Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
The next evening Evelyn was busy getting ready for the gala. I didn’t tell her Conor had invited me to go, too, because I didn’t want her being disappointed in me for declining. I already felt guilty about lying to him. By the time she left I was starving so I changed into some pyjamas and grabbed my phone to order my favourite Chinese soup dumplings.
Hours later I was in bed reading my novel and getting ready to fall asleep when I heard the front door open and voices fill the apartment. I stilled, listening carefully. Ev was out there with both Dylan and Conor. Crap, crap, crap! My lie was coming home to roost. Here I was tucked up in bed when I was supposed to be working. I regretted not telling Ev about lying to Conor because if she’d known she surely wouldn’t have invited him back here.
A minute later there was a knock on my bedroom door. My heart pounded and panic set in as I ignored it. Then the handle turned and I sat up, freaking out when Ev ducked her head in, a smile on her face.
“Who’s out there?” I whispered, anxiously clutching my book. I already suspected who she’d brought back, unless she’d found two other Dubliners to befriend and invite home.
Ev came in and closed the door behind her, “Just Conor and Dylan,” she replied. “We got bored at the gala and decided to come here. I hope that’s okay.”
“No, it isn’t okay,” I replied, still panicking. “Conor invited me tonight and I told him I was working. I’m going to have to hide in here until they leave.”
“Yvonne, I’m pretty sure Conor knows that was a lie. He isn’t stupid. He knows you don’t want to date him.”
At this even more guilt flooded me. Conor knew I’d lied? Had I hurt his feelings? “Do you think I should go out there and apologise?” I asked.
Ev shrugged. “I’m sure he’d appreciate your honesty.”
Inhaling, I climbed out of bed. “Okay, just let me fix my hair first.” I went to my dressing table, pulled out my hair tie and ran a brush through my wavy strands before turning back to Ev. “How do I look?”
“Gorgeous. Now come on. We have visitors waiting.”
With my nerves thrumming we left my bedroom and entered the living room. Dylan and Conor sat on the couch and as soon as Conor’s eyes rose to mine my nerves increased tenfold. Swallowing thickly, I approached the couch while Ev went to grab some drinks from the kitchen.
My voice was quiet when I said, “Hey. I’m sorry for fobbing you off about tonight.”
Conor’s eyes softened as he dipped his head, his focus running over me. I tugged at the hem of my top, feeling awkward. Though Conor’s expression seemed to say he found my bedwear intriguing. “Don’t worry about it,” he replied.
Something about his kind understanding had me blurting, “Can I give you a hug?”
There was a flicker of surprise in his gold flecked eyes before they warmed. “Sure.”
I lowered myself next to him on the couch and threw my arms around his shoulders. I hoped the hug communicated all the things I was too embarrassed to say out loud. That I was truly sorry and I hadn’t meant to hurt his feelings. That my lie had nothing to do with him and everything to do with me and how I wasn’t right for him.
My body sank into his, soft curves against hard muscles. My breath caught when he turned his face to my neck and his nose met the tender spot just below my ear. “Fuck, you smell good,” he whispered so quietly I was sure even Dylan, who sat on the other side of him, hadn’t heard. The gruff note in his voice had me squeezing my thighs against the flood of heat that swarmed me. His hand drifted along my shoulder and down my spine before resting on the small of my back.
My breathing grew uneven and I saw his jaw working when I finally pulled away. I could’ve stayed like that for hours, just letting him hold me. Something in his warm look told me Conor knew I didn’t mean any harm by lying to him. I just didn’t want to lead him on. Even though the more I sat next to him, inhaling his clean, masculine scent and feeling his skin every time his arm brushed against mine, the more I wanted to lead him into my bedroom and let him do whatever his teenage self had once fantasised about doing with me.
“You should’ve come tonight,” he went on, speaking quietly.
I chewed my lip. “I know. I’m an idiot.”
Then he smiled, his arm going around my shoulders and giving a small squeeze. “No, you aren’t,” he whispered before Dylan and Ev drew his attention away.