Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
“You grow up on this stuff, too?” Derek asks.
I shake my head. “Moved here for college from Dayton with my best friend Alannah, who works upstairs from your club in the offices. We decided to stay. Got hooked on this place back then and still come as often as we can.”
“What’s your favorite?” Derek asks. “That one?”
“Definitely.”
His mouth splits into a wide smile.
“What about your favorite donut?” he asks.
“Hm?” I ask, eyes on his smiling mouth.
“You save room for dessert?” His head tips toward the counter. “You should. If you get too full on that soup, get something for later.”
This is technically a coffee shop and is known for not just the soup, but also for their donuts and pastries which are still made from scratch.
“I always take a chocolate éclair to go. When I’m lucky enough to get here before they run out, of course,” I tell him. “They’re out today so I’m trying to decide between a powdered jelly donut and a sour cream dipped.”
Still smiling, his eyes move over my face in a way that has me feeling like I’m under a microscope.
“Pro tip?” he offers.
I jerk my chin up.
“Their éclairs come out at one o’clock every day. Or they did. Been a few years since I had one.”
“Thanks for that tip. Explains why I almost never get one when I come for dinner but why I sometimes score at lunchtime. I take it you grew up here?”
“Technically, yes,” he says. “When I wasn’t away at school. Nowadays I split my time between here and Cleveland mostly.”
He’s leaning forward, hand still on the book, and he’s looking at me as if I’m the most fascinating creature he’s ever laid eyes on. It’s a strange sensation.
“You don’t mind if I eat here with you, do you?” he asks.
“Oh. It’s… um… fine,” I say, tucking my hair behind my ears.
He moves the book a few inches toward me. “Here.”
“You didn’t have to buy that for me. I wasn’t sure I wanted it anyway. I didn’t leave because I saw you.”
He leans forward even more. “We both know you did, Chloe.”
Heat floods my face, and my mouth drops open at the bluntness of his statement.
“Is it because you feel guilty for being attracted to me?” he asks.
The nerve!
“Who says I’m attracted to you?” I scoff. “Maybe I just really wanted soup. And we had a five-minute interaction. Yes, I recognized you, but didn’t think much of it.”
My face is blazing hot.
He smiles wider again. And it’s almost condescending the way he’s doing it. He’s convinced I’m lying through my teeth. Not that he’s wrong.
“Cocky, much?” I ask.
He leans even closer, so close his face is hovering over my soup. “Much,” he confirms.
Mr. Nguyen delivers Derek’s soup, so he straightens up in his chair and thanks him.
As Mr. Nguyen shuffles away, I take the opportunity to reach for my bag and pull out my wallet with one hand, flipping the book over to see the price with the other.
“Here,” I pull out some money. “For the book.”
He shakes his head. “The book is on me. A caveat though.”
Mr. Nguyen is back, refilling my tea and bringing Derek a cup too so I’m left in suspense until he walks away.
My eyes roll. “A caveat. Of course,” I say.
“I expect a report afterwards.”
He puts his teacup to his mouth, eyes on me while I gawk at him.
“Very funny,” I finally break the awkward silence.
He takes a slow sip and then sets his cup down thoughtfully. “I’m absolutely serious. Book report. Due as soon as possible.”
My eyes roll.
He continues the ridiculousness. “I’m intrigued to learn about a wolf shifter who’s… what did it say?” He flips it over and reads the back. “even wilder as a man than he is as a wolf.” His gaze bounces back to me with his eyebrows up. “Let me ask you a question. Does the knotting reference mean what I think it means?”
My face burns scarlet. “Oh my God. Yes. Yes, it does.” I bury my face behind my hands in absolute mortification.
Derek laughs. And even his laugh is sexy. “I begrudge everybody their literary choices.”
When I peek between my fingers, I see his expression has changed. The laughter is gone. Not even a smile remains. I think he’s looking at my engagement ring.
I’m sure he’s about to make an excuse to leave at the visual reminder of what I’ve already proclaimed, that I’m engaged, but instead, he lifts his spoon and dips it into his soup bowl. “So, tell me about you and what you do for a living, Chloe.” He spoons some into his mouth and his face mirrors what everyone’s does when they get their first mouthful of soup here.
“I’m an account manager for a marketing company.”
“You don’t work in one of my family’s office buildings, right?”