Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“Bye, baby,” he whispers while running his thumb along my lip.
“Bye.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Eric
“Do you want to talk about it?” My dad unbuckles his seat belt the second we reach cruising altitude.
“About what?” I stare out the window at the nearly cloudless sky.
“The girl. Anna.”
“What do you want to know about her?”
“I mean, do you want to talk about … you know. Your feelings and shit.”
With a dry chuckle, I shake my head. “I think I’m good. When did you get into talking about ‘feelings and shit’? Because for many months, I’ve been at your disposal, ready and moderately willing to listen to your feelings and shit about—”
“Her.”
I turn toward him. “You said Mom’s name to Anna, so I know you can say it.”
“I was trying to be on my best behavior for you.”
“Yeah, about that. Where has this best behavior been? I thought you lost the best of yourself with your house in the divorce.”
He twists his lips and drums his gray-haired fingers on his thighs. “Anna reminds me of Her. When your mom was young, She had passion.” Dad clears his throat. “Well, a different kind of passion than the missing one for which She supposedly left me. I don’t think I could share Her in bed with someone else.”
“Dad,” I rub my forehead, “I don’t think Mom’s looking for that.”
“She loved the explicit novels. What did Mike use to call it? Mommy porn?”
“Yeah, I don’t think the adult romance community warmly accepts that term.”
He waves his hand in the air. “You know what I’m talking about. Lots of nipples, clits, and cocks. Moaning. Multiple orgasms. That shit’s ruining marriages. Setting the bar impossibly high for men.”
I think of the time I reenacted the sex scene from Anna’s book. She was all in. I didn’t feel like the bar was set too high. I felt like she gave me a ladder and a clear map of how to reach said bar.
“Maybe you should read some of those books. They’re much different from those videos you watch on your computer.”
He grumbles. “You know, after getting out of the shower, she asked me to talk dirty to her—”
“Dad, no. Please. I don’t need to—”
“I told her to bend over and clean the toilet. I slept on the sofa that night.”
“Let’s talk about Anna. I’ll share my feelings. Just …” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Please don’t share your sex life with me.”
“Sex life? We didn’t have sex that night. And she didn’t even clean the toilet.”
“Shh …” I scoot down in my chair when I feel other passengers staring at us. We’re done talking.
I text Anna when we get home.
Eric: Home
Eric: Is Shaun there?
Anna: Glad to hear u had a safe trip
Anna: His plane just landed. He should be here in 30
Eric: I’ll be here catching up on work. Call or FaceTime if ur bored
Anna: Same to u <3
I grin and call her.
She answers with a giggle. “Bored already?”
“My responsibilities are boring.”
“I’m boring.”
“No.” I close my bedroom door when my dad walks past my room to his bathroom. Putting her on speaker, I toss the phone on my bed to unpack my bag. “You are anything but boring.”
She sighs. “Is it too soon to miss you?”
My chest swells, and I want to pound my fists against it. “I can jump on a plane and visit anytime. Just say the word.”
“Jump on a plane and come visit me.”
I laugh, tossing my dirty clothes into the hamper. “I’m sure Shaun could use a friend. You make everything better. Do your magic. I’ll be knocking at your door again before you know it.”
“Pfft. I don’t think I can make his situation better.”
“His situation is one of pain. He’s in pain. You’re the perfect salve.” As I say the words, I internally cringe. Shaun looks at her like I’ve looked at her. And I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t fuck with my head.
“Eric …”
“Anna.” I move my phone to the bathroom vanity while unpacking my toiletries.
“It’s easier to deal with you so far away when you say the wrong word. Say something stupid. Insult my favorite book or my taste in art. Make me feel better about the distance between us. Just stop saying the right thing. I don’t know what to do with that—not from you.”
I laugh, sitting on the tub's edge and running my hands through my hair. I fucking love this woman. And maybe I should say it. Just … throw it out there. Would it be the right word? Or would it, once again, derail her life when she’s so hopeful about this job in Spain? “Since you asked, I have to say … the color of your car is a little—”
“A little what?”
“Old lady.”
“Old lady?”
“Yes. It’s light brown metallic with a beige interior.”
“I got a good deal on it. Nearly half the price of other cars with low miles.”