxiety fades away the moment I see her.
“Hey, beautiful,” I whisper, pulling her into my arms the moment I step through the door. The warmth of her body against mine is like a balm to my restless heart. She fits against me like a puzzle piece, perfectly designed to fill the empty spaces in my life. It’s as if every curve of her body was made to align with mine, like we were always meant to be here, in this exact moment, together.
Her scent—faintly sweet, with a hint of something floral—wraps around me, grounding me in a way that nothing else can. I close my eyes, letting the sensation of holding her wash over me, and for a few precious seconds, the world outside ceases to exist.
“God, I missed you,” I murmur into her hair, my lips brushing against the top of her head. She leans into me, her arms sliding around my waist, and I feel the tension I’ve been carrying start to melt away. The feel of her heartbeat against my chest, steady and strong, anchors me, reminding me of why I’ve been counting down the minutes to see her again.
We stand there, wrapped up in each other, neither of us in a rush to let go. Her breath is warm against my neck, and I can feel the rise and fall of her chest in time with mine, a silent rhythm that we share without even realizing it. Everything about this moment feels perfect, like it’s exactly where I’m supposed to be—where we’re supposed to be.
“I don’t ever want to let you go,” I confess softly, my voice barely more than a whisper. It’s the truth, and saying it out loud makes it feel even more real, more intense. She looks up at me, her eyes shining with the same emotion I feel burning inside of me.
“You don’t have to,” she replies, her voice soft but sure. And in that moment, with her in my arms, I know that whatever happens, whatever challenges we face, we’ll figure it out together.
Because she’s not just a puzzle piece that fits perfectly—she’s the missing piece I’ve been searching for all along.
After a few minutes, I pull back, my hands still resting on her waist as I smile down at her. “How was your day?” I ask, my voice low and content.
Her face lights up, her eyes sparkling as she grabs my hand, pulling me toward the couch. We settle in, and she wastes no time crawling up into my lap, her small frame fitting perfectly against mine. She rests her head on my chest, and I can’t help but wrap my arms around her, holding her close.
“I started reading a new book today, and it’s amazing,” she says, her voice filled with the kind of excitement I’ve come to adore. “It’s one of those books where I stole every free second I could get to read just a few more pages. I even closed the store for lunch just so I could find out what happened next.”
I chuckle, the sound rumbling in my chest, and I press a kiss to the top of her head. “Sounds like it’s a good one,” I say, but what I really love is listening to her talk about her passion for books. There’s a fire in her eyes when she talks about a story that’s captured her heart, and it never fails to draw me in. It’s one of the things I love most about her—how deeply she feels, how easily she gets lost in the pages of a book.