Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (sight word books .txt) 📕

before, but Romero just madesuch a perfect candidate for these. Especially it being Manny who pulled themon him. Over the years, Vannah had witnessed the countless times Romero hadlost his patience with his uncles. No matter how annoyed Romero got, it wasalways so amusing to watch and listen to them go back and forth.

Already sending Manny her email address, Nena assured him the videoswould be up within the next week. They watched them a few more times gettingjust as big laughs as the first times. Byron even had to help Vannah wipe herrunny mascara she’d laughed so hard. That workout outfit Manny wore was justclassic, and watching Manny purposely get Romero more and more worked up in thedoor slamming one, was just too hilarious.

Aside from the videos giving them all a good laugh, Uncle Mannybringing out his phone had unintentionally served another purpose. Vannahcouldn’t have been more thankful for it either. Despite her trying to reassureByron that today would be far easier than yesterday, there was no hiding how tensehe’d still been when they’d first walked in. Romero’s in-your-face spiel abouthunting people down hadn’t helped. But the videos and laughs they’d gotten bothwhile they’d watched and after when they continued to discuss them had giventhem a welcome distraction from everything else going on around them.

Other than a few more tense-ish conversations with her dadand his brothers, the rest of their time at the party went smoothly. Even so,just like yesterday when they got back to their room Vannah gave Byron a much-neededmassage to help alleviate all the tension that’d mounted in his hard muscles asthe day had passed. Despite Vannah thinking the day felt much easier thanyesterday, Byron confirmed the only time he’d been completely relaxed was whenthey’d been cracking up at Manny’s videos.

Straddling Byron on his back, Vannah worked the tension out ofhis neck and shoulders with her fingers as best she could. Hearing him moanmade her smile and at the same time feel a little guilty. Obviously, thisweekend hadn’t been easy for him. And they’d still be having breakfast with herparents’ tomorrow morning before heading back to Los Angeles.

Just thinking about everything he’d been put through so far withher family and what a trooper he’d been about it, never once complaining nearlyhad the words, I love you, slipping out. She wouldn’t say it even if shewas sure she felt it, because it was way too soon. If her overbearing familyhadn’t spooked him off yet, that just might. But she leaned down and kissed theback of his neck softly.

“Thank you,” she whispered against his ear.

Byron lifted his head a little. “For what? You’re the one givingme a massage.”

“For everything you put up with this weekend.”

This time he lifted his head further, and then turned aroundmaking Vannah have to slip off him. Pulling her in his arms, he gazed into hereyes. “Totally worth it.” He kissed her softly. “And I already told you,Savannah. I get it. Your dad’s threat, your uncle reminding me what I’d bedealing with, if I so much as ever make you cry. Your other uncles’ obviouslack of trust this soon. I can’t even imagine what me or my brother would do ifwe ever saw one of our Littles cry because some fucker broke her heart.” Hechuckled before kissing her again. “Sucks being the would-be fucker, on thisend of the scenario. But I’m glad you have so many backing you up. You’d besurprised. I’ve known girls whose families are the ones they have to beprotected from. I love—” He seemed to catch himself as Vannah’s heart walloped.“I love knowing that even if things don’t work out for us for whatever reason,there’s plenty of others with genuine concern, that would gladly step up andkick some ass for you.” The sweet smile morphed into a smoldering one, as helifted her blouse and peeked at her braless breasts. “But, if you reallyfeel so inclined to thank me even though you don’t have to.”

Byron leaned in and took her breast in his mouth, sucking firmlyand making her already trembling body, heat with anticipation. “There’s otherways I’d gladly allow it.”

His mouth moved to her other breast as he proceeded to suck a bitmore feverishly and groaned. They’d only been making love for a few days now,but already Vannah knew, they’d likely never go another day being around eachother that it wouldn’t happen. Just the thought had her breathing in deeplywith a smile as she ran her fingers through his hair, so ready to have him inher again.

Twenty-Four

Richie

Byron

It’d been over three weeks since Savannah’s grandparent’sanniversary party. In spite of her taking him home to meet her entirefamily and even Beast and Ali agreeing that was huge in a relationship, factremained she’d introduced him as her friend to every one of them. She’deven made a point of reiterating more than once that weekend to differentfamily members, that her main focus right now was school and getting her goalsmapped out. Byron was all for it, and he thought he was done obsessing about whetheror not she thought this relationship might be headed anywhere, or if once donewith school, she’d head home and never look back. But it felt almost silly tostart asking this soon. That was four years from now. Even he didn’t know wherehis life would be by then, he had so much going on.

Taking a break because he noticed the missed call from Savannah,Byron went upstairs to call her back. “Hey, you,” she answered, and he couldalready hear the smile in her voice.

Of course, it had him smiling big too. Albeit nervously becausewhat hearing what this young girl’s voice did to him now, hell what just seeingthe missed call from her did to him earlier, scared the fuck out of him.Despite how heavy things seemed to have gotten between them, he wasn’t sure ifhis insecure heart was imagining it, but it’d begun to feel like she might bepulling back. In the past couple of weeks, she’d made sure to sneak in everyfew days how she’d had to