Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“But he won’t be—”
“Please,” Rayne tried again.
“I just want you to be comforta—”
“I am comfortable. I promise.”
“Are you sure? I can make Trent understand if—”
“Wood, please… Let it go. I’m fine.” Rayne sighed, sounding as irritated as Mike was.
Wood ran his hand through his messy gray-and-black hair. “I don’t believe you. I can tell that you still—”
“How many times does he have to fuckin’ say drop it?” Mike growled, glaring at Wood in a way that made Rayne freeze in place.
It took too long for Rayne’s confused gaze to ease off the side of Mike’s face, but he ultimately did. The back door opened and closed, and he didn’t turn around to watch Rayne walk away. What the hell is it about that guy?
Mike was so damn exhausted, wired, confused, and then more wired that he couldn’t think straight.
“I know that look, Mike. And I’m telling you right now… he’s off-limits. You know Rayne is in recovery, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone take advantage of it.” Wood broke the tense silence when they were almost to Mike’s house. “You think you’re the first straight man that’s wanted a piece of Rayne?”
It took the remainder of the trip until they were pulling into Mike’s curved driveway before he’d calmed himself enough to say the words he wanted to say without following it with a quick swipe of his blade across Wood’s cheek for his disrespect.
“First of all, you don’t know what the hell I want. But if you did, you better stay the fuck outta my way, Wood, while I go get it,” Mike threatened and got out of the truck.
Chapter Four
Rayne
Rayne sat on the front porch, enjoying the evening breeze while Wood and Trent were inside having dinner. Rayne had eaten his spaghetti and meatballs so fast that he may have given himself a touch of heartburn before he excused himself from the table so that they could eat alone and talk about their day without him gazing on. Rayne had his earbuds in while he listened to positive life affirmations on his MP3 player with his prayer hands at his heart and his face tilted toward the darkening sky. He concentrated on releasing positive energy into the universe in hopes of receiving a little back in return because he sure could use it. The Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting he’d attended helped a lot with what happened this morning, but the fact he still didn’t have a job continued to cause him a lot of anxiety.
When I open my eyes, I’ll know that everything is going to be okay. My life is meaningful, and my heart is open. He inhaled and exhaled again. To one day be enriched with the truest love. And with a long exhalation, Rayne sealed his intention with three rounds of breath and then opened his eyes.
The air caught in his lungs when he saw Mike standing only a few feet away from the first step with his feet shoulder-width apart and a large red toolbox gripped in his right hand. He had a peculiar expression on his serious face, as if he had no clue what Rayne had been doing. Rayne had been concentrating so hard on his mindful breathing and the calming sounds of ocean waves in his ears that he hadn’t heard Mike walk up. Which was baffling because his large boots didn’t look as if they allowed him to move in silence. Rayne took out his earbuds.
“Good evening.” He smiled, blinking his long lashes.
Mike scoffed at him, making an inch of Rayne’s confidence waver. “Don’t put on that pretty act for me. Trust me… I’m not worth it.”
Rayne swallowed, unsure if that required a response. It didn’t sound like it. Still, he didn’t want to insult the man who could put him back out on the streets. Mike was the owner and landlord of their trailer. And so far, this was the safest place Rayne had lived since he’d started his abstinence. “I wasn’t putting on an act.”
“Yeah you were,” Mike said with an easy smirk that made him look younger than his age. Rayne didn’t know exactly what that number was, but he was sure it was far above his own twenty-nine since the man had a son older than him. “But I understand the mask. I got a few of ’em myself. I’m just letting you know that you don’t have to wear it around me.”
Rayne didn’t know what to say as he stared. “Did you come for dinner? I’m afraid they’ve started without you,” he said with less charm and saccharine in his tone.
Mike seemed to like it as he stepped closer. “No, I came to fix the other bathroom in the master bedroom. That way, you don’t have to share with them and risk any more…”