Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
I can do this.
My biggest hurdle is my fear of the unknown. Of rejection from my townspeople and family and friends. But none of those people have brought me joy like Dante has. If I make the jump and lose everyone along the way, it will be okay as long as he’s there to catch me.
He will be there if I can keep him convinced my feelings for him are real. The long-lasting feelings. This isn’t a whim or a fling or an itch to scratch.
I care about him. A lot.
So much it makes me crazy insane.
“Today was weird,” I tell him as we pull into my driveway and shut off the Tahoe. “I’ll tell you about it when we get in bed.”
We climb out, hurrying inside against the wind. Once inside, we stop to pay equal part attention to Ox, Pirate, and Smoky, all of which are excited for attention. After the pets calm down, Dante and I retire to my bedroom. I close the door behind us and strip down to my underwear. He takes more time getting undressed, though I’m not complaining about the hot strip show where he reveals every hardened muscle to me one article of clothing at a time.
“Tell me about your weird day,” he says, stopping at his black boxers, much to my disappointment. I could totally blow him again. My mouth waters for his dick. “Stop undressing me with your eyes.”
I laugh as he slides into bed beside me. He pushes me onto my side, curling up behind me, nudging his impressive cock against my ass.
“I got a call from the school,” I murmur, distracted by the way his fingers stroke my abdomen.
“Zak?”
“No, some kid named Cormac. Drugs.”
“In Brigs Ferry Bay?”
“That’s kind of what I thought too. Turns out, the kid was kind of a middleman but got caught. Hank thinks he might be the one fucking with Callan at school.”
His hand stops stroking my stomach. “Yeah?”
“My gut tells me he’s not. Just a hunch. The kid’s hiding shit, yeah, but I don’t take him for cruel.” I let out a heavy sigh. “I think he’s homeless.”
“Did you ask him?”
“After I got him to shower and change into something of Cato’s, I fed him. He scarfed down everything I offered him. When I started questioning him, though, he shut down.”
“Can you contact his parents?”
“Nope. I know he has a mom here in town, according to the school records, but she’s unreachable. Cormac assured me he had a place to go, but he happily took my coat. I don’t think he has a one.” It broke my heart when he finally got up to leave the station. I wasn’t sure if he had a place to go, but he wasn’t exactly keen on letting me help. “I’m worried about him.”
“And you’re certain he wasn’t the one messing with Callan?”
“Almost one hundred percent certain. If anything, the kid seemed lonely. Maybe he was lingering near Callan because he wanted to befriend him.”
Dante kisses my shoulder. “I’ll feel out Callan. See what he says about him. If he seems harmless, I’ll ask him to get to know the kid. Might give us some answers.”
“That would be great.”
“If he really is a nice kid but having a hard time, I could find work for him, too. After school projects. My sister broke the contractor’s foot, so at the very least, he could assist him. Anything to earn some cash. Might even sneak him in a free dinner the nights he works too. Call it a job perk so he doesn’t think he’s a charity case.”
I twist around until I’m facing Dante, admiring his handsome villain face. Even though he looks like the bad guy with his evil smirk and taunting grins, he’s good to the marrow of his bones.
“You’re an amazing man,” I say to him, running my fingers through his hair. “You know that?”
His smile is breathtaking. “I do now.”
“Maybe I should remind you every day so you don’t forget.”
Adoration for me gleams in his hazel orbs. So often, I can practically see him erecting walls to keep us distant, but not now. Right now, he studies me with such an intensity, I think he has the ability to climb inside me.
“Dante,” I rumble, drawing his lips to mine, “I think I love—”
He chases the statement back into my mouth as his tongue seeks mine. The kiss is hungry and eager, saying what words don’t need to. He feels it too. I moan when he rolls me onto my back, settling between my thighs. He grinds against me so that our dicks rub together in a way that never ceases to drive me insane with need.
“I want inside you again so fucking badly,” he growls against my lips. “Beg for it.”
“Please fuck me,” I whine. “I need it. Need you.”