Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
His eyes opened wide, like a puppy being offered a bone. “You have more?” Blake did that sudden switch again, his eyes flinching the tiniest amount. “Actually, uh, forget that. Don’t answer it. That’s probably not good.”
I let my shorts drop. “What’s not good?” I asked.
“Knowing so much about each other. This is a work relationship. It’s probably bad if we make it anything else.”
“You keep saying probably.” I cocked my head, smiled.
“Yeah?”
“I like to deal in certainties.”
And something that was absolutely certain? My growing attraction to Blake King.
Chapter 4
Campfire Stories
Blake
Xavier and I had finished up setting the (not needed) tents and sat around the crackling fire. Maddox brought out a big pan of fresh pizza topped with mozzarella slices, honeyed ham, red onions, and bright green spinach. Next to it was a smooth wooden bowl overflowing with greasy, golden garlic bread.
My mouth instantly watered.
I went for the garlic bread first, Xavier dive-bombing the pizza. He moaned as he leaned back in his seat and chewed.
Focus on the bread. The bread is delicious. The moan—bread is great.
“Want a bite?” Xavier asked me as his half-bitten pizza hung in the air, cheese dripping off in tantalizing glops.
“Yes,” I said. And instead of doing what any other normal supernatural would do, like reach out to grab it, I instead leaned forward and opened my mouth.
I basically asked my bodyguard to feed me.
And he did. I realized what I was doing way too late. I couldn’t slap my mouth shut fast enough. He got a piece of the pizza in there. The thick cheese mixed with the rich tomato sauce and the handmade dough to create an explosion of pure decadence.
But I was scared to bite. I had my eyes locked with Xavier, pizza trapped in my mouth, the moment growing to nuclear levels of awkwardness.
“Are you… going to let go?”
I bit down. Swallowed. Wanted to bury my head in the cracked sand.
The pizza lodged in my throat, and my eyes grew wide. I choked, trying to get it out. I gasped, trying to get air in. I honestly couldn’t believe this was happening right now.
Xavier dropped the pizza and rushed behind me. He wrapped his strong arms around my body and gave three hard squeezes. The pizza flew out into the campfire, making sparks fly and the scent of burning crust cloud the air.
Xavier still had his arms around me. He leaned in and asked, “Are you good?”
I nodded. I nearly forgot to speak. “Right, yeah. I’m fine. Thank you.”
He didn’t let go of me. “You scared me.”
“Gotta make sure you’re ready for anything.”
He chuckled. The vibrations carried from his chest and through my back. “Trust me when I say I am.”
Heat glowed bright through my veins. And it wasn’t from the nearby campfire.
Alright. Time to break off this Heimlich hug. I stepped forward, and his arms fell back to his sides.
We got back to our seats around the fire and each grabbed a fresh slice of pizza. I was extra careful with my chewing and swallowing. A repeat of that would be a fucking disaster I did not want to invite into my life.
Xavier was good about brushing it all away. He didn’t linger or make me feel like a fool. Even though part of me felt like one. It was odd. I didn’t normally fumble around like this. I’d been navigating different social circles since I was a kid. My family had always been in politics, so it came with the territory. And I did it well. Everyone took to me, even though it was likely my father’s attention they were after.
Maybe that had done something to me? Now that the attention was truly placed on me for once, I just didn’t know how to handle it.
Especially when it came from someone who looked like Xavier Blackthorne.
All corded muscle and chiseled jaw and sloping shoulders, all softened by the friendly, golden retriever-esque smile he sported or the caring energy he put off.
I could handle backstabbing and ass-kissing snobs all day, but Xavier threw off my entire equilibrium. I wasn’t quite sure if I liked it yet.
We finished dinner and started getting things ready for bed, a hearty conversation on who we thought was winning the Haleball Championships carrying us through. There was already a very luxurious outhouse built up against the rock formation that separated us from the main house. I went in there and had a quick shower in the tiled, open-air bathroom. I soaped up as I craned my neck back to look at the stars beginning to clock in for their night shifts.
A pleasant feeling washed over me as the eucalyptus soap swirled down the drain. As awkward as the night had been, I was beginning to feel like things were alright. I was set to start on my master’s degree in public relations at an extremely difficult school to get into. I had protection from… well, I wasn’t quite sure of what. But at least my bodyguard was a hot-as-fucking-balls dragon. My dad was in the absolute best possible position he’d ever been in his career.