Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“I should be the one telling you to go.” I smile as I tap her chin with my fingertip. “You need to have some fun.”
“My turn is coming,” she says what she always does when it comes to men and dating. “I meet so many men every day, Delia. One day one will walk in here and sweep me right off my feet. “
I glance down at the black boots on her feet. “You sound so sure of yourself.”
“It’s bound to happen.” She sighs. “For the record, I’m in no hurry for that to happen. I love being an auntie and I double love this place.”
“I love you,” I tell her because I always do.
“Right back at you,” she responds the way she often does, before she amends it, “I love you, too.”
“I’ll go but I’m going to run to get some food for you first.” I lift a hand in the air to ward off what I know is an incoming argument. “Don’t fight me on this, Kita. You can’t eat chocolate for dinner.”
She glances down at her body. We’re mirror images of one another. We have curves and we’re both proud of them. “I was thinking one of those big chicken salads from that place around the corner. I was going to grab it on my way home.”
“I’ll go get two now,” I say. “I’ll drop off one for you before I go home.”
“You’re the best.”
“Second best,” I say because she truly is the best friend anyone could ever have.
“I have one thing to ask before you take off.” She hesitates slightly so I know what’s about to come out of her mouth.
“I’m not talking about Donovan anymore.”
“He wants you,” she says matter-of-factly. “I was peeking around the corner and he was looking at you like he wanted to tie you up and do amazing things to you.”
I laugh. “You got all of that from spying on us?”
“Yes.” She smiles. “I vote for you to go for it.”
“I don’t recall agreeing to vote on it.” I lean my hip against the counter. “Matt walked in here and introduced me to Donovan. Neither of us corrected him by explaining that we already know each other. Do you know how awkward that felt? It was a lie of omission and if I fall back into bed with his boss, how do I face my brother?”
“With a clear conscience and no regrets.”
“With guilt and fear,” I correct her. “I could fall for him, Nikita. I could seriously fall for Donovan and he’s not looking for that.”
“You can keep it light and fun,” she insists. “I’ve slept with men who were just fuck buddies. I went into it knowing that and left those situations clear minded and satisfied.”
“I’m not you,” I remind her. “My heart has been broken once. You and Matt helped me pick up those pieces. He could tell I was in pain without me telling him. I would never be able to hide this from him.”
“You never told him who you fell in love with in Paris, did you?”
His name was Aiden Bacri. Matthew has never heard of him. Before I arrived in France to study for a semester, I hadn’t either, but I fell hard and fast for the man who makes a living from sketching portraits of people he passes on the streets of Paris.
He’s somewhat of a folk hero there since he’s sketched many of the world’s most notable celebrities when they’re visiting the city of lights.
The day I confessed my undying love for him, he left hours later when I fell asleep. The only evidence of his abandonment was a portrait he sketched of me with four words written in his handwriting on the back of it.
It’s over. I’m sorry.
“Matt doesn’t know about Aiden,” I tell her. “Only you do.”
“I’ll be the only one who knows about Donovan, too.” She smiles. “I’ll hold your secrets forever, Delia. If something goes wrong with him, I’ll be your shoulder to lean on.”
She taps each of her shoulders.
I can’t help but smile, too. “It’s too risky. He’s such an integral part of Matt’s life, and his future. He loves his job at the clinic. A complicated mess between his boss and me can’t happen.”
“You’re trading what could be a whole lot of fun for something that may never happen.”
I toss her a look meant to convey how I want this conversation to end.
“You might be the one to dump Donovan after you’ve had your fill of him.” She leans closer. “By fill I mean his cock.”
I let out a laugh. “I know what you meant.”
“If you view him as just a great fuck and not as a long term partner, nothing can go wrong.”
“You’re dead wrong about that.” I close my eyes briefly, trying to ward off an approaching headache. “I’m hungry so I’m going to get dinner for us before I leave you and this conversation behind.”