Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
I quietly move the abundance of snacks to the bedside table and snuggle deeper into the blankets. I turn on my side and face him, memorizing his face. He appears much younger in slumber, and it takes everything I have not to reach out and stroke his cheek the way he did mine earlier.
I smile weakly, my body growing tired as his breathing lulls me to sleep. This is the first time I’ve ever shared a bed with a man that wasn’t Alec. I feel the pang of guilt I’m growing used to feeling when I think about him. For some reason, I’m able to talk to Kid. We seem to click, even if he isn’t interested in me for anything other than a friend. Not exactly where I want things to go, but considering my recent loss, which brought the friend count down to a big fat zero, I’m not going to balk if that’s what Kid is offering me.
I don’t consider this a betrayal of the friendship I had with Alec; if anything I can see Kid as a heavenly gift from the only man, other than my father, that loved me more than he loved himself. I won’t ruin the friendship Kid and I are building with petty jealousy. I can’t control him and whatever he has going on with the redhead. I won’t act like a petulant child who’s not getting her way. I’ll count my small blessing and cherish every second Kid wants to spend with me, even if I’ll never feel the brush of his soft lips against mine again.
Chapter 12
Kid
I squint my eyes against the sunlight filtering in my room. I’m disoriented for a brief second because the sun is not coming in at the same angle it usually does. I remember I fell asleep watching TV with Khloe about the same time I realize I have my arm around her middle.
I jolt suddenly and pull my arm away. The sudden action causes her to stir. I lie still recalling how she reacted yesterday when I woke her by touching her face, which is the same instinct I have right now. I fight it.
We’re facing each other, only inches apart. Thankfully I’m still on top of the covers. I don’t even want to think about how much of my body would be touching hers if the blankets didn’t keep us separated.
Her eyes flutter softly. “Hey,” she says quietly as if speaking loudly would break the perfection of the moment.
I smile at her. “Mornin’.” I wait for the urgency to run to hit my chest. We didn’t mess around last night, but not once in my life have I ever had the urge to stay in the bed with a woman once the sun came up. The only time I’ve stuck around even for the briefest of moments is when I woke up halfway down a chick’s throat.
I close my eyes in an attempt to ward off those thoughts, even though my rock solid dick is begging me to focus on the idea of sliding past her perfectly pink lips. Either set would work, he practically grumbles with a voice of his own.
“You feel like getting out of here today?” I don’t really have any plans for us, but I know I don’t want to leave this room without knowing I’ll get to spend more time with her today.
“Sure,” she answers brightly.
I turn over on the bed and sit on the edge, begging my cock to deflate enough so I don’t embarrass myself when leaving the room. It doesn’t, and I think the longer I sit here the harder it gets, so that’s not an option.
I stand up and stretch, giving me a reason to tug my t-shirt down in front of my jeans, a failure of an attempt to hide my erection. I stride to the dresser and grab my boots, holding them awkwardly in front of myself. Memories of high school and hiding the same problem behind my math book flood my head. I smirk at the thought, considering even then it was girls her age now that caused the problems back then.
“I’ll be back in like half an hour. I need to grab a quick shower,” I tell her before leaving the room.
I groan out loud when I pull her door closed and see Kincaid leaning against the wall, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand.
“I know Shadow relayed my message to you,” he says calmly, even though I can see his pulse thrumming in his neck. “She’s off limits until she ages out of the state’s care. I’m certain I made myself clear.”
“That’s not…”
He cuts me off. “This is only the second night she’s been here and you’re already doing the walk of shame out of her fucking room, Kid.”