Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
The ride is quicker every time we go back and forth from my place to his. Before I know it, we’re in the quiet, peaceful comfort of his bedroom. He has that look in his eyes, like he’s horny and ready to do anything to please me. He’s even wearing something sexy and tight that shows off all his best features.
But I tell him, “Can we maybe take it easy tonight? I’m feeling like we could just … cuddle, maybe? Hold each other? It’s been a long day.”
Adrian gazes into my eyes, for a moment curious. It’s like he can hear all the words I didn’t say. But instead of prying, he just gently nods. “Of course, Quin. I’m down for that. Down for anything, as long as it’s with you.”
He spoons me in his big arms, wrapping me up and clinging to me. Tucked into his body, I feel safe and warm, like nothing can touch me. None of my dad’s doubts. None of my professor’s words. None of the noise that has my heart feeling heavy.
“I’m glad I’m here,” I whisper.
I hear the smile in his voice when he says, “Me too.”
Chapter 16 - Adrian
There’s definitely something up.
But I know better than to dig it out of him.
He’ll tell me when the time’s right. I’m guessing it has to do with his picky professor who’s always scrutinizing his work and making him feel subpar. That pisses me off, to be honest. Did he show his professor the sketch of me and my dick on the table? That was a fucking masterpiece.
“What time’s your class?” I ask him as we’re waking up in the morning.
“I have the day off,” he says, picking the sleep out of his eyes with one hand as he stretches with the other.
“Hmm. How about I finally take you to Desert Moon and show off what the west end of the island has to offer in terms of a tasty breakfast?”
He nods. “Sounds perfect.”
“Better than La Cocina Caliente?” I tease. “Which we allegedly hit up a few Tuesdays ago, if memory serves me right.”
He stares at me. “Wow, you remember that?”
“Of course. Isn’t it what gave me the butt bombs?”
That makes him laugh. “Butt bombs?!” he cries out, unable to recover from his giggles.
Good. That’s what I was going for.
Something to break that heaviness I see in his eyes.
Let’s see if we can keep it up. “Grab your sandals,” I tell him, swatting him on the arm. “You and I are heading out before the lunch rush.”
The next thing I know, we’re back in my car cutting down Holiday Street, which takes us over to the quieter side of the island. I drive with the music up loud and the windows down, so there’s no room for him to linger on whatever was pulling him down yesterday. The wind does whatever it wants with our hair. I let my fingers play in the air outside my car window, arm hanging out, driving one-handed as we buzz down the road.
“This place is a very specific kind of vibe I can’t put my finger on,” he shouts over the music.
“Yeah?” I shout back. “That a good or bad thing?”
“Whatever it is, I like it! I regret not coming here more often, especially living so close.”
“You’re here now, right? Hey, you think you’ll put this morning’s sky in a painting someday?”
He gazes up at the sky through the windshield. “It’s a great sky,” he admits. “My mind is already trying to figure out which paints, brushes, and techniques I can combine to capture that kind of radiance. Really, that’s half the battle of painting: figuring out the how of it all.”
“I love when you talk about your art.” I chuckle when I catch the look on his face, staring at me. “I wouldn’t know where to begin with all of that.”
“You wouldn’t know what?” he shouts back.
I turn down the music a little. “Every brush is the same to me! Colors, too. Bet you’d tell me thirty different shades of blue off the top of your head and I can’t name more than two.” I slow down to pull into the parking lot of the café.
“One of them is your eyes.”
I park the car, then turn to him. “My what?”
“Blazing blue … intense … burning with your ultra-focus on the road as you drive.” He smiles softly. “It’s my favorite blue, I think. Just decided.”
I kill the engine, then lean over the center console, putting my face right in his. “Wanna keep saying sweet-ass things about my eyes? It gets me horny.”
He smirks. “On an empty stomach?”
I shrug as we continue staring into each other’s eyes. My tone changes. “You amaze me, Quin.”
“Do I?” The amused look on his face lets go, for a moment revealing the heaviness in his eyes he’s clearly suppressing. What’s going on with him? “I was watching you while you drive.”