Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 147021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 735(@200wpm)___ 588(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 735(@200wpm)___ 588(@250wpm)___ 490(@300wpm)
“Perfect for what?” he grinds out.
“It’s just nicer.” Thank God I wasn’t completely honest for once.
His voice is raw silk dragged over bare skin. “And this is the first time you’ve done this? Taken care of your…needs in my bed?”
I run my tongue along my bottom lip. My mouth is so dry. I’ve already told him this. Maybe he’s trying to catch me in a lie. “Yes.”
His nostrils flare. His fists clench and release. His eyes close, and his words are barely audible when he murmurs, “If things were different…”
My breath leaves me on a whoosh. What does that mean? If things were different, then what? Would he want me the way I want him? Would the idea of me getting off in his bed turn him on instead of making things awkward between us? What if things were different?
“Hollis.” His name is barely a sound.
He shakes his head, and his lids flip open. From one second to the next, his entire demeanor shifts. “You have your own apartment. Why not take care of your needs there? Or your old bedroom at Roman’s. That would have been better than my bed.”
“You’ve seen my bedroom at my dad’s. I outgrew Barbie when I was nine.” I don’t have the heart to tell my dad that, though. “It doesn’t do a good job of setting the mood.”
“What’s wrong with your own apartment, then?” He’s back to disapproving.
“I have a roommate, and sometimes it’s nice to just let go and not worry about how much noise I’m making, or whether Rix can hear me through the door. It’s hard to relax when she’s home, and then it takes forever and there’s chafing.” Why can’t I quit when I’m ahead? Why do I keep spewing exceptionally blunt honesty?
Hollis holds up a hand. His head looks like it’s about to explode. “Stop.”
At least I’m not the only one mortified here. “Oh, God.” I raise my hand in front of my mouth. “Did those videos have sound?” I really let loose in every sense of the word when I did the unthinkable in his bed.
“No. At least I don’t think there’s sound. And like I said, I erased them without watching.” His voice is stern when he declares, “That can’t happen again. Ever.”
I’m about to agree—even if I don’t mean it—when a long, loud feminine moan filters down the hall. Obviously, Tristan and Rix are getting to the good part.
Hollis’s eyes flare as he glances toward the noise. He’s about to speak when another longer, louder moan interrupts. He clamps his mouth shut and waits until it’s over before he says, “Tristan’s here.”
“Yup.”
“Why don’t they go to Tristan’s?”
“To be fair, I went out for pancakes, and Tristan knows we do this, so he probably thought it was safe.” Based on the sounds, they’re getting close to the end. Of round one. Most of the time they do go to Tristan’s, but occasionally I’ve come home in the middle of one of their exceptional fuckfests. “The walls are thinner than they realize.” And they have phone sex every night when they have away games. I haven’t told her how thin the walls are because I really don’t want to make her feel bad. Usually, I just go up to see the kitties or clean my dad’s place until they’re done.
Hollis’s eyes go to the ceiling. “Well, shit.” He shakes his head and licks his lips. “Use my place if you need it.”
“Seriously?” This is a twist I didn’t expect.
He holds up a hand and eyes me from the side. “I don’t want to know about it or see evidence of it.”
My lady parts clench. “Yes, sir.”
His eyes narrow. “And only the spare bedroom.”
“Yeah, ’cause I guess a video of me touching myself is probably pretty conflicting,” I mutter.
He purses his plush lips.
I cringe. “Sorry. Let’s forget I said that. Do you want the towel back?”
“No. You keep that.”
“Okay. Cool. Thanks. I’m sorry we had to have this super-awkward conversation.”
“Never speak of it again.”
“Sounds good.” I don’t know what to do with my hands, so I clasp them, then drop them at my sides.
“I’m gonna go,” Hollis announces.
“Okay.” I follow him to the door. “We’re okay, right?” I bite the inside of my cheek.
His face softens. “Yeah. Of course, Princess.”
“I need to hydrate before you turn me into a sex pretzel again!” Rix rounds the corner and comes to an abrupt halt. Tristan almost knocks her over.
“Oh, hey, Hollis. Hammer.” Tristan’s gaze flits between us.
“Tristan.” Hollis salutes him and Rix and disappears into the hall.
Rix’s eyes are wide. She turns to Tristan, who is currently wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs. “You need to get dressed and go home.”
He gives her a disbelieving look. “But I just got here. We have five days to make up for. I’ve missed you.”