Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
The word “queen” rattles me a bit, but I steady myself.
“Yeah, that’s fine.” I sigh. “If I’d known when I woke up this morning that I’d be asking Laurie Caulkins for a favor…”
“It’s actually Laurie Guildford now.”
“Shit. You got married?”
“It’s been over a decade, Maddox. Of course I got married.”
“Well, congrats.”
“You can congratulate me in person. When can you get here?”
“You still live in Evanston?”
“Yeah. I’ll text you my address.”
I check my watch. “We can get to you in a half hour or so.”
“Great. I’ll make sure the dog is outside so you don’t get attacked.”
“Great. Thanks again, Laurie.”
“Don’t mention it. Drive safe.”
“Will do. See you soon.”
I end the call. Laurie sent me her address, so I plug it into my Maps app.
“Who’s Laurie?” Alissa asks.
I draw in a long breath. “An old…friend.”
Alissa narrows her eyes. “A friend friend? Or a friend friend?”
I shrug. “We dated.”
“Right. Your mum mentioned her. Thought I was her.” She bites her lip.
“Are you uncomfortable staying with her? It sounds like she’s married now.” I reach over, rub her shoulder. “And I love only you, Alissa. You have to know that.”
She smiles. “Of course. I love only you. I’ll admit I’m not exactly in love with the prospect of staying with your old girlfriend, but it’s not a bad idea. No one would think to look for you there.”
“My thoughts exactly.” I brake at a stoplight and give her a kiss on her cheek. “I promise you, I’ll make it up to you.”
“Just get us there safely. And promise me one thing, Maddox.”
“What’s that?”
“Once we’re there, hold me in your arms. And never let go.”
Laurie was super chill when we got there. She introduced us to her husband, Jonathan, and took us up the stairs of her home to her guest room. She and Alissa chatted a little. We’re not too far from Alissa’s alma mater, Northwestern, so that was an easy conversation starter.
They’re getting along well, considering the awkward circumstances. It definitely helps that Laurie is married.
We finally say good night to Laurie and Jonathan and close the door to the guest room.
“I guess we’ll have to sleep in our underwear tonight,” Alissa says.
“Yeah. Figured it would be too much to ask Laurie to borrow a pair of pajamas.”
“I’d swim in anything she wears anyway,” Alissa says. “She has fantastic boobs. Much bigger than mine.”
I widen my eyes. “You were looking?”
She smirks. “Hard not to. Though it was valiant of you to maintain eye contact with her at all times.”
I wrap my arms around her. “I only have eyes for you.”
She stands on her tiptoes and kisses me. “Thank you.” She slips her arms out of her pink gown and turns around. “Can you unzip me?”
“Of course.”
She pulls the dress down the rest of the way and steps out of it. She eyes the closet in the corner. “Can you see if Laurie has a spare hanger in the closet? I don’t want this to wrinkle.”
“Sure.” I hate to rip my eyes off Alissa in her underwear, but I’m nothing if not accommodating. I open the closet door, grab a wire hanger, and hand it to Alissa.
She looks back at me. “In the meantime, you should be getting undressed, too.”
I exhale sharply. “Of course.”
I take off my jacket first, lay it flat on the bed. Then I remove my pants, folding them along the pleats and hanging them over another hanger from Laurie’s closet. I remove my cufflinks and studs, my bow tie, and place them on the nightstand where I won’t forget them in the morning. I hang my shirt on a third hanger.
Alissa raises an eyebrow. “You’re not wearing an undershirt.”
I shrug. “I never do. It adds unnecessary bulk.” I yawn. “Let’s get some sleep.”
She runs her fingers up and down my bicep. “Who said anything about sleeping?”
I drop my jaw. “You’re kidding. There’s no way you’re in the mood after what we’ve been through tonight.”
She wraps her arms around me. “It’s precisely because of tonight that I’m in the mood. I want to be with you, Maddox. I want you to protect me, yes, but I also want you to love me. We saw death tonight. I want to remember that we’re alive.”
Her words make my dick hard.
But here? In my ex-girlfriend’s guest room?
Right after watching a man bleed out?
Aren’t there rules against that?
Then again… Rules were made to be broken.
I brush a finger over her cheek. “I love you, Alissa.”
“And I love you, Maddox.”
I crush my mouth to hers.
The kiss is warm, full of love. It’s not as rough as it’s been in the past, not nearly as much tongue and teeth. That’s not what Alissa needs right now. She needs to feel loved, comforted.
And there’s nothing more comforting than pressing her nearly naked body to mine.
We hold each other as we continue to kiss.