Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Alex and I walk down the hallway, although I feel like I’m shuffling my feet in an attempt to keep up. He pushes me into a small alcove. It’s private and odd. Why is there a random alcove down the hallway of an apartment building?
“Take a deep breath.” Alex’s hands are on arms, near my shoulders. He squeezes the muscles there lightly. “Noah’s my teammate. I hang out with him and Peyton a lot. Although, she scares me.”
“What? Why?” I’m so confused. How can a man of his stature be scared of someone like Peyton. I’ve seen her, she looks harmless.
“She could break my career into pieces if she chose to.”
“Really?
Alex nods and his expression turns grim. “Yep. She has this uncanny ability to break down a game and expose a weakness you’re not even aware of. Coach trusts everything she says.”
“Huh.”
Alex gives me a little shake. “So, are you good?”
I shake my head. “You’ve met a lot of famous people, right?”
He shrugs. “I guess.”
“Right. You see, I haven’t met anyone famous at all. In fact, I have blinders on when it comes to celebrities. One could be standing next to me, and I’d have no idea. So, the fact that we’re about to go to a gathering and a famous rockstar is going to be there—I’m freaking out a bit.”
The realization strikes Alex instantly. His mouth drops open and then shuts. “Sorry, I forget sometimes.”
My eyes widen and I give him my best, “duh,” face. “You’re used to it. I’m not.”
“You must know famous authors?”
“Not really,” I tell him. “Most authors are recluses. They prefer to stay behind their computers. And honestly, they’re normal people. You wouldn’t know someone’s an author until you started talking to them. It’s not like Stephen King wears a banner that says ‘Hey, I wrote IT.’ Your friend group is on TV all the time.” And making sexy gyrating music videos. But I don’t say that to Alex.
“Point taken. How can I make this easier?”
“Don’t leave my side?”
“Never.” Alex’s hands drop. One rests on my waist, and the other on my thigh, near my ass. I step closer. Maybe this is what the alcove is for—secret rendezvous and whatnot. hoping the latter hand will move and touch me a bit and move my hands up his chest slowly. I love the feel of his well-defined muscles under my fingertips. I lick my lips in anticipation of us kissing.
“Kiss me,” my words come out in a whisper.
“Stop tempting me,” he says in an equally hushed sound. “When we get home. I promise.”
He said when we get home. Not back to his house or to mine. The nervousness I already feel increases tenfold. I like Alex and I can’t complain about the sex, but I’m nowhere near the level of commitment needed to call his house my home.
It’s way too early in our relationship.
“Did I say something wrong?” he asks. I hadn’t realized my expression or demeanor changed. I shake my head.
“No, not at all.”
“I did,” he says, reading me better than I expected. “It’s the home comment. I get it, but believe me when I say, we can take this as slow as you want. My time is limited because we’re in season, and there will be days when I can’t see you. When I say home, it’s either your place or mine because it’s easier than getting technical.”
Well shit.
“You’re right. You just took me off guard. I apologize.”
Alex kisses me. It’s slow, heated, and full of promise. “We won’t stay long,” he says against my lips. “Because believe me, I want to get you home.” He steps back. “Come on, let’s get upstairs.”
Cue the freakout.
Alex holds my hand and walks us back to the elevator. Someone is getting off when he goes to press the button, making our wait time even less. Inside, he pushes in a code, much like the elevator to my place.
“I think this is the best security feature. I love that my building has it,” Kelsey says as the doors close.
“Me too,” he says. “I asked Barrett about it the other day. I wanted to make sure the codes were different each time otherwise it defeats the purpose.”
I lean my head onto his shoulder. He checked up on me. I think that’s sweet.
Alex is quiet for a couple of floors and then tells me to turn around. I do and my mouth drops open. “Holy . . .” When I stepped into the elevator I didn’t realize the walls were glass until now.
“Yeah,” he says as he stands behind me with his arms around me. “The city view from here is spectacular and it keeps getting better the higher we go.”
“New York is like this,” I tell him. “We have some amazing architecture there. Portland reminds me of it.”
“Do you miss it?”