Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Even though the idea of leaving Kansas felt like it would shatter my heart into a million pieces.
But Tristan had changed my life before. And maybe I’d let Tristan Wood change my life again, like he already had so many times.
“Let’s go back to Kansas,” he said. “Let’s do what we need to do. I want you to be comfortable, and I know I’m a zero-to-sixty in two seconds kind of guy.”
I puffed out a laugh that was like a release valve I’d needed for hours. “No shit, Tris. You think?”
A smile quirked up on his lips. “More like zero-to-one-thousand, sometimes.”
“And I’m the slow-and-steady turtle, hoping to win the race.”
“I’ll stop bugging you about it,” he said. “I’ll stop trying to influence your decision, okay? I just needed you to know that I do want it, Blue. It would make me so happy.”
My heart felt like a flare in my chest. “Maybe I want you to influence my decision,” I said, my words barely coming out above a whisper. “Maybe I like it when you do, and I’m just scared shitless, okay?”
Something flickered in his eyes. “You mean that?”
I swallowed hard, my throat a little tight. “Yes. I think so.”
The smile returned to his lips. “Jack Damien, actually scared of something,” he said. “Other than planes, of course.”
“Shut up,” I said.
“I understand,” Tristan said. “Goddamn, I feel stupid now. Of course you’re scared. I’m just so used to you being…”
“A brick wall when it comes to emotions?”
“I wouldn’t put it like that,” Tris said. “But yeah. You’re always so confident about everything you do and feel, you know?”
I bit my lower lip. “I’m confident that if we don’t go back out there soon, they’re going to think we got attacked by an elk.”
Tristan squeezed my hand one more time. “Okay. Let’s head back out.”
Just as he was swinging open the shed door, I reached out to grab his fingertips. “And Tris,” I said, a flicker of adrenaline passing through me.
“Yeah?” he asked, turning back, his body silhouetted by the daylight behind the open door.
“I’m not going to be able to stop thinking about you shoving my hand onto your cock, you know,” I said, my voice low. “And tonight, I’m going to get you back for that.”
His eyes briefly went wide and he licked his lips. “You better.”
10
TRISTAN
“Passengers, the captain has illuminated the seat belt sign. Please stay seated as we move through the weather system to safely land us here in Kansas.”
Jack didn’t budge an inch at the announcement. He’d been snoozing peacefully leaned up against my shoulder for the last half hour, and I’d purposefully kept still, not wanting to lose the feeling of having his body up against mine. I could feel his gentle breathing, and every now and then, he hummed softly as he shifted a little and my heart beat a little faster every time.
These were the little selfish things I’d been thinking nonstop. I couldn’t help myself. It had only gotten worse each day we spent together in Colorado, too. Our short time in Jade River had come to an end this morning, but having Jack there with me had made it one of the best trips I’d ever taken. We’d mostly been on good behavior for the rest of the trip—helping my parents with various house tasks and taking a few more rides back over to my new property to clear junk.
Every night, I’d gone to bed in the same room as him, half of me thinking that everything was suddenly going to be different. That tonight would be the night he’d say “we’ve got to stop.”
But we were exhausted and falling asleep in each other’s arms before either of us could make a move on the other. And in the mornings we’d been woken up loudly and suddenly—either from the sound of hammering out back or Mom hollering for us to come help in the kitchen.
To say I was “pent up” was an understatement.
I felt like the freaking Hoover Dam, holding back a flood’s worth of desire for my best friend. Desire that I was starting to feel like I had no control over.
Including right now, when the feeling of Jack gently resting his head onto my shoulder was enough to get me half-hard under my pants, right on a damn plane.
At least we had this row of seats on the plane to ourselves. Small miracles.
“Whoa, Nelly!” the old man in the seat in front of mine bellowed as the plane started to lurch in the clouds. Jack finally stirred, groaning a little as he blinked open his eyes.
Just then the plane rocked again, dipping down like a roller coaster as we pushed forward into the patch of turbulence.
“Not this again,” Jack murmured, sitting up and peering out his window at the storm clouds ahead.