Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
With my arm around his shoulders, I turned to him. “Thanks for chasing off my friend.”
“I’m not the problem. You are.”
“Me?” I asked incredulously.
“Yeah. She’s jealous of you. Not me.” He grabbed his glass off the table and took a drink, not showing a wince or any sign of discomfort. When he was done, he set it down and placed his hand on my thigh. “How was the show?”
“Good. Nothing new.”
“Every time I watch you, it feels new.” He looked at me, his fingers lightly touching the soft skin of my thigh. “In any capacity.” He stared at me, his blue eyes taking in my expression like I was prey he was able to take home to his cave.
I loved the way he stared at me. I loved the way he was eager to claim me in front of everyone in the room, even though he was the more desirable one. I loved the way he needed to touch me with both hands, to make me feel worshiped in every way imaginable, with his look, his touch, and his words. “How’s work been?”
“Fine.” He’d never said much about his job before, so his silence wasn’t that odd.
“Was it difficult to adjust?”
“Balto brought me up to speed.”
“And no one figured out it was Balto for the last month?”
He shook his head. “A bit insulting, isn’t it?”
“Or maybe your brother just knows you really well.”
“Maybe.” His fingers traced a circle around my knee over and over, his callused fingertips slightly abrasive against my softness.
“You’re feeling okay?”
“Yes,” he said with confidence. “I’m getting better every single day.”
“Just don’t want you to have a setback…”
He shook his head. “No. I’m practically brand-new at this point. I’m young and healthy—I heal fast.”
“Thank god for that.”
His arm tugged me a little closer, bringing my lips to his so he could kiss me as he stared into my eyes, his coarse hair rubbing against me just like his fingertips did. “Anything new with you?” He released me, talking to me like we were home alone, not in the middle of a crowded bar.
A few things had happened that I hadn’t mentioned. “My brother asked Anna to marry him.”
He had no reaction to that. “And did she say yes?”
“Of course she did. Why wouldn’t she?”
He shrugged. “She could do better.”
I knew he was joking, so all I did was narrow my eyes in response. “We went shopping for a wedding dress this afternoon.”
“Did she find anything?”
“No, actually. My dad came along and was very opinionated about everything.”
He grinned. “Your dad is passionate about wedding dresses?”
“He’s trying to stand in for my mom, and in his defense, that’s exactly how she’d act.”
He chuckled. “That’s kinda cute, actually.”
“Yeah, he’s adorable.” Now that I’d forgiven Heath for what he did, I didn’t always think about his actions whenever I mentioned my father. I gave Heath a clean slate, saw him as a different man.
“I’m sure he’ll do the same for you.”
“Yeah, and we’ll scream at each other.”
“You think he won’t like your dress?”
“Not sure. I know I want something more scandalous, so I’m not sure how he’ll feel about it.”
He gave a slight nod in approval. “Yeah…that’s what I want to hear.”
I rolled my eyes playfully, but I felt the smile move into my lips. “Well, we chased my friends away, so I guess there’s no point in sticking around.”
“We didn’t chase them away. They’d watch us have sex if they could.”
“Whoa. What did you say?”
He grinned. “Come on, they would. I’d do it too, but I don’t need to.”
I rose to my feet and smoothed out my dress so my ass wouldn’t hang out.
He gave it a playful spank as he stood up. “What are you wearing underneath?” He grabbed his glass and finished it off before he wiped his mouth with his thumb.
“Nosy, aren’t you?”
His arm curled around my waist, and he walked me out. “Want to be prepared when we get home.” He opened the door for me, and once we were outside in the cold air, he wrapped his arms tighter around me, keeping me warm in the fog. “Black thong? Red panties?” His truck was up ahead, so he fished out his keys and hit the button so the engine would start and the interior would warm up for me.
“No.”
“Hmm…” He cocked an eyebrow as he opened the passenger door for me. “Pink? Purple?” He had my panties memorized pretty well, because he seemed to be thinking of pairs he’d specifically seen on his bedroom floor.
I used his hand for balance to get inside without toppling. “No.”
He stood with his hand on the door, subtly frustrated that he couldn’t guess correctly.
I pushed his chest so he would back up and I could grab the door handle. “I’m not wearing anything.” Then I shut the door in his face.