Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 97684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
"Daisy, I—"
"Do I need to kiss you again?"
"Yeah, but you might not be prepared for what happens."
"You mean—" Oh.
His expression softens. "This is—"
"You're right. I'm going to spend my time missing you."
"So you—"
"But I will either way. Isn't it better if I get some of you?"
"Sounds like bullshit." His laugh stays soft.
"Yeah, but—"
"I can't fuck up your life."
"Then listen to me. This is what I want. What I need."
His eyes meet mine. He nods okay.
"I love you too."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"But I—"
"I don't know what that means for next month. Or next year. Or next decade. But you're the one who… I'm still not good at living in the moment. But I'm getting there. And I… I am good at planning. And I can come up with a plan. To make this work."
His eyes stay glued to mine.
"Besides, my new roommate will think I'm super cool if I have a tattoo artist boyfriend."
"Will she?"
I nod. "Yeah. She'll probably think I made it up. So you're going to have to come in with me."
His lips curl into a smile. "And fuck you senseless?"
"In front of my roommate?"
He slides his arm around my waist. Motions to the dorm building. "You're not into that?"
"My dad and brother are here."
He makes an exaggerated hmm. "That might be awkward… so we'll have to do it here." He motions to the grass behind us.
"I don't think here is going to work."
"My hotel?"
"You have a hotel?" That's… interesting.
"Yeah."
"Oh… well… maybe after they leave." I clear my throat. "But only maybe."
"Maybe?"
I nod.
"Maybe after?"
"Yeah, you're here. I'm putting you to work."
"Cruel." He smiles. "I like that about you, kid. I like that you're absolutely merciless."
"Me too."
Epilogue
Holden
"Holden—" Daisy tugs at my wrist. She lowers her voice to that tone that screams I know I shouldn't, but oh my God I want to. "I can't leave my party."
"Why not?"
"Well…"
"It's for you, right?"
Her blue eyes meet mine. They're lined in brown today. Her lips are painted a deep pink.
Between the red hue of her dress and the careful waves in her hair, she looks so much like the girl I kissed a year ago.
Was that really three hundred sixty-five days ago?
It feels like yesterday.
Her cheeks flush as she catches me staring.
She brushes a wisp of blond behind her ear and stammers. "I… is it something on my face?"
"Yeah."
Her eyes go wide. "What?"
"This." I pull her body into mine. Press my lips to hers.
She murmurs something against my mouth. Then her arms wrap around my waist and her lips melt into mine.
She sinks into my body as she kisses me back.
It's not the same as that first time. Not as desperate or hungry. We have plenty of that—every time I visit, every time she comes home—but, right now, we've been together all summer.
We have another week until we say goodbye.
But I'm not going there yet.
I have seven days with my girlfriend.
With my favorite person in the world.
It kills me every time she leaves. She takes a piece of me with her.
But it's worth it.
An hour with Daisy would be worth all the pain of parting. But seven days?
I'm the luckiest guy in the world.
Daisy's fingers curl into my hair. She rocks her hips against mine. Pulls me closer.
Closer.
Fuck. I force myself to pull back. To suck a breath through my teeth. To bring my eyes to hers. "You trying to bait me, kid?"
"Maybe." Her smile gets shy. It always does. Even after a year. And way too many goodbyes.
It drives me insane. The way it always does. My blood rushes south. My cock whines pin her to the wall and fuck her now. "Maybe?" I drop my voice an octave. To the tone I use to demand she take off her panties. Fuck, is she wearing panties?
If she's not—
She really is going to kill me. My girlfriend is way too fucking sexy. She's way too good at teasing me. At winding me so tight I'm going to—
Well, I really don't have a better word than explode.
It's not as poetic as what she deserves.
But baby, you're gonna make me come is beautiful in its own way.
Daisy's eyes meet mine. Her chest heaves with her inhale. "I, uh…"
"I'm going to fuck you until you can't walk straight—"
"Oh—"
"After this."
"This?"
"Yeah." I intertwine my fingers with her. Motion to my car. It's parked down the street. This neighborhood isn't as crowded as my dad's. But only because every fucking block is permit parking. And I'm hogging one of the few permits.
Not that I care.
Sure, I try to accommodate. I try to stay in touch with my generous nature.
But when it comes to Daisy, I'm a greedy motherfucker.
Even now—
Would it be so bad if I pinned her to the car and fucked her right here?
A cricket responds for me. A million of them. The high-pitched chirp mixes with the light breeze and the soft murmur of conversation.