Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
"Let's get your stuff packed." When we step off the elevator, the door swings open.
"Mary, you're here," Kinsley says, standing still.
"You brought a boy home." Mary, the small gray-haired woman, hugs her and then me. "Very handsome."
"All right, this one is mine."
"And he's Italian," Mary says, her tone pleased. I tell her hello in Italian. Mary responds that it’s lovely to see me. “Is he the friend's place where you stayed last night?” Kinsley's cheeks start to pinken, the blush spreading. I’ll take that over the tears.
“And tonight,” I add, making it clear why we are packing a bag.
“Come.” She ushers us inside.
“This is Mary; she can be a bit of a mother hen when it comes to me,” Kinsley says with a smile. Yeah, I know. Mary is a good one, and I’m not going off vibes. I know this for a fact. Just like I know a lot of things when it comes to the people around Kinsley.
“You met my mother,” I remind her.
“Is it an Italian thing?”
“Maybe.” I shrug. “Or love.” Kinsley’s whole face softens at my response. I don’t know if it’s an Italian thing or not. My family has always been close. We were taught that you stick together and you never have to worry about who is at your back.
Mary has us stop in the kitchen to snack on a few things she made. I watch as she and Kinsley go back and forth in banter.
“Is there anything I need to know? Two nights away.”
“Jax is helping me with a story.”
“Is that so?” Mary’s eyes bounce between the two of us. “Didn’t know the Marinos talked to the press,” she teases.
“Right? I think he’s obsessed with me or something.” Kinsley laughs. I don’t. There is no or something. I am simply obsessed. Not sure if that’s an Italian thing either. It might be a Marino thing.
"Do we need to talk about safe sex?" Mary asks next. If I thought I had seen Kinsley blush before, I was fucking wrong. She turns cherry red.
"Mary," she hisses.
"What? If you're staying the night together. I might be old school and not fully approve, but I know what you kids get up to these days."
"I haven't gotten up to anything." I hold my hands up. "She was the one that kept wiggling her little ass over to my side of the bed."
"Oh my God! I did no such thing." Kinsley gapes at me.
"Are you sure about that?" She opens and then closes her mouth before regaining her composure. I told her I would never lie to her, and I meant it. It’s absolutely a thousand percent true. It was fucking torture for me all damn night, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
"Well, I'm on birth control, but it doesn't matter. You can sleep on that love seat thing tonight."
"If you say so, Bunny." I give her a small smile, making sure I flash my dimple at her.
"What does that mean?" Kinsley puts her hands on her hips, glaring up at me.
I fight not to kiss her nose because, one, that thought is strange as fuck, and I have no clue where it came from, and two, I don't want to make things harder when Kinsley realizes we will be sharing a bed later.
This is one of those "pick your battles" I've heard my father talk about when it comes to Mom and Nix.
“It means anything you want.”
“Don’t patronize me.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
"Watch it." Kinsley points her finger up at me.
"Oh, I'm watching, Bunny."
Always when it comes to her.
Chapter Eighteen
KINSLEY
Inever realized how scary a cheerleader beef could be. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to be on the top of a pyramid with the person who shouted I was a cunt down the hallway of school at the bottom supporting me. That’s a gamble I wouldn’t take.
“How did he talk you into that?” Blair asks, coming to stand next to me. The game hasn’t started yet, and I’m at the bottom of the bleachers, taking a few notes on my phone and pictures before I go and find my seat. Normally, I slip out or linger in the back and watch the games.
Okay, maybe I have always lingered in the back for the games to watch Jax play. He is rather impressive.
"I had no clue this would ever be me," I admit out loud, making Blair laugh.
I don't know what happened this morning. One second, I'm standing in the kitchen having breakfast with the Marino family, and the next, Cosima is putting ribbons in my braided hair, and Nix is painting my nails.
Jax had already talked me into wearing one of his football shirts that has his name across the back. On game day, you're allowed to not wear the school uniform if you dress in what they call spirit gear. The shirt was too large for me, but Cosima fixed that by tying it to the side with a ribbon. Although I’m in school spirit gear, this may be the most stylish and girly I’ve ever looked in my life. I have to admit that I don’t hate it. I actually kind of like it, but that’s our little secret.