Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
I’d rather have this—whether it lasted forever or broke my heart.
“Baby?” he pressed when I didn’t answer the question.
I made up a lie. “I wonder what my IQ is.”
He grinned at the comment.
“It’s not going to be 205 like yours, or however high it is now, I’m sure.”
He rolled his eyes. “The IQ test is overrated. All it measures is your logic and your ability to solve problems. But there are other kinds of intelligence that are far more important. You can say my dad is profoundly gifted because of his IQ score, and my mom might measure at average, but she’s far more intelligent than he is in a lot of ways. So, really, what does it mean?”
I loved that he never put his father on a pedestal over his mother just because he was the more intellectually gifted one, the one who made all the money, the one who had a Nobel. They were equal in Dex’s eyes because he saw the good in everyone. “You’re sweet.”
“I’m serious.”
“I think that’s what I love about you the most, that you don’t think you’re better than anyone else.”
“Because I’m not. Just more privileged.”
How the hell did that dumb bitch wife of his leave him? She was supposedly a lawyer, but she didn’t seem very smart to me. My hand moved over his stomach and then his chest, stopping when I felt the steady beat of his heart, low and rhythmic, like he could fall asleep.
He watched me.
“I like feeling your heartbeat.”
“Does it sound happy?”
“I don’t know. What does happy sound like?”
“Repetitive. Constant. Gentle.” He slid his hand over his own heart and felt it for a few seconds. “Yeah, it sounds happy.” He moved his hand to mine next, scooping underneath my tit so he could get right next to it. He looked into my eyes as he felt it beat. “It’s a good heartbeat, just seems a little fast.”
“You make it fast.”
His eyes lingered on my face for a while before he gently pulled his hand away. “I got tested yesterday…should get my results tomorrow.”
I knew exactly what test he was talking about, and if he still had his hand on my heart, he would feel it race even more.
“Maybe you should get yours done.”
“I got tested after my last relationship…because he was married. Haven’t been with anyone since.” I’d gone into the doctor’s office right after I found out Vince was married with two kids, and I was so relieved I didn’t have anything.
Dex accepted my answer. “So, are you on birth control or…?”
“The pill.”
He tried to hide his reaction, but his suppressed smirk was visible in his clenched jaw. “Good to know.”
I chuckled at his poor attempt to play it cool. “Yeah. I can’t wait.”
He turned back to me, and this time, he couldn’t hide his smile. “Me neither, baby. Me neither.”
18
Dex
I got an email with my results.
Clean.
I was almost tempted to forward it to Sicily, but I thought that would be super tacky. If the results said otherwise, I would tell her. So, it was best just to let it go unsaid. I hadn’t had this conversation with a woman since…well…Catherine. And that was a long time ago. That kind of freaked me out a little bit, but I chose to let it go.
Don’t think about the past.
Just live in the moment.
Whatever happens…happens.
When I was finished with the residents at the hospital, I went by the bank then headed to my parents’ place. It’d been a while since I’d swung by, and sometimes I ran into the clients who lived there, who would then ask why I’d left the Trinity Building.
Told them it just didn’t work out.
I wasn’t going to tell them I was a heart surgeon now.
I made it to their front door and knocked.
“It’s open.” My dad’s voice was audible from across the room.
I opened the door and stepped inside, in my scrubs and a jacket. It was a little less cold because winter was finally waning, and pretty soon, I wouldn’t freeze without a jacket.
Dad stopped what he was doing in the kitchen and looked up at me, his countenance quickly brightening when he saw me step inside. “Hey, son. What brings you here?”
“Possibly dinner,” I said. “But it depends on what you’re making.”
Mom sat at the dining table with her laptop open. “Veggie burgers.”
“Oh,” I said. “That’s not bad. I’ll stay for dinner.”
“I don’t remember inviting you,” Dad said with a chuckle.
“Come on, I’m always invited.” I walked over to my mom and leaned down and kissed her on the cheek before I joined my dad in the kitchen. “Mind if I grab a beer?”
“Nope.” Dad added another patty to the pan so the fake meat could sizzle. He constructed the other burgers then handed a plate to me. “Give that to your mother.”