Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
But that had everything to do with me knowing that I needed to sort them out before spouting off at the mouth and not really knowing what I was saying. She deserved more than that.
When we discussed the parameters of our future beyond the contract, beyond the bet and the deal and the arrangement, she deserved to hear my side and my proposal when I knew exactly what I had to offer. And as of right now, I had no clue. Everything was new with Aspen, and I wouldn't burden her with my thoughts until I could understand them myself.
“Also,” I continued. “I meant everything I said. I just like being around her. I like having her in my life. And I'm pretty sure she likes being in mine.”
Brecken nodded, smiling as Aspen returned to the table.
“All good here?” Aspen asked, eyes dancing between the two of us.
I glanced at Brecken, wanting her to be able to answer for both of us.
I already knew that I adored her, just as I adored her sister.
Now it was up to her to lay the final results.
Brecken grinned at Aspen. “Yeah,” she said. “We're all good here.”
CHAPTER 13
Aspen
“Is it possible to be physically attracted to an inanimate object?” I asked, my mouth half gaping as I delicately traced my fingers along the gorgeous exterior of the car Crossland had pulled up in.
It was cherry red and sleek and aerodynamic and just screamed rare.
I’d never seen a car like it. Not even the ones in the James Bond movies came close to touching this one.
“It is.” Crossland beamed with pride as he walked around to the passenger side, opening my door for me and ushering me in.
I sat stiffly in the seat, afraid if I moved the wrong way, I would tarnish the leather.
Crossland laughed as he got behind the wheel. “You can relax,” he said, noting my rigid stance.
“Speak for yourself,” I said, barely allowing myself enough movement to speak as he pulled onto the busy city street. “I don't even want to begin to know what this car cost.”
“It's a ’64 Ferrari 250 LM,” he said, as if I was supposed to know exactly what that meant.
“Wait, is this the car that ended up in the bet between you and Ethan?”
Crossland slid his hand over the steering wheel, the touch almost loving. “This is the one.”
I swallowed hard, wondering why on earth he'd picked this car to transport us to whatever event he had planned for tonight. This car was the catalyst for our agreement in the first place—a piece of his father's past that was so important to Crossland, he'd rather hire a fake girlfriend than lose it.
“Are we going to a rare car show tonight?” I asked, wondering if that's why he decided to risk bringing this car out on the town tonight.
Crossland chuckled, shaking his head. “No, why would we be doing that?”
“Because I may not know everything, but I do know that this car is incredibly important to you. Why risk bringing it out? What if something happens to it?”
“You're not wrong about it being important to me,” he said, turning down another street. “This was my father's car. He absolutely cherished it.” A wistful smile shaped his lips as he continued. “I remember being eight years old and him taking me for my first ride in it. The leather still smells the same, the purr of the engine still makes my heart race, and I can almost hear him crooning out his favorite rock songs as we drove for hours, just me and him.”
Emotion clogged my throat, and I couldn't stop myself from reaching over and laying my palm over his thigh in a comforting gesture. Crossland draped his free hand over the top of it before intertwining our fingers like it was the most effortless and easy thing in the world.
And in reality, it was easy.
Things had been easy between us since the second week we struck this agreement. And we'd only grown closer. Every day I got to know him, I liked him just a little bit more. I knew that was trouble, knew that I shouldn't be feeling the way I did, but I couldn't deny it. I was pretty smitten with this man, the same cocky billionaire that I thought I would enjoy sassing for three months.
Joke’s on me, I found myself excited just to be around him, just to hear the sound of his voice in the morning or feel him in the bed next to me while we slept at night.
Dangerous.
I knew it was incredibly dangerous ground to walk on, feeling the way I was.
I hadn’t depended on or counted on anyone in years, and I promised myself I never would. But here I was, making room for Crossland in a life that was already full. Sharing things with him that I hadn't shared with anyone in a long time, and knowing that somehow, he would understand. Because he knew me, and I knew him. We were so alike in so many ways.