Page 119 of Renegade Rift
She nods and just like before, I lean in and seal it with a kiss.
“Deal.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
JULIET
Everything’s changed.
And yet, at the same time, nothing has.
We’re just Ford and Juliet.
At least that’s the mantra I keep gaslighting myself with.
Because the truth remains—everythinghaschanged.
I worked so hard to separate myself from the woman I was when Tyler was alive. And yet, it’s because of her I’ve been able to become the woman who has spent every night this week coming at the hands and mouth of Ford McCoy.
It’s been nothing short of some wild fever dream. Thanks to All-Star break, Ford hasn’t had any games. Every morning, I head to the restaurant to work with Sophia, while he heads to the field to keep up with workouts and train with Smitty. It’s sacred time that allows us each to remain tethered to who we are outside of every other moment spent naked on one surface or another in the apartment.
Not that we’ve actually slept together.
We haven’t. Literally or figuratively.
Despite knowing every inch of each other’s bodies, every night we either go our separate ways or he slips out of my bed after sending me into an orgasm coma. You’d think I was the man in the relationship with the way I can’t seem to keep my eyes open after the waves of carnal bliss come crashing down.
It’s infuriating.
And yet, I have no right to be complaining.
Because when it comes to our lack of fucking, I’m one hundred percent the problem.
Ford wants to talk about what we are. And I’m…I’m scared shitless. I don’t have my life together yet, and even though I wanted to start dating again, I didn’t think someone like Ford would fall into my lap. Hell, I didn’t think Ford would ever be anything more to me than the pretty boy stepbrother Tyler hated.
But he is.
He’s become—I don’t know—someone I trust. Someone I enjoy spending time with. Definitely someone I enjoy making come. But is that enough? And am I ready to admit this could be more? I have no idea, but I guess we’ll find out tonight.
Because I’m planning our third date.
And we’re going to talk.
Then just maybe, I’m going to finally fuck Ford McCoy.
“If you chop that onion any finer it’s going to turn to mush.” Sophia laughs and when I look up, she’s stopped slicing the carrots for the salad and has an annoyingly knowing grin on her face. “Ford might not mind that your onions are paste, but I’ve always had higher standards than him.”
I drop the knife on the stainless steel counter and take a step back from my workstation.
She’s right. And I need tonight to be perfect.
Dinner. Talking. Sex.
The order doesn’t really matter as long as we’re taking steps forward together.
My heart slams against my ribcage. The thought is freaking terrifying. I’m really doing this. And yet it’s exhilarating too.
“You want to talk about it?” God, she sounds justlike Ford. Though I shouldn’t be surprised. They are really good friends.
