Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 93683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
“Uh…” M light heartedly begins, “anything else you wanna get off your chest?”
“Just one thing,” I good naturedly start, “and it’s pretty fucking huge.”
Two sets of nervous stares latch onto me.
One very loud, dramatic sigh, shakes my seat. “Jukes smokes a better Sunday brisket than you.”
Thayne lets his head dip back in raw, unfiltered laughter while my brother disapprovingly shakes his head. “You’re just sayin’ shit to be hurtful now?”
“Ask Mom.”
“Oh, I’mma ask Mom,” he sniggers out. “And Dad.”
More laughs leave me as well as my boyfriend showcasing the outcome I always hoped for.
I wanted them to get along.
This whole thing to be easy.
And maybe it didn’t happen with ease, but I now know without a doubt, our time together doesn’t have to be awkward or uncomfortable or something worthy of multiple seasons in a telenovela.
“Text me later, aye?” M’s requests precedes a big yawn. “I need a couple winks pre pracky.”
“Def,” I retort with ease.
“All the love.” He lets his gaze oscillate between us. “For the both of you.”
“You too,” we reply in unison.
Our ending the video chat prompts Jukes to stand and announce, “I’m gonna go grab us some brew.” The early morning sunshine capturing his smile swells my heart further. “They’ve got a full service LMC here meanin’ I can grab you your favorite peppermint mocha.”
It’s impossible not to swoon. “I’ve missed having coffee with you, Jukes.”
“And I’ve missed bringin’ it to ya.” He dismisses himself on a loving wink.
Getting my laptop along with my other work materials tucked away occurs faster than Thayne’s return; however, I don’t mind.
I like watching him linger.
I love admiring how incredible his ass looks in his gray sweats and how delish he looks with facial hair fuzz littering his jaw.
Gahhh, I know it’s wrong – timing considered – to be thinking of how much I miss that scruff between my thighs, but who could blame me?!
This is our longest dry spell to date.
We cannot and will not make a habit of it.
My boyfriend’s inevitable return comes with the unexpected surprise of our drinks in old-fashioned latte cups rather than the to-go style we’re accustomed to, yet instead of acknowledging them, I choose to do what Grams suggested yesterday. “I’m sorry, Thayne.”
He carefully slides our drinks onto the table. “For?”
“For not telling M sooner.” His fingers tug the chair over so that we’re face to face rather than side by side. “For not expressing why waiting really mattered to me. For disregarding what it meant to you. For not asking why it meant so much. For even considering for a second about lying in regard to the best person that’s ever come into my life to the one of the people who I love the most. For-”
“Stop,” slowly drawls the man in front of me. “You don’t need to be apologizin’ either.”
“I do.”
“You don’t.” Jukes stretches his hand across the space to capture mine. “I mean, it’s nice and I apreesh, but after listenin’ to Bronny talk to Dubs about school and lacrosse and his buds, I realized that you and M are like me and my baby bro. Seein’ him have a life not in my shadow is amazin’, but I didn’t realize jus’ how hard it was to have. Hockey players we don’t…we don’t always realize how much of themselves the people we love really give up for us to live the life we dream of. Were you bein’ selfish wantin’ to keep what we have all to yourself? Yeah. Was I selfish for wantin’ to show it off? Yeah.” Another bashful, almost boyish smile slides into place. “I think bein’ selfish is jus’ one of those things that happen when you’re in love, Gillybean. We jus’ gotta treat it like any other skill we wanna strengthen. We gotta work at it. Train.” My knuckles are lifted to his lips for a kiss. “I should probably start with bein’ a little less impulsive.”
“God, no,” escapes alongside a lean forward. “I love that about you and how you bring that out in me and have taught me to trust my own instincts whether it’s about food or music or not hiring someone simply because their resume looks good on paper while my gut is telling me they won’t be a good fit for my team.”
Jukes flashes a crooked grin.
“I don’t want you to change that. I just…really…need you…to sometimes…stop…and hear the voice you helped me find the courage to have.”
“I’ll do my best to do that, if you will try a little harder to tell me what is you need me to really hear.”
“Deal.”
“Sign, seal, and deliver it then,” he salaciously teases prior to possessively cupping my face with both his palms. The tips of his fingers anchor themselves into the edges of my neck, to re-mark me with his touch, to reiterate the same unyielding tenacity his tongue is now diving into my mouth to deliver. Moaning and groaning and moaning again are attached to me grabbing a fistful of his sweatshirt, but unfortunately, he abruptly pulls back. Chortles. “As much as I wanna hear you keep doin’ that for me, Slayer, there’s something else I want more.”