Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
When the lace curtain keeping my bra and panties hidden from the perverts in the alley gets caught in the window’s track, I curse old buildings to hell. It takes me ripping the faded material to get it free, but since I’m stronger than I look, it doesn’t just dislodge the lace. It yanks down the curtain rail as well.
“Stupid flimsy material…” The rest of my drunken tirade lodges in my throat when I spot a shadowed figure under the awning of the building next to mine.
My panic should surge, but since my body is responding differently than it would if it were under threat, it doesn’t.
My libido… that’s another story. It reaches the peak in less than a nanosecond, and when Caleb spots my watch and steps out from the shadows concealing him, it catapults to a never-before-achieved level.
He looks devastatingly delicious in a pair of black dress pants, a white buttoned-up shirt, and the tie I never thought I’d see him wear dangling down each side of his thrusting pecs. His hair looks tousled, but not in that I’ve-just-fucked way. It spiked from him running his fingers through it in agitation instead of pleasure.
Good. If I have to do Valentine’s Day orgasm-free, so should the leader of assholes.
With my mind on the fritz from too much wine, I act petty instead of my age.
After cranking my neck back to my bed as if it hasn’t felt three times too big since Caleb stayed the night, I shout, “I’ll be right there. We need air. It’s far too hot in here.”
With my body suddenly scorching from Caleb’s narrowed gaze singeing me to death, I yank the window up instead of down, then thrust my chest into the gaping hole to ensure Caleb knows I’m in nothing but a bra and a meager pair of panties.
“Second drawer,” I shout to my imaginary guest, my ruse continuing.
I swear to God, Caleb’s face reddens the instant my two short words reach his ears. The second drawer in my bedside table is where I keep my condoms. He learned that fast during our month-long foray.
Caleb looks torn between dragging my guest out by the scruff of his shirt or going into coronary failure, but before I can pinpoint his exact response, my hoax unravels.
Daniel must have taken the long route to his car because he skips out of my building’s lobby a second after Caleb balls his fists.
I almost continue with my ruse, confident Caleb has no clue who Daniel is, but Caleb’s shit-eating grin stops me. As he watches Daniel scuttle to his hybrid car, his angry face is replaced with a humorous one, and his balled hands loosen.
My ruse has been sprung, and there’s no denying it.
Too angry to realize my annoyance should be directed at the stupid game my drunk head devised, I shout into the alleyway, “You’re an asshole, Caleb Henslee.”
Although my annoyance has my window locking into place faster than I can click my fingers, not even soundproof glass will stop me from hearing Caleb’s reply, “Never denied it, Jessie.”
CHAPTER 26
JESS
JULY FOURTH
A grin furls on my lips when a familiar voice over my shoulder says, “Is it a mutual connection, or is he refusing to let go because he knows he’s batting way out of his league?”
After squealing my excitement about her arrival to Fourth of July festivities, I hug Heidi tight, conscious her rapidly growing stomach has her loathing endearing embraces even more but uncaring of her neuroses.
They don’t matter with friends. They never did with Caleb and me.
Hating that he has once again popped into my head, I lather attention on people more deserving of my time. “I’m so glad you guys made it. I’ve missed you so much.”
With Samuel’s position moving them to San Diego only weeks after they returned from their honeymoon, I haven’t seen them in months. They’re only up this way for Laurel’s engagement party.
She got engaged on Valentine’s Day—the same day I made a fool of myself.
While rubbing her pregnant stomach, Heidi shifts her focus back to Octavia, who’s being dunked into the frigidly cold Seattle water by Ronnie. “Please tell me they’re not dating. Ronnie is…” A chill shuddering through her tiny frame finalizes her answer.
“Ronnie thinks he has the wool pulled over Tivy’s eyes.”
Heidi waits for Ronnie to toss a drenched Octavia onto his shoulder before twisting to face me. “Only thinks?”
Hair falls into my eyes when I briskly nod. “We’re close. She’d tell me if they were messing the sheets.”
A brick lodges into my throat when Heidi interrupts, “Like you told her about Caleb and you?”
I immaturely roll my eyes before making my way to the snack table to drown my sorrows with a thousand calories. I’ve found comfort in food a lot the past few months. Mercifully, my bank account isn’t feeling the pinch since my father’s food hampers arrive every two weeks without fail.