Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 169(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
His gaze darts to me before sliding back to her. “Okay then, I guess I should get moving.”
She nods. “I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.” He glances at me. “Bye, Coach.”
I jerk my chin. “Catch you at practice.”
When he reaches the door, he glances over his shoulder, giving Poppy one last look of longing before disappearing outside into the bright sunshine. Another silence descends, heightening the tension that hangs in the air.
It's only when the engine roars to life and the tires crunch over the gravel as Levi drives away that I snap, “Didn’t I tell you the other night to stay the hell away from that kid?”
Poppy
My panties dampen at the way he growls out those words. His anger and prickly attitude shouldn’t be a turn-on, but they are. Oh god, are they. The way his teeth clench, flashing in the light, and the muscle in his jaw tics against his sun-kissed flesh does strange things to my insides. His eyes ignite with a mixture of fury and something else I can’t quite identify.
Lust?
Desire?
Exactly how far would I need to push for him to lose control again?
If that happened, would he kiss me like the other night?
A thick shiver of desire slides through me just remembering the way his lips took possession of mine. It was passionate, controlling, and nothing short of addictive. More than anything, I want to feel it again.
He takes a swift step forward, swallowing up a bit of distance between us before slamming to a halt. It’s almost as if he’s hit an invisible wall that stops him from moving closer.
“And I’m pretty sure I told you that I can do what I want.”
His eyes narrow. “You brought him here to deliberately rile me up, didn’t you?”
It’s only when he fires off the question that I realize he’s right. That’s exactly what I did.
Lifting my chin, I straighten to my full height. “Yes.”
Surprise morphs across his features.
Good. Maybe it’s possible to knock him off balance the same way he does to me.
“Why?”
I jerk my shoulders. “Because I knew it would piss you off.”
“And for some reason that seemed like a good idea?”
Before I can even open my mouth, he’s on the move again. By the time he grinds to a halt, he’s so close I can feel the warmth of his breath ghosting over my lips. The magnetic pull I feel for him has my body swaying forward. Instead of giving into the urge, I hold still, maintaining distance even though it’s the last thing I want.
It’s so tempting to lie but I’ve never been one to hide my true feelings or play games. Although, I’ve never blurted them out to a man who’s practically a stranger. This is new terrain for me and it’s nothing short of terrifying. The only other option is to keep them contained, and I can’t do it any longer.
I straighten my shoulders and force out the truth. “Maybe because I wanted you to kiss me again, and this seemed like the easiest way to accomplish it.”
A long, guttural groan escapes from him as his nostrils flare. If I didn’t know better, I’d think the man was in agony.
The other night, he took my mouth like a conquering hero. Today, his lips hover over mine, barely touching them. I tilt my chin upward, attempting to get closer. For a long, drawn-out moment, we hang in suspension. He doesn’t back away, but he doesn’t take it any further.
The anticipation all but kills me.
Just when I think he’ll dive in and take my mouth, he rips himself away until there’s at least ten feet to separate us. I feel the distance with every fiber of my being.
He plows a rough hand through his hair before glaring. “You know nothing can happen between us, right?”
The question has my heart constricting. “Why not?”
His scowl intensifies. “For one, your father is my boss.”
“And two?”
“You’re too damn young.” His gaze slides slowly down the length of my body before he rips it away and swears a blue streak under his breath. “Do you realize that I’m seven years older than you? For fuck’s sake, you’re still in college.”
“So are you,” I point out with a smirk, hoping to lighten his darkening mood.
His lips flatten as if he doesn’t find that comment the least bit amusing. “I’m taking a couple of classes while I work. That’s not the same as being a full-time college student. We’re in totally different places and…” There’s a pause. “I’m too damn old for you.”
“Who says?”
“I do,” he snaps, voice growing hard.
“What if I don’t agree?”
When he remains silent, I cautiously close the distance until we’re once again standing toe to toe. I have to tilt my neck to hold his gaze. There is so much suppressed heat and anger churning in his dark depths. The hot sparks that fly from his eyes nearly singe me alive. He’s like a wild animal that needs to be tamed with a gentle touch.