Page 76 of One More Shot
Despite everything, I can’t help but laugh. ‘It feels that way sometimes.’
‘I want you to stop thinking about everyone else, just for a minute and answer me this: what good are you toyourselfif this is how you’re feeling all the time? When do you get the chance to enjoy your life when every second of the day you’re worrying about me or Leanne or someone else?’
I let out another dry laugh. ‘You sound like Dane.’
Nan gives me a knowing smirk. ‘Good. He’s a smart boy. I like him.’
I like him too.
‘Promise me, my little love,’ Nan says, her voice suddenly serious. ‘Find your balance, because this is no way to live your life. I’m not going anywhere. Leanne too, once she matures a bit. We don’t love you for the things you do for us, Eliott. We loveyouforyou. And I’m sorry I haven’t shown you that recently.’ She squeezes my cheeks tightly and gives me a wide smile. ‘So promise me you’ll start to put yourself first.’
My smile mirrors hers. ‘I promise.’
Chapter Twenty-FourELIOTT
DANE
leaving the airbnb now
ELIOTT
Nice. I’m just finishing packing and then I’ll head to the station.
DANE
:)
cool
cant wait to see you
My stomach does a weird little flip as I read and then reread Dane’s last message to me.
Can’t wait to see you.
Anticipation thrums through my entire body like anelectrical current. There’s an unspoken expectation of what’s going to happen between us on this trip and, for the first time, the thought of it isn’t making me sick with nerves.
Dane and I are going to fuck.
I’m not putting any expectations on it. This will be nothing like our first attempt, when I put too much pressure on both myself and him to perform.
To give me an orgasm.
My first.
This time I’m just going to go along with the ride and enjoy the rollercoaster that is Dane Clarke. Orgasm or no orgasm, we can still have fun.
I keep telling myself that as I grab my toy and stuff it into my suitcase, tactically burying it beneath a mound of clothes.
Sasha’s splayed across my bed, her long legs dangling off the edge as she watches me pack. A smug grin splits her face in two. ‘Feel free to admit I was right, by the way.’
‘Right about what?’
‘Dane,’ she says simply. ‘You guys are definitely going to fuck on this trip.’ She slides off the bed suddenly and comes to sit beside me on the floor. ‘Took you two and a half years, but you two are right back at square one.’
She’s not wrong, but it’s going to be different this time. It has to be.
‘Maybe we will, maybe we won’t,’ I shrug.
