Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 91434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
As I walk toward the creek, I can hear the water trickling down to the rocks toward the stream. The sound is supposed to be relaxing, but it makes me even angrier after what just happened. Why I even came here is beyond me, I wonder as I walk down to the small clearing hidden behind dense trees.
The minute I do, the memory comes back as if it’s finally being let out of the vault.
“The water is cold, baby,” I said from the blanket where I was lying down on my side, my feet crossed at the ankles as I watched her roll up her jeans and step into the little stream, “and some of the rocks might be slimy.”
“I’ll be fine,” she replied, looking over her shoulder as she stepped into it. The moonlight bounced off the top of the water as I watched her. “Fuck, it’s like ice,” she hissed as she took another step.
“Baby.” I finally sat up with my feet on the cover, the picnic basket beside me. I placed my elbows on my knees, watching her round ass take another step. “You are going to be cold for the rest of the night.”
She turned around with her ankles in the water. “Would you stop bothering me?” she retorted. With a twinkle in her eye, she lifted one leg and flicked water on me. The drops landed on me like big drops of rain. “See, it’s not that cold.”
“Don’t you dare,” I told her. She lifted her foot and splashed me again. “Someone is looking for a fight.”
“Who, me?” she asked innocently, yet there was nothing innocent about Everleigh. We had been dating for about a year, and I knew her inside and out. I knew her better than she probably knew herself. She had consumed me, body and fucking soul.
“Yeah, you.” I nodded my head and got up to stand on the blanket before I took two steps toward her. “Only you, Everleigh,” I said softly, watching her walk in the water for a bit before she finally gave up and walked out toward me.
She stood there in front of me, and my hands came up to hold the side of her neck. “I love you, baby.” The words just came out without giving me a chance to stop them.
Her face went from shock to a smile. “Is that so?” she quizzed as she stepped closer to me, putting her hands on my hips. “Took you long enough.”
I chuckled. “Is that so?” I used her words against her. “I didn’t see you dying to profess your love for me.”
“I know how macho you are”—she tried not to laugh but failed—“and big and strong. How are you going to tell everyone else I said I loved you first?” she taunted, and she only stopped talking when I slammed my mouth down on hers.
The memory kicks me in the stomach, and I have to put my hand out to stop myself from falling to my knees. The cold bark on my fingers stings as I try to steady my breathing, feeling as if I just ran here from my house instead of driving here.
The sound of twigs breaking makes me look to the side, and I think my eyes are playing tricks on me. I blink a couple of times to make sure I’m not dreaming, or I’m having another memory I don’t want to have. Her head is down as she walks through the trees right to me. I push off from the tree and turn to face her.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I hiss, scaring her because she stops in her tracks, looking up at me. One of her hands goes to the middle of her chest, the other to her stomach as she looks up at me.
“Brock.” The minute she says my name, it’s as if she puts her hand into my chest and rips my heart out, squeezing it in the palm of her hand until the blood seeps out of her fingers, and the heart stops beating in her hand, rendering it useless.
“Don’t say my fucking name,” I hiss at her. She takes a step back, and I see her shoulders get tight, and I know she’s going to come back and fight with me.
“Trust me, I don’t want to say your fucking name,” she snaps and continues her steps toward the creek. “If I never say your name again for the rest of my life, I’ll be happy.”
“I bet you fucking will.” I stand here as she comes toe to toe with me. I can smell her perfume lingering in the air. My fingers beside my leg start to tingle to come up and touch her. “Surprised you remember this place.”
“Yeah”—she folds her arms over her chest, pushing up her tits even more—“and why the fuck is that?”