Page 33 of Pretty Broken Promises

“It's perfect. It's just that we don't have a lot of money, so how are we going to get a place? From what I understand this city is very expensive.”

“You’re pretty handy aren't you?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I draw out confused. She bounces between topics so fast my head spins.

“My mom owns a small apartment building, and when I talked to her about moving back up here, with you, she suggested we take the super’s apartment. If you would do some of the basic repairs around the building, I would collect the rent and schedule any major repairs. Then I would have my job at the coffee shop, and there are dozens of places that you can work when you're not in the middle of the season.”

“I can hire a manager at the gym, it's ready to be operational now. That will earn us a small income, hopefully more once it gets going.” I sit back in my seat. “Wow, so we're really doing this, huh? I mean you really thought this through.”

“Does that scare you?” she asks timidly.

“Fuck no, it turns me on.” I hold my hands up. “But I can wait.”

She gives me a heated look. “Maybe not for much longer. I didn't freak out when we kissed. We're just going to have to work up to making out.”

I sigh. “Well, if I have to. For you, I guess I can make that sacrifice.”

She swats me on the chest. “You're such a dork.”

I give her my wide, toothy grin. The one that usually has girls stuffing phone numbers in my pockets. Not that I’m open to that anymore. “Yeah, but you love me.”

She smiles back at me. “Yeah well, you love me too.”

“You're damn right I do. How about we go back to your mom's house and practice this making out thing that you were talking about?”

ChapterFifteen

TESSA

My stomach buzzeswith nerves on the drive back up Queen Anne’s Hill to my mom's house. It doesn't feel like anxiety but anticipation. Neither of us says a word, even through the heavy traffic, and the almost thirty minutes it takes to get to the house.

He's been so careful with me. So hesitant to hold my hand or kiss me. It didn't used to be that way. How can I tell him that I want to take things at a slow speed, but I still want the fire that we used to have? I'm not even sure how that would look. The only thing I do know is that I am going to have to make the first move, because he is watching me for cues.

I stretch my hand across the seat and reach my pinky out further to lightly brush his hand. He turns his face to look at me. I watch his hazel eyes go from curious to that sexy, molten gold and green. It's the color that I only ever see when it's just the two of us.

“Tessa? I'm going to need you to spell it out for me because I don't want to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.”

“You know how much I love going into detail about—I can't even say it.” I look down at our hands. He flips my hand over and lightly strokes his fingers over my palm. It's an innocent touch, but the result is making me squirm in my seat.

I see his lip twitch, but then he schools his features back to a serious expression. “You're going to have to tell me what you want, Vixen.”

I swallow hard. “Slow doesn't mean nothing.”

“You just tell me how far and that's where we stop,” he says, without hesitation.

I gave him a skeptical look. “And what if I stop you before you get a turn?”

The driver looks at us in the rearview mirror, and Ford turns to glare at him. Having been on the receiving end of one of those glares, I am not surprised when the driver immediately focuses back on the road.

Ford's attention comes back to me. “I am more than capable of taking care of myself, should the need arise. Like I said, my reputation was completely overblown, and I've done a lot of self-care over the last couple of years.”

The driver pulls up in front of my house not a moment too soon. Ford and I don't take our eyes off each other as we exit the car. My body is vibrating, making it a little hard to stick the key in the lock. Once we're inside the house, something comes over me, and I grab his hand and practically drag him back to my room.

I start to shove his shirt up his torso, licking and nipping at his abs as the fabric peels away. He takes the hint and pulls the shirt off in that sexy way men do by reaching behind his head and pulling it off. He's got this adorable puzzled look on his face, but I'm pretty sure he will figure out what's going on.

I put my hands on his chest and guide him back to my bed. I'm not sure where all of this is coming from, but I know that I can't stop. I need this. I feel like somehow, in this moment, I'm reclaiming something. Not just the sense of power that was taken from me, but also this man who I've been without for way too long. I've sat back and let my life happen to me, and had the audacity to bitch about the consequences. I’m done with that shit.

My attention returns to Ford, who is patiently waiting, propped up on his elbows. He turns his head to the side, letting his eyes drag, up and down my body. His lips part, and his tongue slips out to swipe over his plump bottom lip. I have a sudden urge to bite it. He keeps telling me that he's mine, and that he’ll give me anything I want. Well, right now what I want is to explore all of the creases, dips, and ridges on his toned, athletic body.

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