Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“Wes…we should…um…”
“We should kiss?” I asked with a wicked smile.
“We should?”
“We most definitely should.”
Clare placed her hands on my chest and slowly slid them up and around my neck. I leaned down and gently kissed the side of her mouth, then the other before finally taking the kiss I longed for.
Clare moaned into my mouth when our tongues met and danced together slowly. I wanted more, God I wanted so much more. But Clare was different. She wasn’t a one-night hookup. For months I’d been fighting my attraction to her, hoping the feelings that I felt would eventually go away, but I was tired of fighting. I was going to give in to this, but not tonight. Not when she was so emotional, and certainly not with her having drank a few glasses of wine.
When her fingers slid into my hair, and she tugged ever so slightly, I felt it all the way down to my dick. Fuck if she didn’t make me want to haul her to the bedroom and have her right then.
I had truly fucked everything up with this whole fake dating nonsense. That was going to change starting tonight.
Slowly drawing my mouth away from hers, I watched as Clare opened her eyes. She looked drunk from the kiss. She smiled and my knees went weak.
“That was some kiss,” she whispered.
“Yes, it was.”
Her eyes darted everywhere, then landed back on me. I took her hand in mine and led her to the bedroom. Once we got to the bed, I let her go, pulled the covers back, and motioned for her to get in. She suddenly looked exhausted from all the worrying over her parents.
Clare slid into the bed, and I covered her up. She looked like she was about to say something but pressed her lips together in a tight line. I’d have given anything to know what she wanted to say. I walked to the dresser, pulled out a T-shirt and some sweatpants and headed to the bathroom. After splashing my face with cold water, I quickly changed, put my clothes in the hamper, and made my way back out to the bedroom.
I stopped and stared at the woman lying in my bed as a strange sensation swept over me. One I hadn’t felt in a very long time. With a glance toward the bedroom door, then back to Clare, I decided to follow my heart for once.
Making my way to the bed, I pulled the covers back and climbed in. Clare had turned onto her right side, so I slid over to her and placed my arm around her and drew her close to me. She relaxed into my body as I held her. When I felt her draw in a long breath, exhale, and completely relax, I knew I had made the right decision by not pushing things tonight.
It hadn’t taken long before Clare drifted off to sleep. I kissed the back of her head and whispered, “Sweet dreams, Clare.”
Closing my own eyes, I made a vow to talk to her tomorrow and tell her how I truly felt. The whole thing with Mandy was done. I wanted to focus on what was happening between us.
And for the first time in a very long time, I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face.
• • •
I woke up feeling like I had had the best night of sleep in my entire life. Clare was facing me as she slept, her hand tucked up under her chin with the most angelic look on her face. Her brown hair was spread out over the pillow with a strand of it over her face. I wanted to reach over and move it, but I also didn’t want to wake her up. Not when she was sleeping so peacefully. A tightness in my chest hit me so hard, I had a hard time breathing.
Rolling over onto my back, I stared up at the ceiling. I was falling in love. I closed my eyes and internally cursed. How was I going to fix this with Clare? Did I tell her I wanted to date her for real, real? That I had feelings for her, and I wanted more than friendship? I needed to be honest with her. I was tired of playing games. Tired of lying to myself about my feelings. In truth, I didn’t want Mandy back, and I wasn’t sure I ever truly wanted her back. I think I just wanted her to hurt like she had hurt me.
How fucking childish is that?
I quickly made a game plan. I’d shower, make us some breakfast, and then tell Clare I was falling for her. That she was the woman I wanted to be with, not Mandy or anyone else.
Just Clare.
Turning my head, I watched her sleep for a few more minutes before I quietly got out of the bed and headed into the bathroom to shower.