Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 41918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
"You don't need to share everything to enjoy each other's company," Gunnar says.
"Maybe,” I grunt, uncomfortable. This is not how Iron Guardians talk to each other, but it’s just Gunnar and me. And he seems particularly nosy tonight, which I admit is nothing new.
"Luke, you're thinking too much." Gunnar laughs. "There's no guarantee that things will work out between you, but you'll never know unless you try. And besides, age is just a number. If you click, it doesn't matter.”
“Thanks, Dr. Love,” I grumble. I consider how much to share with Gunnar, how on a primal level I already know Emma belongs to me. How I've been trying to reason with myself that what I'm feeling is out of line, but I can't help it. I want her, and when there's something I want in life, I fucking get it. This is just the first time it's been a woman.
And God, what a woman she is.
"So what does she look like?" he asks, and it almost pisses me off. I don't want to share Emma with anyone, even if it's just describing her.
Ah, hell. What's wrong with me? This is my crew. No one would try to take a girl out from under me.
Still, I'm not going to give Gunnar the full rundown of the most gorgeous fucking girl I've ever seen, either.
"She's hot as hell," I tell him, keeping everything as vague as possible while I conjure up a vision of her in my own mind.
Emma is more than hot. When one of the other guys I had been on patrol commented that some girl was touching my bike, I hadn't expected the entire world to shift beneath me the second I laid eyes on her. It was like getting hit with a shotgun shell the minute she looked at me, and I couldn't stop reliving the moment.
The looks don't hurt, though. That blond hair I can imagine gliding through my fingers. Those soft, plump lips that would feel so good wrapped around my cock. And her body … Christ, she’s petite, but her curves are just enough to tempt a man who knows how to handle them.
I can't stop thinking about her. About what she said, how she smiled, her emerald eyes, her trust and openness. That damned mysterious connection.
"So, you like her."
"Yeah," I confirm. "I like her."
"Then what's the problem, man?" Gunnar asks, sounding frustrated. "Why are you trying so hard to talk yourself out of this?"
"Because she's a fucking student," I retort, losing patience. "She's young, and she has her whole future ahead of her."
Gunnar snorts, giving me a slap on the back before standing up. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, buddy. I can see it on your face that you're just spouting bullshit. You know good and well you're going to go and get that girl."
He walks away before I can respond, leaving me alone with my thoughts and a half-finished beer. I stare at the bottle, considering his words. Is he right? Am I just making excuses not to pursue Emma?
As the night wears on and the alcohol wears off, I find myself cycling through the same doubts and desires again and again. Hours pass, and I'm fully sober by the time I pull my helmet over my head and make the 45-minute drive back to my property. As the only competent mechanic within 2 hours of Stonebridge, I do pretty damn well for myself, but when I bought the property with the attached garage so I could live and work on the same land, it had been with the intention of one day starting a family.
But it's been years, and the large two-story feels pretty empty with just me in it. Still, only having to walk three minutes from my front porch to work is convenient as hell.
I park the bike in the garage, taking a deep breath of the crisp night air before heading inside.
The house is dark and quiet, and I make my way through the familiar space on autopilot. I strip off my clothes and toss them in the hamper, then step into the shower to rinse off the sweat and grime from the day.
As I stand under the hot spray, I find myself thinking of Emma again. I wonder what she's doing right now, if she's safe and warm in her dorm. I hope she's sleeping, getting some rest after a long day at school.
I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. Jesus Christ. This girl is barely an adult, and here I am, worrying about her like she’s already my woman.
Still, it doesn't stop me from imagining what it would be like to have her here with me, sharing this shower, her soft skin pressed against mine. I groan, feeling my cock stir at the image. Fuck. I'm really losing it, and we haven't even touched yet.