Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
“You could do better than a whore like her anyway.” There’s no mistaking the contempt in Amanda’s tone. I peer through the kitchen window to see them. Their backs are to me but from her body language, she clearly thinks she still has a chance.
“Don’t you talk about her like that. She’s my future wife,” Brock insists and steps back when Amanda tries to reach for him. “You need to stop this. There’s a reason I don’t return your calls or texts. We’re over and done.”
“But she’s not going to love you. I can show you what it really means to be loved,” she tries to press close to him again.
“She’s the one I choose.” The conviction in Brock’s tone warms me. It doesn’t sound like all hope is lost.
Amanda must finally get a clue because she stalks from the bakery, muttering things under her breath as she goes. They’re mainly about Brock and some unflattering words about his small anatomy. Words I happen to know for a fact are untrue.
His back is still to me when I step from the kitchen.
Patty turns and passes me my bagged cookie and coffee. She has a bright smile pasted on her face even though we both know that I heard every word of that confrontation. “Here you go. It’s on the house today.”
Brock turns and surprise flickers across his face. “I was just at your place.”
She looks between the two of us. “I’ll check on my book collection. You two take your time.”
She crosses to the door to flip the sign to closed and retreats in the kitchen. Not that I’m paying her too much attention. Instead, I’m fixated on what he said earlier. “You said I’m your future wife.”
He scowls at me, his sexy look creating that familiar low pull in my belly. “Well, I’m not raising a dozen kids with you out of wedlock.”
Despite everything, it sounds like I still have a chance with him. “I thought we had negotiated it down to three.”
“That was before you ran from my bed. Do you want to tell me what that was about?” He doesn’t look angry like I’d expected. No, this is a different look. He looks like a man in love. Maybe I haven’t messed this up as badly as I thought I did. Maybe I can still fix things.
I take a deep breath and admit the truth, “I got spooked. I haven’t had a great track record with men and when it looked like you’d lied, I ran. It was a terrible thing to do.”
“And understandable, given what you’ve been through.” He rakes a hand through his thick hair, tousling it and reminding me of how it looked last night after my fourth orgasm. “But in the future, I need you to come to me first. Let’s talk shit out instead of running away from each other.”
“I’d like that,” I say quietly as I take a step closer to him.
We’re standing toe-to-toe and he drops his head. His lips are close to mine as he whispers, “I want to be the hero in the love story of your life.”
“I want that too,” I say right before I twine my arms around his neck, and he kisses me passionately. My heart is light and full at the same time. I thought I was going on a writing retreat this week. Turns out, I was creating my own happily ever after.
13
ZOEY
I don’t leave Brock’s bed for the next two days. He keeps calling in sick to the office and claiming the flu. I don’t think his sister buys it, but I don’t care either. The two of us are still wrapped up in a blissful bubble of contentment.
The only shadow over this thing between us is what happens next. I’ve been thinking a lot about it, and being over two thousand miles apart just doesn’t make me happy. I want to be able to see him every day.
Yesterday while he was in the shower, I called a real estate agent to see about putting my Nana’s house on the market. It’s a beautiful home and I loved living there with her while she was alive, but I’m ready to start the next chapter of my life. That chapter is going to include a lot of Brock. Hopefully, naked.
When I come down the stairs, he’s already working on breakfast. He’s learned that I like eggs sunny side up and a bagel every morning.
“Did you sleep well?” He asks when he sees me. We both know I slept just fine, especially after that third orgasm last night. I had no idea how good it could feel to have Brock plowing into me from behind.
I nod and reach for the new coffee pot. I’ve already gifted him with a shiny, one cup machine. I set it to brew and spot the list pinned to the fridge. “What’s this?”