Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
I smiled. “Thanks, Dad. But I think I got this.”
Fifteen minutes later, none other than Colby walked through the door. Deek rubbed his hands together.
“Oh crap,” I mumbled.
Colby strolled into the studio with a smile. “What’s up, Deek? Hey, Billie.”
I knew better than to try to talk Deek out of whatever he had planned. So instead, I kissed Colby on the cheek. “I’m going to apologize for this in advance.”
“For what?”
I motioned to Deek, who pointed to the empty chair next to him. “Have a seat, Colby. I’d like to have a word with you.”
Colby looked between me and Deek a few times, but eventually shrugged and sat down. “What’s up?”
Deek folded his arms across his chest. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Colby’s forehead wrinkled. He looked to me for help, and I shrugged. “It will be worse not to go along with it,” I said. “Trust me.”
Colby looked wary but returned his attention to Deek. “I don’t know. I guess in five years I’d like to buy some land and start building a summer place. I can’t afford the Hamptons or anywhere trendy, but that’s okay. I like the Hudson Valley better, anyway. Maybe let Saylor get a dog.” He glanced to me and back. “A wife and another kid, maybe. I’m not sure. I don’t really have a timeline for things. I guess I’d just like to be happy and to have my life progress somewhat.”
Deek considered his answer with an unreadable face. “What kind of a dog?”
“Lab maybe?”
“Buy or adopt?”
“Definitely adopt from a shelter.”
Deek nodded. “What kind of porn do you like?”
“I don’t know. Any, I guess?”
“So child pornography is okay?”
“What? No! Of course not.”
“A little more specifics in your answer would be helpful then.”
Colby shook his head. “I don’t know. What kind of porn is there? I guess I like straight, hetero porn. Intercourse, oral, the occasional anal movie.”
“How about an orgy?”
Colby shrugged. “Yeah, sure. I’m down for an orgy.”
Deek looked at me. “Does this concern you?”
I smirked. “No, I’m good with orgies in movies, too.”
Colby wrinkled his entire face. “What the heck is this all about? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m stoked that Billie’s into orgy porn. But where is this all leading?”
Deek held up a finger. “Just one more question. What’s your apartment number?”
“Two-eighteen. Why?”
“So I know exactly where to go if my girl gets hurt.”
I chuckled and jumped down from my chair, walking over to stand next to Colby. “Are you finished, Deek?”
He glared at Colby. “For now…”
“Okay, great. Why don’t you go take your lunch break then?”
Colby waited until Deek was out of earshot before turning to me. “What just happened?”
I pushed up and pressed my lips to his. “He knows things have moved out of the friend zone, so he wants to make sure you’re a decent guy.”
“Maybe I should invite him and his boyfriend to dinner one night.”
I pulled back. “Really? You’d do that?”
“Of course. Why not? He’s a good friend of yours, right?”
“One who just interrogated you…”
Colby brushed my hair from my shoulder. “It’s okay. I’d want my daughter to have protective friends like that. And I hope she’d pick the kind of guy who would have her friends over to put their minds at ease.”
My stomach felt all squishy. “Awww… That’s really sweet, Colby.”
“Well, I’m glad you think so. Because sweet doesn’t exactly describe the thoughts I’ve been having about you since our painting party.”
I bit my lip. “I might’ve had a not-so-sweet thought or two about you over the last few days.”
Colby trailed his knuckles up and down my arm. “Oh yeah? Tell me more...”
I was considering it when Colby’s phone started to chime. It sounded like an alarm. “Shoot. I have to go. Saylor has dance class. I need to relieve the babysitter and get her to the studio.”
I smiled. “I didn’t know she took dance lessons. Does she wear a little pink tutu?”
“She does. But for some reason, she won’t wear her sneakers for the walk over to the studio. Instead, she pairs the pink tutu with these green rubber rain boots my mother bought her. They have a frog’s face molded into the toes.”
I chuckled. “Definitely a girl after my own heart.”
“I gotta run. But I stopped by to see if you wanted to have dinner Saturday night?”
“That sounds good.”
“To be clear. I’m asking you on a date—not an undate.”
“I thought the breast painting might have moved us past the platonic undate.” I laughed. “But yeah, I’d like to have a dinner date with you.”
“My place, okay? Saylor is staying at my parents’ house.” He held up his hand. “No pressure. I know you want to go slow. I just would love to not share you with anyone for once.”
I smiled. “Sure. That sounds good.”
“Okay.” He leaned down and brushed his lips over mine once more. “I’ll see you Saturday.”