Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 167204 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 836(@200wpm)___ 669(@250wpm)___ 557(@300wpm)
“You would think that,” she murmurs.
Killian uses his hand on my waist to subtly turn me back in the other direction, heading for the exit. “Goodbye, Addison.”
I hear her heels moving quickly across the floor as she returns to her spot in line.
I slow down, looking back once I know she’s gone. “Wait. Can we stay? I’m worried no one’s going to bid on her.”
“Why?”
“Because she likes girls, and I just felt like a poor little fish dangled over a shark tank and I like boys, so I can’t imagine how that would feel if I didn’t.”
“Ryan’s in there. I’ll text him and make sure he outbids any creeps who try to bid on her.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, craning my neck to look back.
“I’m positive,” he says, forcing me to keep moving toward the door. “We have a date to get to.”
My gaze snaps back to his. “We do?”
He nods, pushing open the front door. A gust of cold air hits me and I shiver, realizing I left my coat in Addison’s room because I had no idea I would be leaving the house as soon as someone “bought me.”
“I need to get my coat.”
“No time,” he tells me. “I’ll buy you a new one.”
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“You’ll see.”
“How did you even know about this? I didn’t tell you I’d be here.”
“Just assume I know everything that goes on around here,” he tells me.
I roll my eyes. “Stupid all-knowing Blue Bloods.”
He smirks and lets me go so we can get into his car, which is parked very illegally on the street in front of the house instead of the parking deck right next to the house. Guess he wanted a quick getaway.
“Can I get a hint about where we’re going?” I ask, since he seems to be in an actual hurry.
“Maybe.” He nods toward the backseat. “I told her. See if you can get her to tell you.”
Her?
Even though I know logically there is no one in the backseat, I look back there.
Then I gasp when I see my sweet perfect baby curled up in a cat bed on the seat behind me. “Toast. Oh, Mommy missed you so much.” I reach for her, and she reluctantly uncurls and stretches before carefully climbing to the front seat to see me.
I sigh happily, burying my face in her soft fur and giving her all the cuddles I haven’t been able to give her while I was at the apartment without her.
When I’ve had my fill and my heart feels happy again, I look over at Killian. “Did you get my stuff from the apartment?”
“Yep. It’s back at my place.”
“Thank you,” I say, though I’m still not sure that’s a good idea.
I don’t waste time thinking about it now. I was happy to see him at the sorority house, and I’m happy to be holding my cat. All is well right now, and I’m going to let myself have this moment.
He bought a date with me, after all, and he paid a pretty penny for it.
It’s a peaceful ride, even though I’m not sure where our destination is. It’s kind of exciting to be surprised like this, though.
The only thing I feel certain of is that it’s not a restaurant he’s taking me to because I don’t think any restaurant would allow me to bring Toast, but I still make a few guesses with myself.
It turns out all my guesses are miles off, though, because when we pull in somewhere, it’s an airport.
Looking over at Killian uncertainly, I ask, “What are we doing here?”
He doesn’t answer.
I’m getting antsy now.
I’m torn between keeping an eye on him and keeping an out in front of us to see where we’re going. Surely there’s some other reason he would bring me here. I can’t think what it would be, but surely…
And then he slows to a stop outside a gate. I look beyond it at what appears to be a tarmac, but… there’s no way.
We sit there for a second, then the gates open and Killian drives through.
I stare, wide-eyed, as he gives a thank-you wave to the attendant who gestures for him to head in this direction, and then I sit there unable to process reality as he drives around the building and doesn’t stop until we’re parked facing a matte black jet that’s parked on a tarmac.
Slowly, I look over at him. “What… is going on?”
He smirks, then he leans over and steals a kiss. “We’re going on our first date.”
After the kiss, he steals my cat—again.
I watch him climb out with her, still in disbelief, but since it seems I’m expected to exit the car, I do.
It’s still cold and windy, but right now I’m distracted enough that I hardly notice.
Killian grabs Toast’s bed and a bag out of the trunk, then he walks over to a balding man standing between the car and the jet in a windbreaker holding a clipboard. He put Toast in the bag—it seems to be some kind of cat travel bag—and he’s wearing her like a backpack.