Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“Why not?” He shrugs as his brow furrows. “You’re the one who showed it to me.”
“I was drunk.” My voice escalates with each bitten-out syllable.
A smirk lifts his lips as he nods in agreement. “Yes, you certainly were. After I drove you home, I carried you up to your apartment. I was afraid you’d break your neck if I allowed you to walk by yourself.”
Maybe it would have been better if I had.
This humiliation is almost unbearable.
It’s tempting to leap across the table and strangle the life out of him. Or, at the very least, wrestle away his phone and delete the image.
He glances at the screen as his finger drifts over the smooth surface. “You never answered the question.”
“What question?”
“Did you check off number four?”
I cross my arms protectively against my chest and glare, hoping he’ll drop the topic.
Instead, he cocks his head and holds my gaze impatiently. “Well, did you?”
“Yes,” I ground out, unable to believe we’re actually engaging in this conversation.
Did it feel good to finally check something off that list?
Stupid as it sounds—yeah, it did.
He glances at the phone. “So, only nine more to go. See? Aren’t you glad I’m going to help you with this?”
“Not really.”
“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun.”
I force a hoarse laugh. “That’s doubtful.” I lift a hand to rub my forehead and force out the question. “Why?”
He raises a brow as if he doesn’t understand what I’m asking.
“Why are you so interested in helping me with this?”
CHAPTER 14
RYDER
Why do I want to help her?
Excellent question.
I’m fairly confident that telling her the truth would go over like a lead balloon.
That her first orgasm belongs to me.
I’ve already claimed it.
Instead, I volley the question back to her and attempt to play it cool. “Why not?”
She narrows her eyes. “That’s not an answer.”
I should have realized that she wouldn’t be on board with the plan. Most of the girls on this campus would be thrilled with the notion of spending a little one-on-one time with me. Even if it’s to check items off a list.
Juliette, on the other hand, is not one of those girls.
She’s never been one of those girls.
“Because we’re friends.”
Sort of.
“No, we’re not. Our families are friends. You’re friends with Mav.” She waggles a finger between us. “The two of us have never been friends.”
I sweep my tongue slowly across my teeth. “Did you ever think it might be time to rectify that situation?” Before she can shoot down the question with a resounding no, I add, “Plus, you’re going to need help tackling that bucket list, which is where I come in.” I eat up as much distance as I can between us until the thick edge of the table bites into my chest before dropping my voice several octaves. Even the thought of her wanting another guy pisses me off.
“Is there someone else you have in mind for the job?”
Her gaze never falters as she draws her lower lip between her teeth. She chews the plump flesh for a long, drawn-out moment that makes my heart thump harder before shaking her head.
My muscles loosen in response.
Unable to help myself, my attention gets snagged by her mouth and my cock stirs against my boxers. Ever since Friday night, I’ve spent a fair share of time fantasizing about what it would be like to crush her lips to mine. To sweep my tongue inside her mouth and have her surrender to my dominance.
I’ve spent so many years forcing Juliette to the back of my brain. Now that the door has been cracked open, there’s no way to slam it shut again. For better or worse, those monsters have been unleashed.
“It’s just…” Her voice trails off as she glances away.
The color that blooms in her cheeks only amps me up more. The girls I normally screw around with are skilled and know how to manipulate a situation. Every flip of their hair, bite of their lip, coy look aimed in a guy’s direction is a practiced and calculated move on their part. At the end of the day, it’s all a game. And they sure as shit don’t blush when thinking or discussing sex.
It only reinforces how different and special she truly is.
“What?” It’s so damn tempting to shove the table aside in order to get my hands on her.
Instead, I release a steady breath and force my muscles to loosen. If I come on too strong, it’ll only scare her away, and that’s the last thing I want to do.
“There’s something on the list that’s…”
“Come on, spit it out.” Nerves prickle at the bottom of my belly.
“Sexual.”
That one word is all it takes to turn my cock to stone. I’m so fucking hard that it’s painful.
I lift a brow and try to remain casual when all I want to do is lock her down tight. “And?”