Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 69371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
"Nothing." She shakes her head. “We could commute," she offers, optimistic. “I could come there for a couple of weekends, and you can come here."
"So we would do long distance?" I ask, and at that moment, it's the worst idea she’s ever had. At that moment, I know I don't ever want to do that. I also know that her whole life is here in this town. She has her business here, and she has her family here. She planted her roots here, and I would never take her away from here.
"Lots of people do it." She smiles, trying to convince me and maybe herself. "It'll be an adjustment, but I think as long as we communicate and put each other first, it can work out."
Sitting up, I hold out my hand for her, and she comes over to me and straddles my lap. Her hands go to the middle of my chest. “What if I told you that it's not good enough?” I swallow down the lump in my throat. She looks down, and I see her blinking fast, putting my finger under her chin and lifting up her face.
"I can't believe you're doing this," she says, pushing away from me, and I grab her waist before she jumps up, but she's faster than me.
"Clarabella," I call her name, and she just starts to walk away before stopping and turning around.
"Literally, it's been less than twenty-four hours since you called me your woman!” she shouts, and I try not to laugh at her. “Twenty-four hours. You literally stood in the middle of Main Street and basically peed on my leg, marking your territory." Fuck, she's beautiful. “And then one phone call, and it's like, see you later."
"Are you done?" I ask, and she glares at me. "One, you're fucking beautiful." I hold up my hand with one finger up. “Two, you are mine." I hold up another finger. “And three, I turned it down already." I hold up the third finger, and her mouth opens to say something and then she closes it, nothing coming out of her. "I turned him down."
"Why the hell would you do that?" she shouts at me.
I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her waist. “Well, for one," I explain. “I like waking up with you. I love that you are there when I come in at night. The thought of not doing that every single night or even every other night is just not worth it."
"I don't want you to not do it just for me," she says, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"I'm not doing it for you," I admit to her. “I'm doing it for me."
"Well, that's good to know," she replies, and I laugh.
"I have to say, you really are hot when you’re pissed off,” I growl and bend to kiss her neck. “I thought you were going to throat punch me, and I've never been so turned on in my life."
"You are a sick, sick man." She shakes her head.
"Must be sick in love,” I offer, and for the first time in my life, I'm in love with someone, and I want to shout it from the rooftops. “With you." She goes stiff in my arms. “Breathe,” I urge. “Just take a deep breath in and then out."
"Luke," she whispers.
"Can we go home now?" I ask, and she shakes her head.
"You can't just throw out that you are sick in love." She sniffles, and I see the tears in her eyes. “It's not okay."
I chuckle at her. “It's more than okay," I inform her.
"My mother wants to meet you," she blurts out.
"Okay." I smile.
"I think I love you." She takes a deep breath. “Like, I knew I liked you a lot since we were in school, and then when we got close again, I felt something, but I told myself it was nothing. Then you left, and it hurt so bad even though I pretended it didn't." She palms my face in one of her hands. “And now when you told me you were leaving, I really fucking hated the idea." I can't help but laugh. “I mean, I would support you and do whatever you wanted, but I didn't like it, and then it hit me like a kick in the vagina that I love you." She wipes a tear that rolls down her face.
"It's good to know." I grab her face in my hands and kiss her. “Now can we go home and have make-up sex?" She looks at me and then looks at the blanket under the tree. "Are you insane? You know that being my woman means no one gets to see you but me." She rolls her eyes. “And that means we have sex where no one can see or hear you."