Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
He looks out the window, not answering me, and I roll my eyes. I ease myself off his lap, and it only pisses me off more that he allows me to go. Instantly, I feel cold without his heat, but I won’t stand for him shutting down on me. He throws the truck into drive and pulls onto the road. I look out the window as he drives, my body shaking with anger. I don’t know why he is holding back. I showed him the deepest part of myself, but he can’t show me his?
Neither of us utters a word as we head home. Once he parks, I don’t wait for him, and I get out. I shut the door and head toward the back of the coffeehouse. Drippy Drip is busy, with a line out the door, so I take that as an opportunity to put space between Coleson and me. Just as I go to pitch in, Coleson catches my bicep in his hand. I look back at him, my brows furrowing. “Let me go, so I can help.”
“They don’t need us. There are plenty of people on staff to work.”
“Oh, so your voice works now?”
He gives me a look. “All right, sassy pants, relax.”
“Relax?” I laugh. “I poured out my soul to you and then told you I want you, and you shut down on me. But I should relax?”
He flinches. “I’m sorry. That was a poor choice of words. Can we talk upstairs?”
“Poor choice of words,” I mutter, shaking my head. “Let me go help.”
“There isn’t enough room for another person. You scheduled everyone to work since we’d be gone all weekend. I promise they’re fine.”
I look back at the counter at the same time as Janie meets my gaze. She waves with a wide smile and then yells out, “Wow, you look hot!”
I couldn’t fight back the grin if I tried. “Thanks.”
She waves again, and then Coleson is pulling me toward the stairs that lead to our home. Once we’re in the stairwell, I tug my arm from his grip and head up the stairs without looking back at him. Unfortunately, I don’t have my keys, so I have to wait for him to make it to the door to unlock it. He takes his sweet time, finding the key and then leaning in to put it in the lock. As he turns it, he says, “She’s right. You are hot.”
I don’t even look at him. “I am well aware.”
His chuckle sends heat right to my gut, and I don’t miss how he mutters, “So damn spicy.”
Bastard.
I ignore his cute little endearment and push through the door to go in. I walk to the closet to place my sandals inside before heading toward the bathroom. I feel his gaze on me, but I ignore him. I slam the door shut for good measure and then lean into the counter. He’s fucking frustrating, and I don’t understand why he is allowing the actions of others to warp his mind into thinking I don’t want him as he is. I know it’s only been a short time, but I care for him. All of him. Even his mistakes. I know there is a reason he made them, and I wish he would just tell me so I could reassure him.
I reach for the zipper of my dress to take it off so I can shower. I’m pretty sure I have pink shit in my hair, and I feel grimy, like the chalk got on my skin. Even with me unzipping it a little, I still can’t reach the zipper from below to pull it all the way down. I refuse to ask for Coleson’s help. He’ll more than likely kiss my shoulder or grab my ass, and the next thing I know, I’ll be fucking naked.
God, I want him.
I don’t want to fight with him. I want to get lost in us, but I don’t know if that’ll ever happen again. Fucking hell, he drives me crazy.
I pull the dress up, but of course, it’s not unzipped enough to get over my head. I try to turn it around to unzip it myself, but with the way the back is made, I can’t get my arms out of the sleeves. I’m tempted to rip the damn thing, but I love the dress so much. I’m basically out of breath as I gather the fabric and throw it up on one shoulder, so my arm is free. Before I can grab the zipper, though, Coleson’s voice seeps through the door. “I can hear you in there struggling. Can I help?” When I unzip it, I almost cry out in excitement, but I contain myself. Before I can answer him, the door handle moves but then stops. “Can I come in?”