Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“That’s true. And I don’t know what I’d have done without you this summer.”
My entire body tingled with pleasure at his words. “You’re not just saying that because it was fun to fuck the nanny?”
He groaned as he tipped to one side. “Don’t say that.”
“Why not? It was a riot to fuck the boss.” Laughing, I slipped from the bed. “I’ll be right back.”
In the bathroom, I cleaned up and washed my hands. In the mirror, I saw flushed cheeks, puffy lips, wild hair. But the girl who looked back at me was happy.
As I dried my hands, I wondered if Austin would still be lying there in bed when I went out. Was this like an overnight kind of thing? Would I get my encore? What if he was all This can’t happen again, Veronica when I walked out? Pulling on his sweatpants? Racing for the door?
But when I opened the bathroom door, I saw him lying on the bed, right where I’d left him. My insides tightened once more. Quickly, I switched off the living room light and hurried back to him.
“You’re still here,” I said, lying on my side with my hands tucked under my cheek.
“Is that okay?” He propped his head onto his hand.
“Yes. You can stay as long as you want.” I chuckled sheepishly. “I’ve been a little lonely up here all by myself.”
“Have you?” He ran his hand down my arm, shoulder to elbow.
“Yeah. I’m an extrovert, and I think I’ve just been starved for meaningful social interaction over the last couple years. I was pretty isolated caring for my mom. And I went right from her house to orbiting Neil, who kept me close while also keeping me sequestered. But I suppose it’s been good to have time to think.”
“What did you think about?”
The outline of his broad shoulder was tempting me, and I put my hand on his chest, brushed my fingers through the soft, dark hair. “Well, I’d like to say I’ve been up here contemplating the meaning of life, world peace, self-actualization. But the truth is, I’ve mostly been up here fantasizing about your naked body.”
He laughed. “Then we’re even. That’s all I’ve been doing over there. Or sometimes just one floor below you.”
“And how was the reality compared to the fantasy?”
“So much better. No comparison.” His hand skimmed the dip at my waist and over my hip.
My heart fluttered. “Good.”
“But now I have a problem.” In one easy move, he’d turned me onto my back beneath him, shackling my wrists with his hands, pinning them to the mattress above my head.
“I’m going to want it all the time.” He buried his face in my neck and inhaled deeply. “God, you smell good. Every single time you walk by me, I want to fucking eat you with a spoon.”
“I don’t see a problem with that. Not for the next week, anyway. After that, you’ll have to behave again.” It was good that we had an agreed-on end date. No potential for hurt feelings or misunderstanding.
“Then I better not waste any time.” He kissed his way back up to my mouth and claimed it with his own.
We got very little sleep that night. But as I drifted off wrapped in Austin’s arms, I felt happier than I had in years.
FIFTEEN
austin
I woke up to the sound of Xander pounding on the back door to the house.
“Bro!” he was yelling. “You made me get up early on a Sunday to help you, and you’re not even awake? Get your ass out of bed!”
“Shit,” I mumbled, tossing the covers back and going over to the window. When I peeked behind the shade, I saw him standing at the back of the house shouting up at my bedroom window. I’d left my phone at the house last night, so I couldn’t text him, and I didn’t want to wake up Veronica by yelling back.
“I’m giving you five minutes!” Xander shouted, then plunked himself down in one of the Adirondack chairs by the fire pit.
I noticed he had a cardboard cup of coffee in his hand, so I figured he’d be fine for a few. Going back to the bed, I slipped in beside Veronica again, curling up behind her.
The bedroom window faced the east, so the light filtering through the shade was soft and pink. It made her skin glow angelically, and her gossamer hair was like a halo around her head. She had the sheet pulled up to her hip, but it was low enough that I noticed the tiny pattern of stars just above her right butt cheek. They were connected, like a constellation. I wished I knew enough about astronomy to recognize it.
She inhaled, her ribs expanding, and I heard a contented little sigh as she exhaled. I leaned over and pressed my lips to her ink.