Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 90736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“It does sound weird.” I pause. “All it would take for you to see how normal I am is to get you around my parents. They love lecturing me and putting me in my place. They treat me like I’m still fourteen.”
“How so?”
“Uh, this week while I was at their house, I lost track of the number of times Mom reminded me to pick up the wet towels off the bathroom floor and hang them on the hook—and pick up my dirty clothes and put them in the hamper. Oh. And I’m not allowed to use all the pillows on the bed for sleeping—only the designated sleeping pillows.”
Harlow clicks her tongue. “You poor baby.”
I nod. “I know. It’s awful. You have no idea how humbling it is having your mother slap your hand away when you’re trying to steal bacon out of the pan before it’s done.”
My hand takes hers again so my thumb can caress her palm.
“And you’re willing to, like, fly here for dates and stuff?” Harlow asks, a bit abashedly.
“Yeah—I can fly here to take you to dinner. I can also fly you to where I’m at.” It makes me proud to admit I can do those things for her. “Not an issue at all.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“I know we’ve literally only known each other for a week, and we’ve already had some fucked-up shit happen. But, Harlow, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this work.”
“Like move to Green Bay so you can sleep with your biggest fan?” She gives me a teasing laugh.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
But maybe.
“My biggest fan? You didn’t even know who I was.” I roll my eyes. “I’m still insulted.”
“You’re too cocky to be insulted.” Harlow leans forward and kisses my jawline. “I love it when you pout.”
“I’m not cocky—and I’m not pouting. I’m stating facts.”
The fact is, now that I’ve made my mind up to date Harlow, no matter where in the world she’s located, I’m going to see it through. I am going to date the shit out of her, so it’s best she buckle up for the ride.
“I need to know if you’re in or out. For my own sanity.”
She shivers. “That sounds so final.”
“That may be true, but I go balls to the wall when I commit to something—and this life ain’t for the faint of heart. So I need someone who’s in this with me.”
Harlow nods slowly, absorbing the words and what they mean. “I see.”
“So are you? In—or out.”
Her hesitation is one of the longest pauses in history. The clock ticks in the background. My heart beats loud enough for me to hear it.
The sound of Steve wiping that damn counter . . .
Finally, Harlow nods. “Yes. I’m in.”
In the kitchen, Big Steve lets out a whooping sound so loud, we both flinch.
Laughing, Harlow wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me in for a kiss.
“Are we sealing the deal?”
She nods again. “We’re sealing the deal.”
God, I love her lips.
Her mouth.
I love listening to her talk as much as I love her tongue down my throat.
She licks her lips when we come up for air. “Wait. Does this mean you’re my boyfriend?”
I have no idea.
Hadn’t thought this whole thing through.
“We don’t have to put labels on it if you don’t want to—I only want to know if you’re willing to try. We can depend on each other in the next coming months because they’re going to be crazy.”
I lean into the love seat, bringing my arm up and wrapping it around her shoulders.
“I have meetings with one or two more teams, gotta narrow down who I want to play for. It’s a fuckton of pressure having to choose.” I run my free hand through my hair. “Before being a free agent, I was drafted. Then traded. Deciding on my own where I want to go is an entirely different kind of beast.”
“I imagine it would be.” She leans into me. “New team. New city.”
New relationship.
Next level in my life, unlocked.
“Just so you know, I have no idea what I’m doing,” she whispers. “In case you were wondering.”
As if she had to tell me she had no idea what she was doing, ha ha.
“Don’t worry—neither do I. In fact, the only thing I have a handle on is football and not much else. By the way, I met your neighbor Lydia on my way over here.”
“You did? Isn’t she the best?”
“She is like no other teenager I’ve ever met.” I laugh. “She all but cornered me in the yard.”
“Cornered you?”
“Not literally, but she put me in the hot seat and wanted to know what my intentions were toward you,” I explain. “That’s one kid I want to have on my side in a battle of wits.”
“Pretty sure she’s going to be a lawyer someday.” Harlow chuckles, rising from the couch, reaching to pull me up along with her. “We should get back to my place—have to let Kevin out.”