186 Miles Read Online Free PDF

mean, until you are ready.  So, we can stay friends, if you
want… for now.  And when you’re ready, you can let me know.”
     
    “You’re
just gonna wait ?”
     
    “Yep.” 
He traced his thumb casually along my cheek.  “You are special to me and I
don’t want anyone else to have you.  So, I’ll wait.”  He looked out the
window.  When he looked back at me, he said thoughtfully, “Just don’t make me
wait forever, please.”
     
    “I
won’t.”  I leaned into him and placed a light kiss on his lips.  “I promise.”
     
    He
shuffled around in bed and kicked his shoes off.  He reclined back again and
put his head on the pillow, staring at the ceiling.  “I haven’t gone and fucked
it all up, right?  We’re still going to be friends?”
     
    “Yes,
silly.  I’d miss you too much.” 
     
    He
rubbed my hand and laced our fingers together.
     
    “You
are literally killing me.  I’m ruined!”  He laughed aloud and put our
clasped hands over his face.  “Fuckin’ hell, man!”
     
    I
laughed.  “Can you come to Indy in a few weeks?” 
     
    Why
did I say that?
     
    “Yes.” 
He rolled over and pulled me in, my back now pressed against his front.  He
wound his arm around my stomach and lightly rubbed. 
     
    God,
I wish he wouldn’t rub me there.  I bet he dates supermodels.
     
    “You’re
tense,” he whispered.  “Don’t freak out.”
     
    Was
he reading my mind?
     
    “This
is about us .  It’s not about Ryan.  I know you loved him.  I’m not
trying to bully my way in and take his place.”  He pulled me closer.  I reached
behind and placed my hand on his hip, reassuring him that this wasn’t our end.

Chapter
Four
     
     
    Two
weeks dragged by.  More phone calls this time, fewer texts.  I heard his voice
almost every night.  I began to look forward to our conversations more and
more, checking the clock.  He told me about the different bands he was working
with, what food he ate, the video games he played with Jack.  The dialogue was
simple.  Easy.  We flirted shamelessly.
     
    That
Friday couldn’t come fast enough.  I was supposed to meet Vince at my house at
5:30.  I didn’t have enough time to get ready at my place, so I brought some
clothes and makeup to work.  At 5, I went to the bathroom and revamped my
wardrobe. 
     
    I
took off my stuffy black suit coat and sheath dress and replaced it with a
white sleeveless pleated dress with a black Peter Pan collar and matching thin
velvet belt.  I slipped on a pair of bright green ballet flats and a similar
hued green pin for my hair.
     
    I
swiped a fresh coat of mascara on and painted my lips in a strawberry-flavored
sheer pink gloss.  I walked back to my desk to grab my bag and close up for the
weekend.
     
    Just
then, Lauren came out of her office.  “Hot bitch !  Where are you going?”
     
    Oh
God, I’ve been spotted.
     
    Lauren
was technically my boss, though she rarely acted that way.  I had moved up from
a Designer to a Senior Architect under her tutelage.  She was my biggest
cheerleader at the firm.  She, too, had moved up this year, to an Associate
Director.
     
    “My
friend is coming in for the weekend and we have dinner plans.”
     
    “Must
be some friend.  I haven’t seen you this dolled up in a while.  Like a long time, now that I think about it.  Who is it?”
     
    Do
I tell her about Vince?  She wouldn’t understand.
     
    “My
friend, Vince.  He’s actually Ryan’s friend.  They went to Northwestern together.” 
I gathered my things from my desk and shoved them in my huge satchel.
     
    “I
think it’s good you’re getting back out there.”  She smiled at me.
     
    I
groaned aloud.  “I’m not ‘ getting back out there .’  I’m just hosting him
for the weekend.  He’s in from Chicago.”
     
    “Chicago? 
Weren’t you just there a few weekends ago?”
     
    Fuck.
     
    “Yeah,
he and his brother had a party for the Fourth.”
     
    “Uh
huh.”  A