Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 41935 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41935 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Dalton: Good talk, man. Helped a lot.
I set my phone on the table beside me, put my sunglasses on and lie back in the chair. Just like every time I close my eyes at night, I imagine Alice’s face when she pulled away from me on the beach. There was so much vulnerability and gratitude swirling in her eyes.
She’s so used to being the listener. The planner. The doer. I want to be those things for her. I want to make her smile and laugh and...other things, too.
What do her eyes look like when she’s turned on? How does she sound when she moans? Does she ever completely let go and give in to what she really wants?
And more importantly, could that be me? It would be fucking brutal to finally feel this way about a woman who doesn’t feel the same way in return. I’ve definitely felt something from her, but I don’t know if it’s just surprise or her indulging me with kindness.
I have to find out. I need to know if this thing is one-sided. That’s why I gave her that note this morning.
A kitchen attendant comes out with a tray of drinks, offering me a lemonade. I drink half of it, dehydrated from the sun, and then check my phone.
Lincoln: Sorry. I’m happy for you, that you found someone you’re into. You think she could be the one?
Dalton: I don’t know. It feels as crazy as it sounds. But I can’t stop thinking about her. I hate having to fake interest in other women here.
Lincoln: That sounds dicey. Does she have to fake interest in other guys?
Dalton: No, because she’s not a contestant.
Lincoln: The plot thickens...
Dalton: She works for one of the contestants.
Lincoln: Are you able to talk to her? Or would it put you in an awkward spot?
Dalton: Awkward spot, but doing it anyway.
Lincoln: Good for you. Gotta shoot your shot.
Dalton: How’s the fam?
Lincoln: Good. Trin convinced me to take in a litter of 5 puppies someone dumped by the side of the road. So just when Micah starts sleeping through the night, we’re bottle feeding puppies.
Dalton: You can’t say no to dogs, though.
Lincoln: Nope. That’s how we ended up with eleven of them, plus 5 puppies.
Dalton: Good luck with that.
Lincoln: Good luck with your thing, too. Lemme know how it goes.
Dalton. I will.
“Come on in, the water’s perfect,” June purrs.
I glance up from my screen. She’s wearing a tiny white bikini, her nipples and areolas visible through the scraps of fabric on top.
“I have to go make a call,” I say, getting up.
“You’re no fun!”
June and I have different definitions of fun. But I just wave and don’t look back. My only concern today is making sure I get some time alone with Alice.
It’s almost ten thirty that night when Alice comes walking down the hallway to her room, stopping when she sees me sitting on the floor next to her door, my back against the wall.
“Dalton. What are you doing?”
I nod toward my phone screen. “Watching the last game of the playoffs. I choked so hard it was almost impressive.”
She lowers her brows, glancing over her shoulder at the door she just closed behind her, which leads from the kitchen to this staff quarters hallway.
I stand up, my legs tingly from spending the past hour and a half sitting here.
“You know what I meant,” she says in a hushed tone, walking toward me.
“I told you we’d be talking today.”
She stuck like glue to Farrah today, deliberately not giving me a chance to get her alone. I don’t know if she’s playing hard to get or if she just doesn’t want to talk to me. Either way, it’s making me insane.
“I didn’t mean any of that in the hot tub with Farrah the other night.”
Her eyes widen and she puts a finger over her lips. “Someone might hear.”
“You want to talk in your room?”
She considers for a second, then opens the door and steps inside. I follow, and she closes the door behind us.
“Dalton, I--”
“Let me go first. I really like you, Alice.” She shushes me again, and I can’t help smiling. “I don’t care who knows.”
“You can’t blow Farrah off,” she whispers, her eyes pleading with me. “She wants you.”
“I don’t want her, though.”
She closes her eyes, then opens them and sighs heavily. “Look, I know she seems like a lot. But she--”
I eat up the distance between us with two steps, cupping her cheek. “You’re not hearing me. I like you. I want you.”
Her lips part as she looks up at me, silent for a moment. “But you don’t even know me.”
“I know enough to know I want to know a lot more.”
“But Farrah--”
I put a finger over her lips, silencing her. “There’s only one name I want to hear you say, and it’s mine. So say it for me.”