Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
I thought I was making progress with her, but again, I know it will take time. My track record with her isn't clean. Would she have really destroyed it?
I should have waited to hear her response to Kindred's question, but knowing Tinsley, she would have danced around it better than Nelly and Mia's grand performance in the middle of the diner. That performance was impressive given the limited space and the fact that they were only about ten years old.
It made me wonder if they were a glimpse into how Katherine and Tinsley were growing up. The girls around here seem to shine and aren't shy about much. This town is truly a place you'd want to raise your children.
"I wasn't going to destroy it," Tinsley says, closing the lid on her to-go box, burger half eaten before setting it on the floorboard.
"Leverage?" I glance over at her to see her watching me intently.
"Not sure it can actually be leveraged."
Every time my eyes land on her face, all I can think about is kissing her and pulling her close. I'm starting to see my attraction goes far past appearance or that quick-witted mouth of hers. It's about the way I feel when she's near, or hell, even then I'm thinking about her. I’ve never experienced anything like it. I’m addicted to it, to her.
Tinsley lights flames to any coldness inside of me, burning it away so that there is only her to fill it. Those flames also give light to all these possibilities in life I didn't know were out there. Thoughts of having a family of my own. Little girls that will break out in dance to cover for their friends.
"Why's that?" I’ve got an idea of what she means, but I want to hear it from her lips.
"If you really want to stay married, you won't betray me, and that would leave no reason for me to destroy it." You'll never convince me that Tinsley has destroyed anything fully in her life. Even in her destruction she would create something new and bigger than before.
"You want to stay married," I point out, nudging her along to that reality.
"I didn't say that," she blurts, and then quickly presses her mouth together, sealing her lips tightly closed.
"You don't have to admit it. I already know." I wink at her, knowing I'm riling her up.
"You don't know shit." I know I got those plump lips of hers back open, and that's what I was going for.
"Like I didn't know your plan tonight?" She puffs out a breath.
"Okay, fine. I might like you." Tinsley starts playing with a nonexistent string hanging off her sweater, her attention there. I might as well put it out there so she sees how all in I am. I thought marrying her would do that, but it hasn’t, so time to bring out the big guns.
"I think I might love you." I tell her as I park in front of our cabin, seeing that the construction crew has already gotten started, but Tinsley doesn't notice that. She's staring at me, her lips parted. Well, shit. Did I shock her with that one?
"You can't be. We don't know each other well enough." I don’t miss the hope in her eyes.
"If you say so."
"Don't say that right now." She wants me to give her more, so I do.
"You'd know more about love than me, Tinsley. I have never loved before nor been loved. Just know that this feeling is different from anything I have experienced before.”
“Pierce.” My name comes out whispered. “I can’t imagine that. I’m sorry.” She unclips her seat belt, wanting to be closer.
“Don’t be sorry,” I tell her. Reaching over, I pull her over into my lap. “You can’t miss something you never had. Now if you go and take it from me…” Tinsley wraps her hands around the back of my neck, locking her fingers together. The thought alone is too much to bear. I couldn’t imagine a life without her in it.
“This would explain your obsession with me.” She shifts in my lap. I think my girl doesn’t like the idea that I have never been loved before, but I believe a small part of her appreciates that she has given me that love because that’s who Tinsley is. She is always focused on others. As for her needs, I’ll be the one handling those. Taking care of her and making sure all of them are met. I’m already working on it.
"I don't need it explained."
"I more than like you," she admits. "And it scares me." Tinsley isn't as chaotic as she can appear. Even in that chaos, there is an order of her own. Her mind just works a little differently than everyone else's.
"Everything doesn't always have to go as planned. If you've shown me anything, it’s that the best things aren't planned at all."