Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
This was just sex. Nothing more.
Chapter Eighteen
Hannah
"You're late." Natalie grinned as I hustled into the coffee shop.
"Sorry," I mumbled. "I'm all over the place this morning. Let me get my drink."
Natalie waved a hand. "Here, I already got it for you. Cappuccino, extra whip."
I groaned happily, as I took the cup and settled myself opposite her. My body protested, still sore from my night with Christian. We hadn't stopped after the first time as if we had to keep going at each other to get any kind of satisfaction. "I didn't make it home until this morning."
Natalie raised a brow. "This morning? What happened?"
I fidgeted with my cup and took a sip that burned my tongue.
She rolled her eyes. "Really? You'd rather burn your mouth than tell me?"
I shrugged. "A little."
"What did you do Hannah?"
I sighed. "All right. I slept with Christian."
"What!" she shouted dramatically.
I slid down in my seat a bit, as the gazes of other customers flew in our direction. My cheeks flushed underneath those stares and I glared at her warningly. Once people turned back to their coffee and computers, I sat forward. "For God’s sake, Natalie," I hissed.
"I'm sorry, you just want me to what? Ignore the fact that you're fucking your super-hot boss?"
I dropped my head into my palm. "It's just a casual thing. We ended up in bed together and that's the end of that."
"It's definitely not. What do you mean casual? I've never known you to do a casual thing in your life. You're either full on, or not at all."
I shrugged. "It's what he wants.”
“What he wants?” she yelled, her face becoming red with fury.
“But I agreed to it. He didn’t force me or anything. He just doesn’t do relationships. So, it’s going to have to be a casual thing or nothing.”
“And that’s okay with you.”
“Not completely, but if I had said no, I would have regretted it all my life. I would have wondered what it would have been like.” I crinkled my nose. “Although, I do get a little worried that I might end up falling for him. The last thing I need is a heartbreak."
"Exactly," Natalie said evenly. "Which is why I think you must have bumped your head and gone insane to agree to something like that."
"Maybe," I muttered as I toyed with my straw. "He's just unlike any guy I've ever met. He's so sexy and dominant, but he can be sweet and gentle too. When he laughs, it makes my whole body tingle. And you should see him with Annie. The two of them together is enough to melt anyone's heart."
"That's what worries me," Natalie said softly. "Listen to how you're talking about him already. You've put him on a pedestal and all the guy wants to do is fuck you."
"Natalie..."
She waved a hand. "I'm not saying you can't fuck him. I'm not even saying it's a bad thing to want to climb into his bed. You're both adults and that makes it all okay, but the problem is you're the type of person to get your heart involved. In everything. What if this all goes bad and you can't see him again? What if you can't see his daughter? Can you honestly say that you'd be okay after a blow like that?"
I gritted my teeth. "Despite what everyone seems to think, I'm a big girl, Nat. I know how to handle myself, and even if I get hurt… so be it. It’s part of life. I’ll survive the way everybody else does when their heart gets broken."
She sipped her coffee. "Okay, no need to get snippy with me. I just want what's best for you. Did he say why he wanted things to stay casual?"
I shrugged. "Maybe he’s been hurt before or maybe he just doesn’t have time for a full-blown relationship. He's off running his company most of the time."
"Or are those all excuses that you're telling yourself?"
I chewed my bottom lip. I should have known that Natalie would cut me to the quick. She wasn't the type to mince her words. On the other hand, I knew there wasn't any ill-intent behind her words. She really did just want what was best for me, what would make me happy. I could see the concern on her face as she gazed at me and I had to give it to her. She had some valid points.
Still, I wanted Christian.
Every time I thought about his sexy smile, his easy-going laugh, and the way he loved his daughter I was putty in his hands all over again. It was easy not to love someone who was a jerk, but Christian wasn't that. Even if he didn't want anything serious, he was still considerate and kind and he was honest about what he wanted. He didn’t string me along.