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)
“That’s bullshit,” he spat.
“It’s not though,” I replied. “I did. I bought the coffee cart. I got the guy.”
“Who does that kind of shit? She’s got a new job and we’d only been on two fuckin’ dates and they weren’t even good ones.”
“A narcissist,” I said dryly. “A mean girl.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head as he walked toward me. “I can’t even tell you—”
“I know you are,” I said with a sigh, wrapping my arms around his neck as he reached me. “I am too.”
“What the hell do you have to be sorry for?” he asked, pulling away.
“For making you wait,” I mumbled, dropping my head against his chest. “For blowing you off while I tried to figure shit out.”
“You were just doin’ what you thought was right.”
“So were you,” I replied. Bishop huffed.
“No I wasn’t,” he said, tightening his arms around my waist. “Knew it was stupid and went out with her anyway.”
I looked up at him in surprise.
“Told myself it wasn’t a big deal,” he said. “That I shouldn’t feel guilty about it. Fuck if that worked. I felt like an asshole the minute I brought her into the house.”
“You sure didn’t seem contrite,” I joked.
He laughed. “I was feelin’ a bit defensive,” he muttered apologetically. He sighed. “Damn, it’s been a long day.”
“And a long night before that,” I agreed.
“You get any sleep?” he asked softly.
“Not much,” I admitted.
“Me either.”
“Kara, we’re going to bed,” I yelled, making Bishop smile.
“Thanks for the update,” Kara yelled back.
“Stop fuckin’ yellin’,” Draco yelled. “We’ve got neighbors!”
I followed Bishop up the stairs and let him lead me into the bathroom, where without speaking we both started to undress. Climbing into the shower after him, I took in the broad expanse of his shoulders and the narrow flex of his hips. He really was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen.
“Let’s start now,” he said to me, pulling me into the spray.
“What do you mean?” I asked, letting him pull the ponytail out.
“I loved the beginning, honey,” he said, running his fingers through my hair. “But when we look back, I’d rather remember this. The feel of you here, happy and calm. Not the shit last night or even the last couple of months that I barely saw you even though we’ve been livin’ in the same house.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I replied, turning to face him. “I don’t think I want to forget any of it.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“If we skip to now, we’d have to skip all those nights we stayed up late talking,” I whispered, kissing the center of his chest. “And the crazy good sex we had in your bed—”
“And in yours,” he said through a grin.
“That one, too,” I agreed. Thinking about my bed made me think about how Tabitha had been in my room, and that led to the look on her face when she’d walked in with Bishop the night before. I pushed it all away.
“I’m sorry,” he said, leaning down to kiss me softly. “Fuck.”
“Stop saying it,” I replied, reaching up to tug his hair. “I know you are.”
“I wouldn’t hurt you for the world,” he said, his brows still drawn in contrition. “You know that, right?”
“It’s over,” I acknowledged.
“You know I wouldn’t hurt you?”
“I know it wasn’t your intention.”
“I won’t hurt you again.”
“You can’t promise that,” I responded, smiling at him.
“I sure as fuck can,” he argued.
“Fine,” I conceded. “You will never hurt me ever.”
“Now you’re just bein’ sarcastic,” he muttered, leaning over so the spray of the shower hit me directly in the face.
“Hey!” I sputtered, ducking away.
The rest of the shower was quick as we soaped up and took turns rinsing off. Our shower really wasn’t meant for two—was there such a thing? But we made it work. I don’t think either of us was willing to let the other out of our sight. We didn’t bother grabbing anything to sleep in, and without any discussion, Bishop led me into his room.
I crawled beneath the covers as Bishop pulled the blinds closed and turned off the light. Once we were cocooned in the darkness he turned to me.
“This is where I’ve wanted to be since I met you,” he said, pulling me into the curve of his body. “Can’t explain it.” He paused for a moment. “Just spent the day helpin’ you with your dream and now I get to fall asleep next to you.”
“Naked,” I whispered back.
“Naked’s a bonus,” he said, kissing my bare shoulder. “Sleep, honey. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Epilogue
Charlie
“Wake up,” a quiet voice murmured in my ear, pausing to bite it gently.
“Beauregard Augustus Bishop,” I groaned, swatting at the air. “Leave me alone.”
“Nope,” he said, pulling the quilt and top sheet all the way off the bed. “Up.”
“You are the worst,” I mumbled, curling into a ball. Sleeping naked had not been my brightest idea.