Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 119476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 597(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119476 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 597(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
She shrugs, trying to downplay her emotions, but that doesn’t fly with me.
“Nora, you could never disappoint me.”
“But what if I freaked out or had a flashback or—”
I tunnel my sudsy fingers into her hair, massaging her scalp. “You survived unspeakable trauma, Pip. Tonight was… amazing, but also a lot, I’m sure. And while you handled everything really well, there may be times you don’t. And when and if that happens, I’ll be there, at your side, doing everything I can to help you through it.”
She tips her head back, rinsing the shampoo from her hair. “I don’t deserve you.”
Her voice is quiet, and yet it echoes like a gunshot. Fitting, since it feels like a bullet’s tearing through the muscle and sinew of my chest.
I grip her chin softly and tilt her gaze back to mine. “That’s bullshit.”
She gasps. “It’s not. You… you deserve someone who isn’t broken—”
“I mean this as kindly as possible, but fuck what you think I deserve. I want you and I love you and I want to be with you for as long as you’ll have me. If you don’t feel the same, if we’re moving too fast or tonight was too much for you, tell me and I’ll step back. I’m willing to wait, no matter how long it takes. You’re my endgame, Nora. My priority, my forever.”
“What if…” She swallows and then locks her eyes with mine. “What if being with me is to your detriment?”
“Even then. Always. As. Long. As. You’ll. Have. Me. Do you get that? Do you understand what I’m saying? I love you, broken pieces and all. You’re fucking strong. A fighter. The ball is in your court, Nora. It always has been.”
She sucks in a quivering breath, holds it for a beat and then nods. “I’m sorry. I’m such a mess. I… I just…”
“It’s okay. You’re okay. We’re okay.”
“Promise?” she asks, sucking her lower lip between her teeth.
“Cross my heart.” I free it with my thumb and then lean down to kiss her. It’s soft and short, my way of sealing my promise to her—that no matter what happens, we’ll always be okay in the end. “Now let me finish cleaning you and then we can go to bed.”
“It’s too early to sleep.” But even as she says the words, her eyelids droop.
“Then we can cuddle and put on a movie.”
She nods, pacified, and I get to work running conditioner through her hair, letting it sit while I soap her up with my body wash instead of the fancy stuff I bought for her. There’s something about her smelling like me that just does it for me. Caveman mode: activated.
Once she’s all rinsed, I grab the towel from the hook and wrap it around her before helping her out of the shower.
I speed through getting myself clean and dried off, eager to have her back in my arms. But by the time I get out, she’s already back in the bedroom, dressed in one of my shirts—and only that, judging from the flash of skin I see as she crawls into the bed.
Down boy, I tell myself, because goddamn does she look perfect.
“What do you want to watch?” I ask, tugging on a pair of sweats.
“Anything.” She yawns, snuggling down deeper into her pillow. And then, “Something funny.”
“You got it.” I grab the remote and join her in the bed. She immediately curls into me, resting her head on my chest.
I hit the power button and turn on some mindless comedy flick, but she’s sound asleep before the opening credits play.
Sunlight fills the room, casting a warm, hazy glow over the space as I blink my eyes open.
Nora stirs beside me, groaning softly in her sleep as she nestles her head beneath my chin, clinging to me for dear life.
It’s funny, because before her, I was never much for cuddling. But with her—fuck, I never want to stop.
I bury my nose in her sleep-wild hair and tighten my hold around her waist, content to breathe her in as memories from last night dance behind my eyelids.
For a split second, when sleep gave way to consciousness, I feared it was only a dream. But as I look down at her, I know everything that happened between us last night was real.
We’re real, and she’s truly mine.
She mumbles in her sleep, and I swear to God, it’s the cutest fucking thing. I want this with her every day, forever, for the rest of our lives.
While staying here, wrapped up in the sheets with her all morning, preferably between Nora’s sweet thighs, sounds like my version of fucking heaven, I know both she and the jellybean need some breakfast. Which means I need to drag my ass out of bed so I can take care of her.
Not to mention, she’s probably sore from last night. Which means round two is off the table until she asks for it. Because while I’d love nothing more than to fuck Nora straight through my mattress, her comfort is what matters the most.