Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“What’s the problem?”
“The deal,” I huffed. “The fact that her dad is Braden Carmichael. The fact that I don’t want a relationship, and she ran a podcast at uni about the search for the right guy.”
Baird narrowed his eyes. “Did she tell you that?”
Heat hit my cheeks. “I might have googled her.”
My friend’s lips twitched. “You sure you don’t want a relationship?”
“You know I don’t.”
“So, you wouldn’t mind if I had a crack at her? You know I’m not averse to finding the right lassie.”
“Baird …” I stepped toward him. “You’re like a brother to me, but if you keep dangling that threat over my head, we’re going to have a problem.”
Baird burst out laughing. “Fuck. You’re a fucking idiot.” He shook his head. “I’m only messing with you, and you’re so far gone for Beth, you’re making it easy for me.”
My hands curled into fists at my sides.
My mate sighed heavily. “She’s a nice lassie and she shouldn’t be walking home alone … so are you going to chase after her, or am I?”
I gave him a gentle shove out of the way and hurried from his place without saying goodbye to anybody.
Thankfully, I caught up with Beth quickly. She was easy to spot on the darkened pathway along the Water of Leith. Her blond hair spilled down her back in messy waves, covering the slither of skin revealed between her top and shorts.
Those fucking shorts.
Those fucking shoes. The ties that were wrapped around her calves. I didn’t know why they were so sexy. Maybe because they drew attention to Beth’s long, long perfect legs.
Baird was right.
I was fucked.
It was high school all over again: As soon as I realized Beth Carmichael existed, every other girl ceased to exist for me. It was brutal. And it chafed I was letting that happen all over again.
But the sight of Beth jumping in fright at the sound of my approach made my teeth clench, and I forgot to be annoyed about wanting her. She’d been on edge lately. I didn’t think it was only about the CEO of Aura Beauty either. Something was going on with her.
“Oh, it’s you.” She uncrossed her arms and my gaze dropped to where the hem of her shirt rose to reveal a glimpse of skin. “What do you want?”
“To walk you home.”
“Why?” She stopped on the path. The water flowed by in a gentle stream, covering the sound of the city beyond us.
I stared at her incredulously. “Because it’s late in the evening, princess, and you shouldn’t be walking home alone.”
“No. That’s not what I was referring to. I meant in there, the party. One second you act like you’ve forgiven me for high school … and in the next, you bring me to a party and abandon me so you can flirt with another woman. And I know we’re just fake dating here”—she gestured between us—“but it made me feel weird and uncomfortable, and part of me thinks you meant to make me feel that way.”
Bloody hell. I’d forgotten how forthright Beth could be. Guilt and indignation swept over me. “You should know me well enough to know that I would never mean to make you feel that way.”
“Callan, I don’t know you anymore. Or, according to you, I never did.”
“I might have exaggerated. But you caught me off guard with what went down back then.” I took a step toward her, and she jutted her chin in defiance. The air crackled between us like it always had. “Truth is, you knew me then. And I haven’t changed that much.”
“Then why?”
Why? I wanted to believe for one second that I could want another woman. That Beth hadn’t come crashing back into my life and made me feel like that kid who couldn’t think about anything else but her and football.
But I couldn’t tell her that.
And I definitely couldn’t tell her that I could barely picture Amy’s face, and I hadn’t even noticed any other woman in that room tonight. Maybe … maybe I was holding onto the past after all, though. Maybe, and I hated to sound like a prick, maybe it was because Beth was the one person I’d wanted and hadn’t had. Maybe … if we scratched the itch, I’d return to normal.
“I’m sorry,” I chose to say. “If I made you feel that way. I really didn’t mean to.”
“Okay.” Beth started to walk again.
Deciding I owed her honesty, I fell into stride beside her. “Not going to lie, though, this deal is complicated by the fact that I do want to sleep with you.”
She almost tripped over her own feet.
I smothered a smile of satisfaction as she whirled on me, her mouth gaping like a fish out of water.
“You all right there?” I teased, patting her back. “Need some air?”
Beth shrugged off my touch. “Are you messing with me?”