Read Online 186 Miles by Nicole Hildreth - Free Book Online Page A

on.”
     
    “Really?”
     
    “Kidding! 
But really, did you…?” she trailed off and made a vulgar choking gesture while
she attempted to deep-throat her own hand.
     
    “I’m
going back in.”  I made for the door handle.
     
    “Okay,
okay.  No more.”  She grinned and started the car.  “You did blow him though,
right?”
     
    *
     
    I
made it home a little after 1:00 am, lightly buzzed on pina coladas.  My lips still
mildly stung from the cherry flavored nipple gel.  Seriously, the hostess made
us put it on like lip gloss. 
     
    To
get the whole experience!
     
    I
crept up the stairs, trying to keep as quiet as I could.  The light was on my
bedroom.   “Vince?”
     
    He
was curled up on Ryan’s side of the bed, clutching an open book, snoring
lightly.  I kicked off one of my heels, accidentally sending it flying into the
wall.  Shit!   I tried to steady myself and lightly took off the other
one, placing it on the floor of my closet.  I pulled my dress over my head and
hung it on a velvet hanger.
     
    I
brushed my teeth and ran a quick makeup remover wipe over my face.
     
    Opening
my lingerie drawer, I selected a red, sheer baby doll nightie.  It had a
matching thong.  Eh, what the hell.   I pulled back the covers and
crawled in next to Vince.  I pulled the book out of his hands and placed it on my
bedside table, clicking off the light.
     
    Sometime
in the middle of the night, he woke up.  “What do we have here ?”
     
    I
was half asleep.  “Hey…”
     
    “Red? 
You buy this at the party?”  He fingered the material of my gown.
     
    “No,
I had this.”
     
    “It’s
nice.”
     
    “Thanks,”
I murmured, turning towards him.
     
    “Sorry. 
I fell asleep in here.  I wanted to make sure you got home okay.”
     
    “I
got home around one.”  I put my hand to the front of his shirt.
     
    “Alright,
well, I’ll go back to my room then.”  He pulled back the covers and leaned in,
whispering, “If you want me to stay in that room, don’t wear that .”
     
    I
watched him get up and walk into the other room.  Close the door.  That was
it.  Did I do something wrong?
     
    *
     
    The
next morning, I slept in late.  When I woke, Vince’s door was open and he was
gone.  His car was in the drive, but I didn’t see him anywhere.  My house was
far too small for a person to go missing.  He must have gone on foot.
     
    About
a half hour later, he strolled in, carrying two paper cups.  He was wearing
running gear.  “Hey.  I got you a coffee.”
     
    “You
went running ?”
     
    “Yep. 
I didn’t want to wake you.”
     
    I
felt a knot in my throat.  It was irrational.  When Ryan went running, he
never came home.
     
    “You
alright?”  He set our cups down on the counter.
     
    “Fine.” 
I walked away.  I knew I was being crazy.  He didn’t need to know why. 
“I may go back to bed.”
     
    “You
just woke up .”  He paused.  “Sure you’re okay?”
     
    I
needed to change the subject.  “You know, on second thought, I think I’ll walk
down to the market and get some pastries.”
     
    “I
can go, babe.”
     
    “Don’t
call me that.”  I was being rough.  He looked noticeably hurt.  He took his
coffee and started up the stairs.
     
    “Vince,”
I called.  He stopped.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean it.  I don’t know what is
going on with me.  Do you want me to get you one?”
     
    “What
I want is for you to tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.”
     
    “I
just had a stupid reaction.  You went running.”
     
    “So
what?”
     
    “Ryan
went running.”
     
    He
came back down and stopped in front of me, placing his cup back on the counter. 
“I know I’m gross and sweaty, but…” He put his arms around me and pressed me
into his chest.  He kissed the top of my hair.
     
    He
released me after a few seconds and cupped my face with his hands.  “I’m not
going anywhere.”  He started for the stairs.