Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
I give them both a smile, feeling like my heart is going to explode, and rush out the door.
And there he stands—on my doorstep—in a pair of shorts and a yellow polo shirt that I’m sure makes his eyes even greener. But I don’t stop to check.
“Come here,” he says, spreading his arms for me.
I don’t think about it. I don’t make a joke or laugh or tell him that I just met Brooke. Instead, I step into his hug and feel his arms tighten around me.
He kisses the top of my head. “I missed you.”
“I missed you.”
Because I did. Because I’ve been thinking about him since yesterday morning. Because my world hasn’t quite felt right since I was in this exact spot—in his arms—the last time.
“You ready to go?” he asks.
“Yup.”
He pulls away. “Let’s get your stuff and hit the road, Dream Girl. I can’t wait to have you all to myself.”
I stare up into his eyes and see nothing but adoration. And given how I have nothing but absolute joy in my heart right now, I bet he sees the same thing in mine.
19
JESS
“This is nice.”
Pippa moves through the entryway of our suite and into the living room. “I wasn’t sure what the extended suite was because I booked last minute, but it said it was for newlyweds, so I went with it.”
I set our suitcases down by the door. “Newlyweds, huh?”
“You know, for research purposes.”
“I thought we were divorced?” I joke.
She looks at me over her shoulder and smirks. “And I thought you said you’d never divorce me.” Slowly, she turns back to the glass.
She stands at the window, taking in the view of the gardens below. I make my way toward her, taking in the view of the woman in front of me.
The drive went entirely too fast despite me going barely over the speed limit. We swapped work stories. She told me about the couple that got married on their first date and went on to name their first baby Bloom. Bridgit gets pictures of the kid every year on their birthday. I told her about the time my ladder fell while I was on a roof. I had to wait an hour for someone to come put the ladder up so I could get down. We discussed our favorite bands, both agreeing that The Doors were the greatest band of all time, stopped for snacks, and snuck kisses every few miles.
If I had been alone, it would’ve felt like double that.
I wrap my arms around her stomach from behind and pull her into my chest. She relaxes against me instinctively.
“How long are we here again?” I ask.
She chuckles. “What did you do, just get in the car and figure you’d get the details later?”
“I had all the details I needed to get in the car. The rest are whatever.”
“We’re here today and tomorrow. We leave on Thursday.”
What? “I thought we had like four days or something?”
“There were a few scheduling conflicts. Every hotel and rental is booked from this weekend basically through the end of the month. There are different groups coming in or something. I don’t know. It didn’t matter to me, so I didn’t lodge that information in my head.”
I kiss her temple.
“You know what?” she asks.
“Huh?”
“I think I was really onto something with this retreat thing.” She sighs with more contentedness than I’ve ever heard from her before. “Doesn’t just being away make you feel different? I mean, I’m happy at home. I don’t have marital issues or anything like that, and I still feel like a weight is off my shoulders here.”
I rest my chin on the top of her head and smile. “Truthfully, I feel this way at home, too, if you’re there with me.”
She swats at my leg, making me chuckle. But before she pulls her hand away, she gently presses her fingers against my thigh.
And that’s it—that right there. That’s the juxtaposition that is Pippa Plum.
That’s why I keep falling harder for her.
Pippa is feisty and full of energy. She’s quick with a comeback and stands on her own two feet. But beneath all that moxie and strength is a woman with vulnerabilities—a woman who deserves someone to give her what she gives into the world.
And I want to be that guy.
I am that guy.
I just have to convince her to trust me enough to accept it.
She slides away from me and although I hate to, I let her go.
“I have a few things set up for us to do while we’re here,” she says, heading back to the entryway. “But if there’s something you want to do, we can totally change it.”
“Nah, I’m just here with you.”
She tries to grab her suitcase, but I get it first.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” I say, making a face at her.
She laughs. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to having my own private butler.” She follows me into the bedroom, checking out the bathroom while I set our things in the closet. “Look at this tub. My gosh.”