Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“Yeah…yeah, that’d be great,” I told Johnnie, not realizing how much I needed this until Sean made it happen. “Let me grab my phone.”
After I plucked it off my desk, I sent a text: I love you.
Sean replied back immediately: I love you too.
When I got back to the lobby, Johnnie had taken a seat. He stood and asked, “Are you ready, son?”
Son. I hadn’t been called that since my father died.
“Yeah, yeah, I am.”
I couldn’t wait.
34
Sean
Holy shit, I was in love?
For some reason, I was dwelling on songs I’d heard growing up. Not the ones I listened to at the time…just the super sappy ones I never understood before.
It was as horrible as I’d always imagined it was for my friends who fell prey to those sorts of feelings.
We’d been apart from one another for a fucking week, but that felt so fucking long.
Way too long.
I knew how wrong it was to be that frustrated by such a short span of time. I shouldn’t have felt like a needy teenager getting all hung up on my first boyfriend, but I did.
Miserable as I was with not seeing him for what felt like too long, I was excited about the prospect of meeting up with him again.
“I’m going to be needing that ass tonight, fair warning,” I told him.
“You’re going to have to wait your turn because I’m going to want up in yours just as much.”
“I figure it’s only fair for us to take turns. Don’t get greedy about it or anything.”
“I only do greedy.”
I laughed at that sense of humor I’d come to appreciate so much—that I’d enjoyed in our phone conversations since I’d left, but I wanted to see his face and those quirky expressions he made when he delivered his zingers. When he teased me…and when he put me in my place. I wanted to see the sparkle in his eyes when he thought he was particularly clever and the curvature of his lips when he offered the smile that revealed just how full of himself he was being.
Those things used to annoy the crap out of me, but I needed to see them again and feel the rush that came with getting together.
“Where are you now?” he asked.
“In the parking garage at the airport. About to head to the restaurant.”
“You sure you don’t want to swing by here and shower off…and maybe a little more than shower off.”
His offer was enticing, but I replied, “I have a feeling once I get back to the condo, I won’t be leaving, especially if you have anything to do with it, so I’d rather fill up before.”
“I plan on filling you up after too. I’m a little nervous about meeting you at a restaurant.”
“Nervous?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I feel like I might drag you into the bathroom and take advantage of you.”
“Mr. Harris, I think we’re past the point of you being able to take advantage of me.”
“Just means I have to put in the extra effort.”
I laughed—a hearty, full-on laugh, the sort that made me know just how in love I was with the guy.
“God, you are lucky,” he said. “A guy with a sense of humor like this isn’t easy to find.”
“Don’t I know it. I’m lucky that you were willing to condescend to be with someone like me.”
“If you’re with me, you should know you’re pretty amazing, because I wouldn’t settle for less.”
How did he manage to be such a dick and so sweet at the same time? Something about the combination obviously appealed to me, had been the bait I’d taken, the hook that had grabbed me, and the reel that had reined me on in.
“But I’m going to shut up before I give you a big head,” Ethan added.
“Worried I’ll become as arrogant as you?”
“That’s not the head I was talking about.” His voice was deep and nearly a growl as he spoke.
“Maybe I’m making the wrong decision wanting to eat first. Maybe we should just meet at my place and rub one out real quick.”
“Uh uh. Now that I know you’re hungry, I’m not going to let you starve yourself on my account. I got some good protein for you, but you’re going to need a lot more than that.”
“Then I’m just going to have to work that much harder for my meal,” I joked.
“Don’t tempt me. Get to the restaurant. I might be a little late. Trying to finish up some stuff here at the office, but I’ll text you to keep you posted, okay?”
“See you soon.”
“Not soon enough,” Ethan said before we hung up.
I felt this swirl of energy in my chest—excitement that mirrored how I got when I was a kid waking up on Christmas morning.
I had quite a drive, mostly traffic before I arrived at the restaurant and parked in the packed lot.