Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110624 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Hi,” I said.
“Hi.” A slow smile spread across his face. Those dimples.
It was as if we were actually greeting each other for the first time tonight and everything that happened up until now didn’t count.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
He exhaled. “That guy was looking at you like he wanted to rip your dress off with his teeth. I had to get out of there before I killed him with my bare hands.”
“Why would that bother you?” I teased.
“You know why.”
My heart beat faster as he walked toward me until he was just inches from my face. “Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?”
“I figured you’d be away anyway, so I just never mentioned it.”
“I would never miss your birthday. Never. You underestimated how important you are to me, Nina.”
“I am sorry.”
“You should have told me. Tarah called me Friday when I was already in Boston, so I decided to surprise you tonight.”
“You’re sneaky,” I said.
“You’re fucking gorgeous.”
His eyes closed suddenly after he said it, like maybe he regretted coming on strong or was still struggling with his feelings. Then again, his hand was up my dress out there.
My body was humming between the words coming out of his mouth and the smell of his cologne mixed with vodka scenting me. I had never wanted to kiss him more than this moment. “Thank you. You’re not so bad yourself,” I said, tugging playfully on the material of his shirt but really wanting to tear it off of him. It felt like I was losing control fast.
“Tarah explained about what’s his name in there. She didn’t know he was going to be here when she invited me. She told me Ryan ambushed you.”
I couldn’t help but ask, “What if I were on a date?”
“I guess if he made you happy, I’d be okay with it.”
“I see.”
“That was a lie.”
“Oh.”
“I wouldn’t be okay with it. Fuck…I missed you.” The depth of the emotion in his voice resonated throughout my entire body. Then, he put his hand on my waist and squeezed my side.
I closed my eyes for a brief second when he grabbed my hand and kissed it. It wasn’t the kind of kiss I yearned for, but the touch of his wet lips on my skin nearly put me over the edge. I almost wrapped my arms around him but refrained. “I missed you, too.”
“Go on a date with me.”
“What?”
“Spend the rest of your birthday with me tonight. Let’s get out of here right now, go somewhere, anywhere. I just want to be alone with you. I can’t say what I want…do what I want…in this hallway.”
Shivers ran down my spine. “How are we going to manage that?” I breathed.
He gave me a mischievous smile. “We’ll go back to the table. I’ll make up a story and leave first. Then, I’ll call your phone from outside, and you can pretend it’s some kind of emergency.”
“I can’t worry Tarah like that.”
“It was her idea, Nina.”
Oh.
“Okay…okay.” I smiled.
He winked. “Let’s go.”
I started walking back into the restaurant then turned back around toward him. “I’m just going to go the bathroom first, while you go to the table and tell them you’re leaving. Then, I’ll text you when I’m out so you’ll know to call my phone in like five minutes.”
He put his hand on my face and leaned in. I could feel his breath when he said, “I love sneaking around with you.”
I got goosebumps, and my body was on fire as I made my way back into the crowded restaurant and walked to the bathroom on cloud nine.
There was no doubt he was going to kiss me tonight.
After I peed and exited the stall, Desiree walked in. Talk about a buzz kill. She didn’t actually have to use the bathroom apparently, because she just stood near the sink with her arms crossed. I soon realized that she had come in to confront me.
“Nina…right?”
“Yeah.”
“I saw you sneak out to the hallway with Jake. I kind of figured something was going on between you two. Anyway, I came in here to make sure you knew, that despite what he might be saying to you, he’s not the boyfriend type. He just isn’t. I mean, don’t get me wrong—he was the best fuck I ever had—but he made his intentions very clear. It would never be more than just sex. I see the stars in your eyes when you look at him, so I thought I would save you some time and heartache.”
I stood there frozen against the hand dryer and didn’t even flinch when it turned on after I accidentally pushed into it. I wasn’t sure exactly when the room started spinning. Was it when she finished her monologue or was it when I looked down and saw the large purple rose tattoo on her ankle? It was the same tattoo I saw on the girl leaving Jake’s room the day I moved in.