Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 124005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
It isn’t until the whistles and catcalls pierce the haze of lust that Willy wrenches her mouth from mine.
All I want to do is gather her in my arms and whisk her to the hotel room so we can do that all night long. Maybe with less clothes. Definitely with less clothes.
She reaches for her champagne glass, draining what’s left.
While I’ve seen Willy red faced and angry, or delirious with glee over making me do something she knows I hate, I haven’t seen her embarrassed—not in a lot of years, anyway. But based on the flush working its way up her neck and into her cheeks, she seems pretty damn horrified. This is unfortunate, because that was the second-best kiss of my life, the first being earlier today, after I proposed.
“That was some kiss,” Hammer says from Willy’s right.
“Agreed.” Rix nods.
“I think we know what these two will be up to later tonight,” Mom whispers to Dad in a not-very-quiet voice.
That elicits chuckles from the people close to them.
Willy hands me her empty champagne glass without looking at me. “Fill that, please.”
“Of course.” I kiss her cheek.
She grinds her teeth and side-eyes me.
This might be glass number three, unless she’s been on the club soda, but I still refill it.
And I top her up once more during dinner. She rarely drinks, and definitely not this much, so I’m a little worried about her consumption, especially since she didn’t eat much at dinner. Mentioning that seems like a bad idea, though, so I keep my mouth shut.
CHAPTER 13
DALLAS
After dinner, which to everyone’s shock Flip insists on paying for, we all make plans to stop at home to change before we hit the club. Flip has booked table service at one of our favorite spots, all hyped up about celebrating our engagement.
Willy lives only a few blocks from me, so we drop my parents at my place first.
My mom opens the door and looks expectantly at me. “Aren’t you coming up to grab an overnight bag?”
“We have to stop at my place. Dallas has clothes there,” Willy lies smoothly when I start to splutter.
“Of course he does. You two have a wonderful night. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Mom kisses me on the cheek and gives Willy’s hand a squeeze. Dad says good night and links hands with my mom, guiding her toward the building.
Willy watches them disappear inside with an unreadable expression on her face. “I really like your parents.”
“They like you too. My mom thought she was doing us a solid with the hotel room tonight,” I say.
“Yeah, I know. It sucks that we have to break her heart.” Willy sighs, but anger simmers under the surface. “The fake engagement takes this lie to a whole different level.”
“I’m sorry.” And I am, but not for the reasons she probably thinks. I’m living my dream right now, but I’m making her live her worst nightmare. And isn’t that a slap to the balls? I’m right where I want to be, and she’s the opposite. But I keep putting her into positions she can’t get out of. And I’m making us a PR nightmare. I keep tying her to me in ways that only get more difficult to untangle.
“I mean, as far as big news, our engagement definitely takes the cake,” she grumbles. “I’m sure back home everyone’s talking about it.”
“It was an attention getter.” I haven’t checked my socials, but I’d be surprised if the news hasn’t reached the reunion group.
“Oh my God.” Wills’s head drops against the back of the seat. “The shit is going to hit the fan when my moms hear about this, if they haven’t already. I should call them. Actually never mind, I need to be fully sober for that conversation.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You keep saying that, but you also keep doing things that make my life complicated, Dallas. Your apology doesn’t carry much weight.”
I didn’t consider much past adrenaline and the sweet taste of victory. Willy also has two older brothers, who will likely have things to say about her getting engaged right along with her mothers. I have no idea what any of them do and don’t know about our tumultuous history.
“I wanted to take Sean and Brooklyn down a peg,” I explain.
“Mission accomplished, I guess,” she says.
I pull into the open temporary parking spot outside her building. When I cut the engine and start to get out, she holds up her hand. “You should stay here. I’ll only be a minute.” She hops out of the car before I can argue and disappears into the building without another word.
I let my head fall back and sigh. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t so fucking impulsive.
Willy returns less than ten minutes later, wearing a royal blue dress that hugs her soft curves and strappy heels, looking like my number-one fantasy.