Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
That felt like an eternity when I was filled with such urgency. Impulsively, I grabbed my things and headed out. It took almost an hour to reach Rhys’ street using public transport, and when I stood outside the pastel blue door with the butterfly knocker, I once again felt like the house was perfect for me. Even its placement on the street felt right with its south-facing back garden.
It was difficult to explain why I wanted the house so much, but the feeling was just there, impossible to ignore. It overrode all other thoughts like would I regret putting myself in debt just for a house? Or would the new sexual element to mine and Rhys’ friendship be complicated further by me moving in next door?
I pushed all those questions and worries aside as I slid the letter through the mailbox, then nodded to myself. It was the right move. I could feel it in my bones.
When I turned, I spotted Rhys’ car parked next to the sidewalk. Well, it would be a waste to come all that way and not pay him a visit, right? Plus, he had mentioned he wasn’t going to be busy all weekend, so I knocked.
A minute later, the door opened. Rhys appeared in a T-shirt, sweatpants, and bare feet. His hair was damp like he’d just taken a shower. My brain took a second to fire up.
“Charli, hey,” he said, motioning me inside without question. I loved that about him, how chill he was.
“Do you want some tea? Coffee?”
“Tea is good. Herbal if you have it,” I replied, and Rhys nodded before leading me into the kitchen.
“I was just dropping a letter off at Melanie and Kevin’s,” I said as I took a seat, and he rifled through his cupboard, pulling out boxes of tea. “Thought it would be rude not to drop in and say hi.”
His expression warmed. “I’m glad you’re here.” Then one eyebrow lifted. “A letter?”
“I read that it’s a good way to appeal to sellers to accept your offer. You write them a letter detailing why you want their house.”
“Ah, yeah. I’ve heard of people doing that,” Rhys replied as he filled the kettle with water. “So, what did you write?”
He came and sat across from me while waiting for the kettle to boil, his eyes soft and interested. An itchy, vaguely emotional feeling tickled my chest. What was it about Rhys that always hit me that way? I wasn’t used to a man being genuinely interested in what I had to say.
“Well, I spoke a little about my life in America, my marriage ending and making a fresh start in Ireland. I tried to appeal to their kindness without going overboard.”
“I can talk to them if you’d like. We’ve always been on good terms.”
“Oh, really? Yes, um, well maybe you could drop a few hints without being too obvious? I don’t want them to feel annoyed or get the sense I’m desperate.”
Rhys smiled warmly. “I’ll be very casual. Don’t worry.”
The kettle finished boiling, and he stood to go make the tea, returning a minute later with two cups of green tea with jasmine. I inhaled deeply, the herbal aroma soothing some of my nervous tension about the house. We sat across from one another, a small silence falling before I spoke.
“So, yesterday was … unexpected.”
His lips twitched, eyes dancing. “That’s one way of putting it.”
“Thanks for being so amazing about it all,” I said, fiddling with the handle on my teacup and shooting him a look that I hoped conveyed how much his openness to experiment meant to me. “There’s literally no other person on the planet I’d feel comfortable asking to, well, have this kind of arrangement with.”
“Don’t say that,” Rhys replied though there was a teasing lilt to his voice.
I blinked. “Why not?”
He shot me a dark look. “Because I like it far too much.”
Heat flooded me, a soft exhale falling past my lips as I busied myself taking a sip of tea then said, “Well, it’s the truth. I’ve always felt drawn to you, even back when we first met. It’s like … I don’t know, my aura likes your aura. Is that a weird thing to say?”
Rhys’ face settled into a fond smile. “Not at all. My aura likes your aura right back.”
I chuckled. “Hey, don’t make fun. I’m out of practice with all this. I can’t even tell if you’re flirting.”
“Safe to say, with you, I normally am,” he responded low, and my stomach fizzled.
I bit my lip, glancing across the table at him as I blurted, “If we’re really going to do this, I feel like there are some things you should know.”
“Last night, my face was buried in your pussy, Charli,” Rhys said gruffly, and his words had my libido taking flight. “There’s no ‘if’ about it.”