Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38855 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38855 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
When I did, I convinced Astrid we needed to get back to the house, so I carried her piggyback, with her legs swinging like a five-year-old as she chattered on answering my never ending questions.
She still seems reticent to talk about her stepfather, and that is a knot that is still tight inside me. At some point, I need to know what his damage is and make sure it never comes back around to give her a second of displeasure in any form.
We’ve settled into comfortable routine already back at the house. I love seeing her here.
I watch her as she flits around, touches things, moves pillows around. He’s magic here and I didn’t realize how colorless my life was until she came along.
This morning, after I ate her pussy in the shower for a good hour, then fucked her up against the wall, she made us pancakes to perfection, which she likes to eat with peanut butter and syrup on top. Which is, in fact, delicious.
After breakfast, we hike to her campsite, loaded everything including the mangled tent into her little Subaru, and headed to town with me driving.
That sent her into a laughing fit that lasted half the way to town saying I needed a crowbar and some Crisco to fit into the driver’s seat. I pretended to be annoyed but deep down, anything that makes her laugh is fine by me. Even when it’s at my expense.
Now, I’m dropping her off at Duffy’s while I run a few errands.
After that, we’ll take her and all her stuff back to my place.
Because that’s where she lives now, even if she’s not completely clear on that point.
I’m never letting her go.
If you had told me three days ago that you could be as sure about spending your life with someone in such a short time, I would have said it was bullshit. But it’s not.
I’ve got my arm slug around her shoulders as we walk from the car to the bar entrance, looking around to make sure no one is looking at her. She’s got her hair in two long braids today, wearing her jeans and pink boots, but on top she’s sporting one of my white tank tops tied in a knot at the waist and as sexy as I thought it was earlier, now that we’re out in the world, I’m rethinking things.
Her nipples are pushing out, she’s told me she’s not a big bra sort of girl and I thought I’d won the jackpot with that.
But, it’s my fucking jackpot and thinking other dudes are going to be enjoying an eye full of what’s mine is about to make me go postal.
I shake away the jealousy because I can’t do a shit ton about it right now and grit my teeth.
I need to get to the Sheriff and see if he’s learned anything else about her stepfather, but I don’t want her to know he was here looking for her until I have a handle on whatever the situation.
I know one thing, he lied like a dog about her being unstable or whatever that shit is. She’s the most stable person I know, and with me behind her, below her, on top of her...I can tell you, she will be from now on.
“Well.” Beverly is behind the bar polishing a glass when we walk in. “Look what the cat dragged in.” There’s a gleam in her eye as she looks from Astrid to me, and then back to her. “You with this pain in the ass?” She asks Astrid in a familiar tone.
“Seems so.” Astrid leans into me as Beverly raises her eyebrows.
“Well, ain’t that gonna set the gossip mill on fire. The curmudgeon meets mystery girl and—”
I glare at her and shake my head, and Beverly shrugs but stops raising a hand in surrender.
“I don’t give a shit about that. Give her whatever she wants to eat and drink. I have a couple things to do and then I’ll be back. Guess you two know each other...” I trail off and the two girls look at each other.
Astrid snickers and puts her hand on my chest, and the simple gesture soothes me. “Well, the other day she bought me a beer, so as far as I’m concerned, she’s my new BFF.”
Beverly chuckles, setting down a glass and pouring a shot of Dewers and shoving it my way. “Your usual. I mean, the two times a year you have your usual. It’s on me...I loved, loved, loved the chair you made. Booker gave it to me the other day. It’s beyond beautiful. I still can’t believe a guy like you makes such refined art...” She winks, then looks at Astrid. “And what can I get you? On me...”
I take the glass and toss it back. The warm liquid burns but soothes some of the tightness I feel knowing that even for a short time she will be out of my sight.