Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Eric lowers his voice. “The skittish female Homo sapiens’ face flushes as she drops her chin to disguise her attraction to the rather well-endowed male as he makes his advance. She’s stubborn but not immune to his mating dance. It’s only a matter of time before he imparts his scent onto her, marking her for life.”
I wipe the tears from my eyes. What is this? I don’t understand what he’s doing. It’s ridiculous.
When I meet his gaze, he wets his lips. “Come to the forest with me to forage for food together.”
“You’re delusional.”
“Then just pizza tonight. The place across the street from our building. Seven o’clock.”
I know better. I really do. Yet, I find myself nodding. “No rubbing your scent on me.”
He holds up his hands and takes a step backward. “I won’t touch you, but it’s not my fault if you’re rolling all over me by the night's end. You’ve already shown your hand. You like when we’re touching … rubbing … rolling is the next step.”
“There’s a zero percent chance of that.”
“I guess we’ll see.” He winks before disappearing around the corner.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Finally! I knew you liked him.” Freya shows way too much excitement over my dinner plans with Eric.
“I like him a little, but mostly he annoys me. I won’t be gone long.” I deposit my phone into my handbag.
“I won’t wait up for you.” Freya props her feet on the coffee table and turns on the TV.
“See you in about an hour.” I slip on my yellow wedge sandals and look in the entry mirror at my fitted denim capris and plain white tee—an excellent choice for eating pizza with red sauce.
“Mmm-hmm …”
I shake my head at Freya and open the door to our apartment. “Oh my god …” I whisper.
“What?” Freya mumbles.
I gulp. “Uh … nothing.” I shut the door behind me, mouth agape at the trail of flower petals in a rainbow of colors, starting at my door and leading to the stairway. A few areas are scattered; probably other residents have traipsed through the trail. I follow it to the stairs, lobby, out the door, and straight across the street to the pizza place.
Yes, they are in the street as well. I’m not sure how he managed it, but the trail of petals continues into the restaurant and to a table near the door—thankfully—where my arrogant, book-hating neighbor waits for me.
Looking … well, never mind. I’m not going to obsess over how he looks.
Sex. He looks like sex—the ultimate scratch to every “itch” I’ve ever had.
I have self-control. This won’t be an issue.
“Thanks for following the dress code.” He grins.
What to address first … His plain white tee? His denim jeans that are the same shade as mine? Or his silly yellow canvas shoes? What were the chances?
For one second, can we discuss the bouquet of stems on the table? Petal-less flowers.
If he’s going for original, he’s beaten every other guy in the field.
“You have a mess to clean up,” I say while keeping a straight face even though it’s hard to do around Eric.
“Don’t ever surrender.” He hands me a menu. “Promise me you’ll always make me work for it.”
It’s hard not to surrender to that smile.
“Work for what?” I hide behind the menu before he melts me into a puddle of mush with one look.
Fucking mating dance …
“You.”
Make him work for me? Jesus …
“What kind of pizza do you like?” I’ve suddenly spiked a fever, so I use my menu to fan myself.
“I’ll eat absolutely anything.” If he could say that casually while studying his menu instead of running his gaze along my face to my chest, I might be able to concentrate on things like mushrooms, pepperoni, and Roma tomatoes.
Instead, my mind goes south where I cross my legs and do not think of things he could eat that aren’t on the menu. I’m in trouble, and I hate being in trouble. I believe physical attraction is a human flaw. Our species is too intellectual to be swayed by a nice body and a killer smile. And hormones … they’re poison.
“Not me. There’s a short list of things I’ll put in my mouth.”
He chuckles at my attempt to blend in with my menu again. “I don’t doubt that.”
“What if we just do cheese?” I slap my menu shut. “Plain cheese. Nothing crazy. Quick. Easy.”
Eric sets his menu beside the naked bouquet and drums his fingers on the table. “Quick and easy, huh?”
“Stop.” I shake my head. “Stop making everything so sexual.”
He presses a hand to his chest as if I’m the offensive one. “I think the first person to use the word ‘sex’ is the one being sexual.”
I blink at his straight face for several seconds. “I apologize. That was presumptuous of me.” I lift the menu to cover my face again, and he does the same. We’re playing a weird game of peek-a-boo.