Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 117201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
The hockey player blinked a few times, the ice thawing slightly, before he drew her in with one thick arm. “Time to go, Chloe.”
“I was going to call an Uber.”
“I’m your Uber. Where’s your purse?”
“Ummm. I think I only brought my phone and my debit card.”
“You think?” He started to brush a hand down the back of Chloe’s head, but stopped before he could complete the action, curling his hand into a fist and stepping away. “This is why I can’t relax when you go out.”
“You can relax, actually. I’m a fully functional adult.”
“I told your mother I would keep an eye on you.” He returned to frowning at the men in the vicinity, clearly not moved by the hero worship they were projecting in his direction. “Obviously she asked for a good reason.”
Chloe’s expression grew shuttered.
Very pointedly, she turned her back on Sig.
He threw up his hands and rolled his eyes.
“Can I get you to autograph this napkin, man?” asked the frat guy behind Tallulah.
“No,” Sig replied, without missing a beat.
Chloe’s lips pressed into a line for a tense second, but she brightened almost just as quickly. “It’s okay.” She smiled sweetly at the frat guy. “I’ll write my number on it, instead.”
Sig snorted and crossed his arms.
Until the guy happily produced a pen, extending it toward Chloe.
The hockey player intercepted it. “Fine, an autograph. You want it personalized?”
While the autograph transaction took place, Chloe gave Tallulah a look of clear exasperation and pointed at Sig. “Huge problem,” she mouthed.
Tallulah was starting to worry the relationship between these future stepsiblings might be an even bigger problem than Chloe seemed to realize, but she was distracted by that thought when Sig finished his autograph and hit her with a scrutinizing glance. “You’re Tallulah?”
“You’re the guy who tried to trick me into renting a room for next to nothing with Chloe?”
He reared back slightly. “Hold up. I’m not the only one.”
“You’re the only one who hasn’t apologized.”
He looked kind of impressed, not that she was trying to impress this man who thought he could barge into the club and order his adult future stepsister around. “Consider this my formal apology, then.”
Tallulah inclined her head. “I’ll let you know when I formally accept.”
Sig’s lips twisted in something that came close to a smile. “You need a ride, too?”
This was fine. Chloe would be there. “Are you going in the direction of Beacon Hill?”
“Not really, but it’s not a problem.” Sig tipped his head toward the exit. “There’s no traffic this time of night.”
She couldn’t do it. Couldn’t accept them going out of their way for her. “I’m going to grab a cab, but thanks for asking.”
“You sure? It would earn me some points with Sir Savage.”
“All the more reason to pass.”
Sig laughed at that, but his mirth came to a quick halt when one of the men at the bar tried to scoot a bar napkin and a pen in front of Chloe while he was distracted.
He picked up the pen and pitched it across the room.
“Let’s go,” he growled, turning Chloe around and ushering her out of the club.
Tallulah laughed into her empty glass and slid it back onto the bar, intending to follow in their wake, but when she turned around again, Finn stood between her and the exit and a frisson of alarm climbed her spine. “Hey,” she blurted, startled. “I’m just about to leave. I’ll see you—”
“I thought we were sharing a cab,” Finn said, boyish half smile in place. Was he standing too close or was she imagining things? “I’d love to talk strategy for our project.”
“We haven’t even been given the assignment yet,” Tallulah pointed out, beginning to get more than a little peeved. Nervous, too, dammit. She couldn’t see Chloe or Sig anymore and suddenly it didn’t feel so good to be surrounded by strangers. Or this classmate who seemed to be overly fixated on her. Desperately, she glanced over Finn’s shoulder, hoping to make eye contact with Tisha or Evan, but they were no longer at the table. “Did everyone leave?”
“Yeah.” He followed her line of sight. “Looks like it’s just you and me.” He held up his phone, shook it a little. “I’ll call an Uber.”
“Actually, my boyfriend is on the way,” she blurted, without flinching. It was unclear what instinct propelled those words out of her mouth, only that she felt better immediately.
This guy was being too pushy. Eager to be alone with her.
It wasn’t her imagination.
Right?
If you get stuck or something happens, you can call me. Two a.m. Whatever.
Burgess. He would come.
Finn’s mouth pressed into a flat line. “I didn’t realize you had a boyfriend.”
“Yes. I do. We . . . live together. Excuse me.” Tallulah skirted past Finn while looking down at her phone, swiping into her most recent calls. As soon as she was out of earshot, she raised the phone to her ear. Sir Savage answered on the first ring, gruff and alert.