Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“And that is not you,” I said firmly, leaning in for the kiss.
He kissed me frantically, and in moments, I was in his lap as I was devoured. It was impressive, the way I hadn’t heard him unclip either his belt or mine, and there was the console between us as well that I’d been lifted over. All of that movement was seamless, and there I was, in his arms, because he was hungry to affirm our connection.
“You’re insane,” I gasped, breaking the kiss to look into his eyes. “First, you don’t know if the man is nice or good or anything else. You know him from work. Period.”
“Yeah, but––”
“Second, I will remind you again, that you prioritized your family. We all knew that if you could possibly come home—you would. And now they need you in their lives so much that they don’t want to leave the city you’re in.”
Clearly choked up, he could only nod.
“Nobody’s perfect, and God knows you’re not,” I assured him. “But you have to––”
“What’d you just say?”
“––remind yourself that, hey, even though I’m allergic to doing laundry and moving rinsed dishes from the sink into the dishwasher, that––”
“Listen––”
“––there are other things that you excel at. Like, for example, supervising other people while they work. That is particularly helpful. Giving directions at the same time things are being done… My goodness, everyone loves that.”
“That was a lot of sarcasm,” he muttered.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“And I think it’s important for you to know when you’re not doing something right so you can adjust your––”
“And certainly, saying things like don’t worry and calm down are also so very important to say when––”
“I think we’re getting off track here and––”
“Perhaps you need to read the room sometimes before opening your mouth.”
Instantly, his brows furrowed.
“These are just helpful observations.”
“I––”
“Sometimes,” I said, grinning at him, “keeping one’s opinions to oneself can be the most useful path.”
“I don’t know about that,” he grumbled.
I laughed before I kissed him. Once he was breathless and had to break the kiss to gulp air, he took that moment to wrap me in his arms and hug me tight. I was fairly certain the crisis was averted after that.
“You’d never leave me,” he muttered, more to himself than to me.
“No, Sam Kage, I would not,” I said into the side of his neck. “Who gives up the love of their life?”
He grunted, and I was squeezed tighter, which I didn’t mind even one bit. I would even endure helpful anecdotes at the worst times in exchange for hugs that made it hard to breathe. I mean really, who wouldn’t?
I was surprised when we got home and Hannah and Jake were there rummaging through our refrigerator.
“I’m thinking there were lots of places to eat between here and your home that would have rendered this visit unnecessary,” Sam told his daughter before he kissed her forehead.
“Yes, but that way I wouldn’t have gotten to see you,” she informed him. “And Pa said he made cheese-and-potato pierogies, and I wanted some.”
I was forgetting something.
Jake was at the counter making himself a sandwich and turned his head to look at me. “I can read it all over your face,” he said with a grin. “You’re thinking, wait now, I thought Finn and Kola were going to bring you all home food from their dinner tonight.”
“Yes,” I said, “that’s it. I thought Anne was cooking.”
“Oh she cooked, poor lady.”
I turned to Hannah. “What does that mean?”
“In answer I will say, let’s go to the monitor, kids,” she said overly perky and pointed back over at Jake, who had his phone out for Sam and me.
“What is––” Sam squinted, taking the phone from Jake. “––where is this?”
“That is Finn’s uncle Conor’s house in Marybrook.”
“Okay,” he said, touching the screen, and then quickly groaned. “You see, I was right. Thank God we didn’t go.” He sounded horrified as he leaned on the counter to get a better look. “These pictures are—damn. And wait, there’s a video too?”
“Yeah, but don’t start it yet. Wait for Pa, because your son narrates and it’s…hysterical.”
“Hey, you,” he called over to me. “C’mere.”
I was chuckling as I walked over and put my head on his shoulder.
“Keep in mind he’s talking to me and B and not you two,” Jake said, chuckling.
“What does that have to do with anything.”
Jake scoffed. “You’ll see.”
Sam hit the Play button.
“Okay,” Kola began, “for your viewing pleasure, here we are at Finn’s uncle Conor’s place—who is his father’s youngest brother for those following at home—who told Finn that dating me was a bad idea because what if I was a psycho…” Evil chuckle then.
Both Sam and I turned to look at Hannah.
“He’s hateful in real life. Don’t you two know this?”
We looked back at the phone screen.
“Our boy Conor is currently engaged in more than one long-term affair, one of which is with his best friend’s wife.” Kola finished with a cackle.