Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 376(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
He picked out an old western for us to watch, and while I wasn’t a huge fan of the movie, I enjoyed spending time with Quinton. So much so I didn’t want our time together to end. “Are you staying here tonight?”
“Do you want me to?”
“My place isn’t as nice as yours.”
“Your place is great, but that’s not what I asked.”
A smile swept over my face as I told him, “Yes, I’d like you to stay.”
“Then, I’m staying.” He inched up on the sofa and took a good look at my bed, then smiled one of his sexy smiles. “Looks sturdy enough.”
“Quinton!”
“What? I was just making an observation.”
“We’ve already...” I gave him a look, “You know. I would’ve thought you had your fill.”
“Baby, I don’t think I’ll ever get my fill of you.”
There was something about the way he said those words that had me believing he meant them. I held on to that thought as he and I got up from the sofa and headed to bed. While Quinton dropped down to his boxers, I put on my favorite pjs and slipped under the covers. I was waiting for him to join me when he stepped into the bathroom.
He was in there for a minute or two, and when he came out, I asked, “You mind leaving the light on?”
“Huh?”
“The bathroom light.” I motioned my hand behind him. “Turn it back on and crack the door behind you.”
“Wait.” Quinton’s handsome face was marked with confusion as he asked, “You saying you sleep with the lights on?”
“May-be.”
He just stood there staring at me like I’d lost my mind, so I added, “I get in my head when I’m in the dark. Can’t seem to quit thinking about things I don’t wanna think about. The lights help.”
“I see.”
His eyes filled with emotion when I told him, “You help, too.”
“I do?”
“Um-hmm. When I’m with you, I don’t think about the past, only the here and now. That’s something I haven’t been able to do in a very long time.”
“Ah, damn, Jules. You’re killing me.”
“Well, it’s true.” I didn’t tell him that I didn’t think the nightmares would ever truly go away. They would change from time to time, but they weren’t going anywhere. They were a part of me, and I was okay with that. I was also okay with the fact that they’d been better since Quinton came into my life. “Lots of things have been better since you’ve been around. Hopefully, they’ll keep gettin’ better.”
“If I have anything to say about it, they will.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed, then slipped his arm behind me, pulling me closer. When he looked down at me with those dark, piercing eyes, my world stopped turning. The only thing left between us was the anticipation of his lips meeting mine in a heated kiss, but there was no kiss. Instead, he smiled and said, “So, about the lights.”
“You can turn them off.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
He nodded, then stood and headed back for the bathroom. He hadn’t gotten far when he asked, “What’s that?”
“What’s what?”
“That.” He motioned his hand toward the black gift bag on my dresser as he asked, “Is it your birthday or something?”
“No,” I answered with panic. “It’s Caroline’s.”
“Oh? What is it?”
Knowing what was hidden inside, my heart started to race when Quinton took a step toward the bag. I thought back to days earlier when Caroline came waltzing merrily into the gift shop with an annoyingly wide smile on her face.
She sashayed over to me and held up the black gift bag as she announced, “I got you something.”
She handed it to me, and I immediately peeked inside as I asked, “What is it?”
“Just something every girl on the planet should have.”
“Oh really?” I pulled out the box, and my mouth dropped when I saw the image of a hot, pink vibrator plastered on the side. “You didn’t!”
“I did,” she replied proudly. “I know you have been seeing Q, but you’ve seemed a little tense lately. I thought you might need a little sexual healing.”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I won’t be needing this.” I tossed the box back into the bag, then pushed it over to her. “You can keep it.”
“Does that mean that...” I wasn’t going to say anything, but my facial expression gave me away. “You dirty little slut! You banged the biker.”
“Don’t be an ass, Caroline. I’m just saying I don’t need your gift. You can keep it for yourself.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Caroline picked up the gift bag and shoved it under the counter. “I was hoping things with Hayes would start heating up, but no such luck.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I think he’s just not that into me or something.”
“He seemed pretty interested in you the other night when we played pool.”