Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31905 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31905 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
I frowned. “That’s not a date.”
Thea huffed adorably. “Of course it is. That’s why it’s called a lunch date.”
“Semantics.”
“Take it or leave it, Baylor.”
“Fine,” I growled. “Lunch. I’ll pick you up—”
“I’ll meet you there,” she interrupted.
Telling myself not to push, I swallowed my frustration and agreed. “Do you know where The Fuel & Flame Diner is?”
Thea’s head tilted to the side, thinking for a beat. “Isn’t that the place on Main Street? Across from Inferno Cycles and Customs?”
My brow rose. “You know our garage?”
Her cheeks flamed again, and she giggled. “One of my heroes specialized in custom motorcycles. I went there to do some research a couple of years ago. I talked to a guy…Cross, I think.”
She’d met Cross? Why hadn’t he told me? Jealousy burned in my chest until I forced myself to think rationally. He probably didn’t even remember one random conversation with a woman. Though how anyone could forget Thea was a mystery to me.
“He was really nice and didn’t even ask my name once I told him I was an author researching for a book.”
The explanation I’d come up with seemed even more plausible with that information, cooling the fire inside me. It seemed I wouldn’t have to kill my brother, which saved me a ton of shit with the club.
“Anyway. I’ll meet you there at noon if that works for you?”
“Sure, baby,” I confirmed. It was tempting to stay right where I was and spend more time with my woman. But I respected her job, and if she was anything like me, she probably wanted to be alone and free of distractions while she worked. “Much as I’d like to stay and be with you, I’m gonna let you get back to work.”
“Thank you,” she murmured. “I appreciate your understanding.”
I nodded and briefly squeezed the arm I had around her before removing it. “I know you must have a deadline soon with the preorder you have up.”
Thea’s face turned soft again, and she smiled. “You really have read all of my books, haven’t you?”
My tone was serious when I replied, “Never gonna lie to you, baby. I might have to censor what I tell you when it comes to club business, but I’ll always be honest.” I leaned in and kissed her forehead before scooting out of the booth. “See you tomorrow, baby.”
When I reached the door, I glanced back and saw her watching me with a dreamy expression. It took a fuck of a lot of effort to walk away, but I reminded myself that I had eyes on her all the time. That would have to suffice for now.
4
THEA
“Are you almost there?” Violet asked.
“Yes, and I need you to tell me again that this was the right choice,” I demanded, glaring at the red stoplight through my windshield.
Five days ago, I had finally confided in her about meeting Wizard and him asking me out—although I hadn’t told her how often it had happened. She had told me that he was a great guy and urged me to give him a chance. Between her coaxing and finding out a few days later that he’d actually read my books and not just the sex scenes, I finally agreed to our date today.
Now that I was actually on my way to meet him, I was having second thoughts. The kind that told me to turn the car around and go back home because I was way too nervous to actually go through with my first real date.
“You’re going to have an amazing time even though you would only agree to lunch, which is kind of lame for a first date.”
Her teasing relieved some of my nervousness and made me giggle. “Like you have any room to judge. Echo is the only guy you’ve ever gone out with, and where did you guys go on your first date? Your apartment? Does that even count?”
“Fair point,” she conceded.
“I’m going to assume what you meant to say was that my first date with Baylor is much more normal than how you and Echo started your relationship,” I quipped, turning into the parking lot and pulling into a spot near the front door of the diner.
Violet laughed. “You’re the famous romance author, so I guess I’ll let you stick with that story if it makes you happy.”
“Hardly famous.” I snorted, shaking my head.
“Quit arguing with me and get in there,” she ordered. “I’m sure Wizard is already waiting.”
It was weird to hear Violet use his road name, but I guessed it was even odder to her that I used his real name since bikers tended to limit how many people were allowed to do that. Something I hadn’t considered until now.
“I’ll call you when I’m headed back home.”
“Don’t rush. Enjoy your date!”
I tucked my phone in my purse and climbed out of my car. Violet was proved correct in her prediction that Baylor would be waiting for me when I walked through the door and spotted him at a booth in the back corner.