Page 99 of Almost Love

Okay, calm down.

Daisy

I’ll be expecting updates in a few days

Because if you text me tomorrow morning, I will be disappointed.

Ginny

Text me between rounds of wild, passionate sex. I’d appreciate it.

Clementine

I’m not texting either of you. This was a courtesy to let you know I’m leaving

Daisy

We want texts!

Ginny

You better text us, or we’ll show up unannounced.

Clementine

Why am I friends with the two of you?

Daisy

Love you too, Clem

Shaking her head, she put her phone away and asked one of the drivers to take her back to the motel. There, she swapped her pumps for sneakers and packed her things up. Making sure she’d taken everything, she loaded her truck and set off.

Never in her life had she done anything like this before, but that told her how different things with Oakley were. Mack often reminded her that anybody would be lucky to be in her life. She knew how she came across, even if she had all of the beauty to balance it out. All Mack had said when she repeated that to him was, “Because you’re so much more than what you want people to see you as.”

Which was very much the case with Oakley. He could have assumed she was a scowly, grumpy and irritable woman that everyone else did. Instead he spent time getting to know her and uncovered all of her soft spots. The fact that he cared that muchhad shocked her at first, but she liked the way it felt too much. Clementine never struggled with her self worth, but hesawher and that warmed her soul in ways she never thought possible.

The sun had set by the time she pulled up at Oakley’s building. Parking her truck, she grabbed her things from the back and made her way up to his floor. But when she got there, she realized that she had no way of getting inside. Even though they’d exchanged keys, she wasn’t carrying his. Ringing the bell twice and only hearing Gracie barking on the other side told her that he wasn’t home. She dug into her bag for her phone when the elevator dinged behind her. Looking over her shoulder, her mouth went dry at the sight of him.

Oakley’s eyes were dark as they trailed over her and voice was strained when he said, “I don’t think my girl would like you waiting around here for me.”

“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.” Despite the way her knees knocked at his appreciative gaze, she held herself steady.

“I would never do that to her.”

Clementine returned the favor, biting her lip as she stared at him. Shirtless and sweaty, his basketball shorts hung low on his hips. A dark backwards ball cap hid his blond hair, giving her a clear view of his beautiful face. All of his tattoos—the sleeve on his right arm and the script along his chest—glistened under the low light and she wanted to lick him.

When their gazes met, he whistled. “Jesus, you’re a fucking vision.Lookat you.”

“Look atyou, Oak. What the fuck?” she muttered, a shaky giggle coming out of her.

His mouth tipped up in a smile as he stepped towards her. “Is the wedding over?”

She nodded and pressed one hand to his stomach. He was so warm and firm under her fingers, his abs flexing as she tracedthem. “You’re so beautiful,” she said softly, stepping even closer to him.

“Melor.” She hummed in response and he grabbed her hand before she could explore further. “I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”

Nodding, she met his eyes. “Standing there surrounded by all those people, the only thing I could focus on was how much I missed you.”

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