Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95776 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95776 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
He lowers his face until everything around me is blotted out and he’s all I can focus on. His warm breath drifts over my lips. “Let me take you out and prove I’m serious about this. About us.”
Every ounce of good sense flees. “Okay.”
“Good.” He brushes his mouth over my top lip before doing the same to my bottom. Then he sucks my lower lip into his mouth before giving it a gentle tug with his teeth and releasing it with a pop. Need bursts to life in my core. Apparently, it doesn’t matter if I just came. I want him all over again.
He pulls away enough to say, “Open.”
My lips part and his tongue delves inside my mouth to tangle with mine. One hand slips around my head to cradle my skull with his palm. The kiss unfolds lazily until I lose all sense of time. The only thing I’m aware of is the feel of Beck’s lips coasting over mine, drawing me deeper into this caress until I’m drugged with the taste of him.
From the far recesses of my brain, a noise penetrates the thick fog that cocoons me. It’s only when Beck jerks away that reality crashes down upon my head. He swears harshly under his breath as I try to find my bearings.
“It might be a good idea if your friend took off, don’t you think?”
Oh, God.
Archibald.
And this time, it’s not the ringer on Beck’s phone.
Heat scalds my cheeks as I realize that he just witnessed me making out with his son. In my underwear. The humiliation is almost enough to swallow me whole. Why haven’t I burst into flames yet? That would be preferable to brazening out this situation.
Beck rolls off the raft and into the water, leaving me exposed and vulnerable. Even though the sun strokes over my warmed flesh, a chill slithers down my spine. I sit up and band my arms around my knees to cover as much of my body as possible.
“Don’t move,” Beck mutters, “until I get your shirt.”
“Okay.” I stare at my folded legs until Archibald’s loafers come into view.
“Mia?” Shock reverberates throughout Archie’s voice. “Is that you?”
Please kill me now before this situation becomes any more excruciating.
I wince, unable to meet his eyes before lifting my hand and giving him a half-hearted wave. “Hi, Mr. Hollingsworth.” Barely can I squeak out the greeting.
Beck’s father stuffs his hands into the pockets of his khakis and rocks back on his heels as his narrowed gaze bounces between us. “What are you doing here?”
“We were swimming.” Amongst other things. Even though I don’t tack that on, I have the feeling he knows exactly what we were up to.
“I wasn’t aware you two were friends.” His voice becomes stilted. “I’d assumed you traveled in different circles.”
“We’ve always been friends,” Beck shoots back, glancing at me with a slight frown. “Right?”
Yesterday the answer would have been an unequivocal no, but I can’t bring myself to say that. “Yes.”
“Hmmm.” Archibald’s lips bow into a frown. The heaviness of his gaze is enough to make me squirm.
Once we reach the edge of the pool, Beck hauls himself out. It would be impossible not to notice the way his muscles flex and bunch as water rolls off his sun-kissed flesh. He grabs my tank from the cement and tosses it to me. I snatch it from the air and thrust my arms through the thin straps before yanking the flimsy material over my body. It doesn’t cover much, but it shields my bra and thong from sight.
Sort of.
As soon as I’m covered, Beck extends his hand for me to grab hold of before hoisting me from the raft. The moment my feet touch the concrete, he releases me. I stumble before finding my balance.
I peek at Archibald and tug the back of my tank, so it covers more of my ass.
A thunderous expression settles on Archie’s face as he bites out, “I’m going inside.” His attention shifts to his son. “See me in the office after Mia leaves.”
Beck jerks his head into a tight nod. Once his father disappears through the French doors, I force the air from my lungs, not realizing it had become trapped.
“I would seriously like to die right now,” I whisper, afraid of being overheard.
“Yeah, sorry about that.” He shoves a hand through his hair. “I thought we had more time.”
Nausea stirs in the pit of my belly as I consider how mortifying it would have been if Beck’s parents had arrived home ten minutes earlier. Archibald and Caroline are like family. How could I ever look either of them in the eyes if they saw me getting off?
Unsure where to go from here, I search Beck’s expression for clues as to what he’s thinking. All the lightheartedness has been sucked from the atmosphere. There’s a pervasive feeling of tension that has settled over us like a heavy blanket.