Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68987 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68987 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“Are you all right? You seem a little tired.”
He brushed it off, waving a hand through the air. “I’m always tired. I’m just glad I’m finally here. I’ve had my head in textbooks all day. You try staying awake while reading about neuron action potentials.”
I smiled. “I’ve heard all of those words before, but I have no clue what the hell you’re talking about.”
“Neurobiology,” Jax said, his sleepy eyes landing on mine. For fuck’s sake, something about that cream color of his long-sleeve really made the green tones of his eyes pop even more than usual. “It’s a very cool subject, actually, but it involves way more math than I ever expected.”
“Wait, are you a pre-med student?” I asked.
I realized with some shame that I’d known Jax for months and months, and I’d never asked what he was majoring in. All I’d known was that he played sports and coached soccer games, but he didn’t talk about school other than constantly saying that he had lots to study.
“God, no, not pre-med, luckily,” he said. “I’m a psychology major. I want to be a counselor, maybe one day a therapist.”
I lifted my eyebrows. “Holy shit, Jax,” I said. “Why didn’t you ever tell me that?”
He shrugged. “Most people just get bored when I talk about classes.”
My heart. My poor, poor little heart. Not only was I so attracted to Jax I was starting to think there was something wrong with me, I was also fascinated by his mind, and the easy way he seemed to chase after his academic goals.
“It’s not boring at all. I think you’ll be an amazing therapist one day.”
“It’s important to me. I’ve seen way too many people who repress all their feelings. Especially guys who play sports,” he said. “My goal in life is just to help people be more comfortable with themselves. I don’t think I could have ever been a brain surgeon, but I know I can be a good listener.”
“You’ve already succeeded at that behind the bar, too,” I said.
With Jax at my side, I felt protected from the emotional minefield of the festival. I finally didn’t feel completely alone as we started sauntering forward through the crowd. Maybe having a fake boyfriend had been the secret weapon I’d needed all along, especially when he looked as good as Jax did.
“They transformed the whole street,” he said, gazing at a stack of hay that must have been eight feet tall. “I was always a fiend for summer, but I’m starting to get the appeal of fall.”
“Score. Come to the dark side of autumn freaks. It’s fun here, and we have Halloween,” I said as we walked under the lanterns and string lights, past a folk quartet playing some old-timey music.
“You say things like that, and then you’re surprised when I call you a vampire?” Jax said.
I gave him a little shove. “Shut up. I’m not even that pale.”
“I never said you weren’t a hot vampire, of course,” he clarified. “Buff, construction-worker vampire who somehow can work in the sunlight all day on job sites.”
“Never going to be ashamed about loving fall,” I said. “I mean, just smell the air. You can’t deny that.”
I pulled in a long breath as Jax did, too. It was the perfect mixture of pine, hay, and fresh apple cinnamon donuts, with the slightest hint of Jax’s warmly scented body wash that was driving me crazy.
“Pretty great, I’ll admit,” Jax said, “even if nothing can compete with a good summer sunscreen smell.”
“Sunscreen’s good, but fall is magical,” I said. “No matter how much this festival is going to suck, in comparison to last year’s.”
Jax furrowed his brow, turning to me as we slowly meandered down toward the small bridge. “Why’s it going to suck? Fuck that, we’re going to make it fun.”
“Because usually, when I come here, I’m trying to find a hookup and get smashed,” I admitted. “And this year, I’m banned from doing either of those things.”
I was surprised when Jax laughed when I’d been expecting pity. “Banned?” he said. “You’re not banned, you’re looking out for yourself. Taking care of yourself. That’s a good thing, Charlie.”
I kicked at a cluster of leaves. “Sure. Until I’m alone in bed at night, sober, with only my hand to keep me company.”
This earned a laugh from Jax too. “Quit talking about jerking off. It’ll turn me on.”
I lifted an eyebrow at him. “Me talking about jerking it is going to turn you on? I’ll believe it when I see it.” I’d gotten a lot of compliments from Jax recently, but I didn’t exactly believe he gave a damn about my masturbation habits.
He knocked his shoulder against mine and changed the subject. “Check it out. That stall has an apple ginger fizz. That sounds fucking delicious, doesn’t it? Screw alcohol.”
Screw me, more like it, because all I wanted right now was to get wasted and talk to Jax for hours.