Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Why do you call him that?” Charlie asked as she gestured for Kara to help her reposition the couch.
Draco laughed. “Have you seen him?” he asked. “Prettiest man I’ve ever met.”
“Well, thank you, sweetheart,” I said dryly.
I’d been hearing the same thing for most of my adult life. Hell, I’d been pretty as a kid too. I’d never had an awkward stage. When other kids were dealing with permanent teeth that were too big for their faces, mine had just looked even more charming than the baby teeth had. As a kid who’d grown up in the system, I couldn’t say that had worked to my advantage. I shrugged off the memory and moved toward Charlie’s headboard.
“This thing is easy,” Draco said, grabbing one of the bedrails. “But it’s heavy as fuck and takes two people.”
We made short work of building the bed and sliding the box spring and mattress into place.
“Okay, now you two leave so we can make it,” Charlie ordered, her arms full of bedding.
Draco laughed. “Fuck off.” He strode to the couch and dropped onto it.
“This is my haven,” Charlie said dramatically, setting the bedding on the mattress. “My own special oasis where I can be alone.”
“Cool,” Draco replied, patting the other seat on the couch so I’d sit with him.
I hid my smile as I went to take a seat.
“I’m getting a lock on my door,” Charlie said in exasperation. “A deadbolt.”
“Probably a good idea,” Kara said, looking over at me.
I laughed.
“You remember what I told you?” Charlie said to Draco, her gaze moving pointedly toward me. “I bet it’s going to get loud, too.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he said in disgust. “I don’t want to know.”
“I bet he’s a screamer,” Charlie said with relish, snapping the sheet out over the bed.
“I’m not a screamer,” I mumbled, unsure about what she’d told Draco before, but sure she was talking about me now.
“We’ll see,” she replied, giving me a smug smile.
“I was right about washing the sheets this morning before we moved,” Kara said loudly, deliberately and awkwardly changing the subject. “Right? It’s so nice to sleep on clean sheets.”
“Do you like clean sheets, Bishop?” Charlie asked me, unwilling to let it go. “Wanna climb on in?”
Now that there were other people in the room, all her reservations were gone. I wasn’t surprised. Charlie was full of piss and vinegar when she knew it would go nowhere. It was the moments we had alone when she was jumpy.
“You’re trouble,” I replied as Draco scoffed.
“I’m fucking fantastic in bed,” she replied as they continued making the bed. “You’ll scream.”
“Is that a promise?” I asked in amusement.
“Please don’t encourage her,” Draco said, his face still screwed up in disgust.
“It’s a guarantee,” Charlie said, grinning.
“You’ll scream first,” I replied quietly.
“Challenge accepted.”
“Okay, now I’m getting uncomfortable,” Kara muttered, throwing a pillow at Charlie’s head. “And I’ve heard most of your conquests through the wall. Quit it.”
“It’s just a little light flirtation to pass the time,” Charlie said, throwing the pillow back as she winked at me.
“More like foreplay,” Kara countered. “I’m going to get a drink. Anyone want one?”
“I’ll help,” Charlie said. “Maybe we should all go?”
“I’m good,” Draco replied, grinning as he made a show of getting more comfortable on the couch.
“When are you going shopping for living room furniture?” Charlie asked Kara as they left the room. “He needs a couch downstairs.”
“You three should take this show on the road,” I murmured. “The shit slinging is actually kind of impressive.”
“We’ve been doin’ it since we were kids,” Draco replied with a smile. “We bicker, but we’re tight.”
“You’re lucky,” I said quietly.
“I’m aware,” Draco said with a nod. “How’s things? I wasn’t sure if you’d show up today.”
“Things are good,” I replied, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. “This crew I’m working with is good. No fuckwads in the mix and everyone gets along so we’re runnin’ like a machine. Got a raise already.”
“Workin’ your way up that ladder,” Draco said with a grin.
I laughed. “Yeah. Give me another week and I’ll be runnin’ the place.”
“Don’t doubt it for a second,” Draco replied, still smiling. “How’s the house?”
“Smells like fuckin’ cabbage,” I said, tilting my head to smell my shirt. “Feel like I can’t escape it. I smell?”
“I’m not gonna smell you.”
“Fair enough.”
“When do you get outta there?”
“Whenever,” I replied with a shrug. Draco had been fortunate. When he’d gotten out of prison he’d had a place to go. I hadn’t. When I got out, my parole officer had set me up in a halfway house. He was a good guy and I knew that he was doing me a solid, but the place sucked. “I gotta get a security deposit together before I can get a place, though. Couple more months, maybe.”
“Hell, you should just move in here. We’ve got the room. Even when my brother gets back, we’ll still have extra space.”