Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105665 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry if you’re not strong enough to be missed by me. But imagine being in my shoes. I’m going to leave in a week. I have a full-time job to do, but I’m going to suck at it. It’s the only thing I’ve been good at—and I’m going to suck at it. Because missing you will be my full-time job. And it doesn’t matter if anyone has ever missed you before, because I will miss you enough to last a lifetime.”
Sometimes … sometimes when you close your eyes, when darkness comforts you, the truth doesn’t matter because no one can see it.
Jersey turned, and before she could say anything to the dark silhouette before her, he had his hand against her cheek, his thumb erasing the tears, his lips pressed gently to her lips.
She hugged his naked body to hers and whispered in his ear. “I’m going to miss you too. But don’t tell anyone.”
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
“Oh my god!” Jersey’s eyes looked like saucers as she surveyed her surroundings, wearing her new black-framed glasses.
Ian paid to have a rush put on them because he wanted to see Jersey’s reaction before he left for Lisbon, Portugal in three days. He also paid a hefty sum to get things rolling on her birth certificate and social security card so she could get a passport.
“So this is what you meant when you said you’d show me the world.”
It wasn’t, but he felt certain nothing would compare to that moment. Chris sat in the corner of the waiting room, refusing to look at Jersey. Ian wasn’t entirely sure what to think of their relationship. He just knew that he hated it beyond words. The bane of his existence. But she wanted Chris to stay with her at Ian’s place in Los Angeles, so Ian put him to work doing some grounds-keeping around the house. However, Jersey insisted he come with them to pick up her glasses.
“Um … sure. I totally meant see in the most literal sense.” He winked at Jersey as the technician handed them a bag with the glasses case, some cleaner, and a pair of prescription sunglasses too.
“Coop.” She cringed, pressing her hands to his whiskery face. “You are so much uglier than I thought. This is just…” she covered her mouth “…so awkward.”
The technician giggled as Ian’s eyes narrowed at Jersey. She gave his left cheek a gentle pat before sauntering toward Chris.
“I see you, Mr. Ten.” She pinched the corner of her glasses and wiggled them on her nose.
“Well…” he stood, hiking up his jeans “…if he’s suddenly ugly, I must be flawless through those glasses.”
She snaked her arm around him and looked up at him with adoration. It wasn’t Chris’s scars that disgusted Ian, it was the way he seemed pissed off at Jersey all the time, yet she brushed off his attitude as a bad day. He didn’t trust him … for so many reasons.
Four days in L.A.
Four consecutive bad days for Chris.
Ian didn’t share Jersey’s disappointment over not being able to get Chris a passport. He wanted her to himself, even if it was selfish. And Ian hated that she was staying in his house with her needy male friend while Ian had to leave for the tour.
He hated that Chris had seen her naked.
He hated her blind trust in a stranger off the street.
“Meet you in the car, Coop.” Jersey glanced over her shoulder and winked at Ian.
Chris took the dogs for a walk as soon as they returned. Ian thought it was a fitting job for him since he found any excuse to nap or take a walk when Ian wanted to spend time with Jersey.
“Want to see something?” Ian smiled at Jersey’s reflection in the bathroom mirror as she admired her new glasses.
“I see everything now.” She turned leaning against the counter, arms crossed over her chest. “But what did you have in mind?”
“Follow me.” His grin swelled while his dark eyes held something playful and mischievous. As they headed down the stairs, he shrugged off his T-shirt, wearing only black jogging shorts and tennis shoes.
Jersey wasn’t too keen on the idea of swimming, but if he was stripping for sex, she wasn’t in the mood to argue.
Past his workout room, he opened a door around the corner she didn’t realize was there. He flipped on the lights to a gym with tall ceilings and a full basketball court. Jersey fought to balance her surprise. He liked basketball, just like Chris said. Every day she waited for Ian to prove Chris wrong. What was next? A black Charger in a hidden garage?
“Wow! Chris would love this. He played basketball in high school.”
“Yeah?” Ian mumbled, grabbing a basketball from a rolling cart filled with balls. “Interesting.” He dribbled it and shot from the three-point line, nothing but net.