Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Allowing myself to get drawn into this situation is another sign that the boundaries I try to set aren't firm enough.
I'm in danger of digging another hole of misery for myself.
I resist waking Celine and sinking into her sweet body again. Somehow, I've gotten used to the fact that Elias and Dornan need to be around for that. Eventually, I drift off to sleep.
In the morning, Celine wakes me with a soft kiss on my lips and scrambles from beneath the comforter to use the bathroom. The shower starts up and Celine hums as I turn over in bed and breathe in her scent. When she emerges, she's freshly scrubbed, with pink cheeks and damp tendrils curling around her face.
She dresses in front of me, pulling on a sports bra and tight leggings. I have to wait a few minutes, channeling images of my ex-boss, who had a mustache and body odor, before I can get out of bed without morning wood.
I don't shower because I don't have any clean things with me, but I do rinse my mouth out with mouthwash and quickly scrub my face with one of Celine's face products.
My hair is messy, but wet hands and finger combing do the trick.
When I emerge from the bathroom, I only have to pull on my jeans and shirt. Celine watches me dress with what can only be described as a wicked smile on her face.
"Seriously," she says. "Your body is just…" she makes a gesture with her hand and a sound with her mouth, "...chefs kiss."
I cock a brow and run my hand over my beard. It needs a trim, but I'll have to deal with that later.
"It's all yours, baby."
"Seriously."
Celine slowly sways across the room and lets her fingers trail down the center of my chest, her eyes opening wider with each ab she passes over. "Insane," she mutters.
I grab her wrist and bring her hand to my lips, kissing her knuckles softly; then I pull out the center of her gym bra, getting a good look at her perfect cleavage. "Now, that's insane."
She laughs and swats me away. "Keep doing that, and we'll get absolutely nowhere today."
"That sounds like an awesome plan." I pull her top again, this time pushing my finger between her tits. She squeals and jumps back, but not before I snag her wrist and twist her arms behind her back, holding them in one of my hands at the base of her spine. I loom over her shoulder, pressing my mouth close to her ear. "If I want to touch you, Celine, I will."
"Yes," she whispers. Her nipples tighten, poking the fabric of her sports bra, and she presses her thighs together. I shouldn't work us both up this way, but I can't resist it. She brings out the wickedness in me so perfectly.
Dropping her hands, I adjust my hard-on.
Celine is red-faced and flustered, just the way I like her.
"I have to go," I tell her.
"Can I come with you? I told Gab we can go to the gym together this morning."
That explains the outfit. "Sure."
Mom has a day off. It should feel weird to rock up at home with a girl, but Celine's different. She's already part of the family, in a way.
We make the drive with the windows down. The wind whips at Celine's hair, and she smiles into the breeze like a happy dog leaning its head out of the window. She finds music she likes on my phone, and we blast it, singing loudly and not caring who can hear us when we stop at the lights.
I laugh and feel a wave of happiness surge inside me, unfamiliar and brilliant. Before Germany, this was my constant state of being. I'd hang out with Kain, Blake, and Dalton, and somehow, we'd always be able to find a way to turn even the most boring of situations into something hilarious.
I felt comfortable in my own skin and in my surroundings.
The build-up to going to Germany had been mixed. The job opportunity was too good to turn down, but I was filled with regret at leaving my family and friends behind. I told myself that it wouldn't be for long. Just a year, maybe two. Enough time to get some experience under my belt. Enough time to work out who I am when I'm not surrounded by everything that's familiar.
It had been much shorter than that and returning felt like failure.
I didn't have a chance to settle into my new life or go through any of the self-discovery I had hoped for. I fell into the trap of a new relationship and let all my goals fall by the wayside. And when it all went wrong, I returned with my tail between my legs.
But Celine, Elias, and Dornan have brought some joy back to my life. I feel rooted again, as weird as it sounds. And happy.