Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 130255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“No, he’s married,” I deadpanned. “That’s why I was snogging him.”
“Ah, just as well.” His eyes twinkled teasingly. “So. Snogging the duke, eh? You’re taking the book research a bit literally, don’t we think?”
I dropped onto the sofa, grabbed a cushion, and buried my face into it so I could scream.
He sat down next to me and patted my knee. “Dear, dear. You’re in quite the pickle, aren’t you?”
“Says you,” I muttered. “You’re not exactly here because you’re lighting the world on fire with your romance.”
“Low blow, Ellie.”
“Sorry.”
“You’re not, are you?”
“Not really.” I looked at him. “Why didn’t you tell me you were almost here?”
“Why? Would you have delayed your snog-a-thon until later?”
“No. I’d have locked the door and made you wait outside while I had the best sex of my life,” I sniffed, grabbing my wine glass.
Kevin eyed me. “How do you know he’d be that good?”
“If he fucks like he kisses, I’m going to come so hard I’ll pass out.”
My brother bobbed his head sagely. “That’s fair. Do you have any more of that wine?”
“In the fridge.”
He got up and disappeared, and I fell back against the soft cushions.
God, I was in so much trouble. I had no doubt that if Kev hadn’t walked in just then, I absolutely would be naked on this sofa right now. There was no way I’d be able to stop myself from doing more with Max if we were in that situation again.
I didn’t want to stop.
I was smarting from the fact I had to, even though I would probably wake up tomorrow and realise it was for the best.
I could be impulsive sometimes.
And no matter what happened, I knew there wouldn’t be a happy ending here. Max’s position on relationships was airtight. He wasn’t going to change his mind just because he’d met me, and that was fine.
Maybe I needed a fling.
It’d been a while since I’d put myself out there for dating, and a fling with Max could be what I needed.
Yes, all right, I’d rejected the idea of sleeping with him before, but he hadn’t kissed me then.
This was purely a decision based upon the current state of my hormones, for what it was worth. The rational half of me was not involved in it whatsoever.
Emotions be damned.
Mine were going to damn me anyway.
Kev returned with an empty glass and the bottle of wine I’d opened earlier this evening. “I thought we’d need this.”
I nodded. “Good call. Talk to me about what happened.”
He sighed, sitting down. “Do I have to? It was a long bloody drive up here, and I’m tired. Can we do that tomorrow?”
I eyed him and sipped my now-warm wine, then held the glass out for him to top it up while he was pouring his. “All right. But only because I don’t feel like talking, either.”
Kev filled my glass and sat down next to me. “At least you got some inspiration for your book tonight.”
“Oh, shut up.”
• • •
ME: Sorry about my brother. He was supposed to let me know when he was less than an hour away and he didn’t.
I watched my screen, chewing on the inside of my lower lip. It’d been hours since we’d kissed, and it was close to midnight, so I wasn’t even sure Max would still be awake.
I also wanted to make sure that he didn’t mind Kevin being here for a couple of days. I wasn’t sure if it counted as sub-letting since he wasn’t paying me, but still.
Max: Don’t worry about it. He could learn to knock though.
ME: He’s never been great at that. It’s not a problem that he’s staying, is it?
Max: I can’t say I’m a fan of how he arrived, but no. It’s fine. It’s not unusual for longer-term residents at the lodge to have a friend or family member stay for a few days. How long is he here?
ME: He said two nights, but we’ll see. He’s running from his problems.
Max: Maybe we’ll get along after all.
ME: Snort.
Max: Did you just type ‘snort?’
ME: There isn’t an emoji for that and sending the pig didn’t seem appropriate.
Max: That’s a fair point.
Max: It might be for the best that he interrupted us. I wasn’t prepared for that to go further.
Should I be offended by that?
There was only one way to find out.
ME: Should I be offended by that?
Max: I didn’t have a condom, Ellie.
Oh.
Oh.
Bugger it.
ME: We have very different ideas of what was for the best.
Max: Why? Do you have condoms?
ME: Oh, yeah, I keep them with my knickers. *eye roll emoji*
Max: I don’t know if you’re being serious or not.
ME: I am not. But it’s been a while, and you don’t need a condom to have fun, you know.
Max: …Noted.
Max: This is all going to end up in your book, isn’t it?
My lips tugged into a smile.