Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 318(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Eventually, Maven returns to the kitchen, but I can tell she’s not happy about it. I feel bad but not enough to talk about what’s happening, mostly because I don’t know what is going on right now.
One minute he’s kissing and hugging me, soothing me, and the next, Joaquin is furious and ignoring me.
I know when I have overstayed my welcome, so I decide, then and there, to spend tonight in my own bed at the place I pay rent. I send Mom a quick message to let her know when to expect me home.
Mom: Sure, honey sounds good. I can’t wait for you to meet Rob.
Me: Who is Rob?
Mom: My new boyfriend. He’s a bartender. What time?”
I shudder at the thought of meeting another one of Mom’s boyfriends. If possible, her taste in men is even shittier than mine. Still, she deserves to be happy, so I suck in a deep breath and let it out slowly before I respond.
Me: Around five, when my shift is over. Love you.
Mom: Love you too, Will. See you soon.
I’m not all that excited about showing up while Mom’s in the throes of new love, but where else can I go? Nowhere.
I slap a smile on my face and serve so many customers that, when Maven comes up front to lock the doors, there’s not one loaf of bread, not a cupcake or cookie left in the display case.
“We sold everything,” I say with a grin. “Everything.”
Maven turns with a satisfied smile. “Everything?”
I nod, excited to help my friend reach this milestone. “Everything. Good job, Maven!”
She finally breaks from her trance and squeals with delight. “Holy shit. I can’t believe it. We sold out of everything! We should celebrate. Are you going back to the clubhouse?”
“Nope, I’m going home tonight,” I say in as cheery a voice as I can manage. “I’m really tired. Let’s do something tomorrow.”
Maven hides her disappointment well, and I vow that tomorrow, I’ll make a big deal out of it to make up for my shitty attitude.
“All right,” she agrees, doing her best to hide her disappointment.
We clean up, and I wait next to Maven while she locks up before we go in different directions. I plan to go home, take a hot shower, and lock myself in my bedroom just in case this Rob fucker is a creep.
I could use a good night’s sleep because, even though Joaquin is acting like a little shit, he still reaches for me at night, and I’m too damn weak to refuse him.
I stop a few feet from my car at the sight of Joaquin leaning against the driver side door with an arrogant smile on his face.
“Joaquin,” I say, disguising my shock with a casual smile. “What are you doing here?”
He flashes a panty-melting smile in my direction, and I look away, trying to dodge that fucker and save myself.
“I thought we could have dinner tonight, Will.”
Typical. I cross my arms and arch a brow at him. “Are you asking me to dinner or telling me we’re having dinner?”
He frowns and pushes off my car to close the distance between us. “I’m asking, Willow.”
Yes, my traitorous body pleads with me. “Why now? You’ve been pissed off and giving me the silent treatment for days.”
He shrugs. “I’m hungry. You’re hungry. I figure we can satisfy that hunger together.” He knows exactly what he’s doing with that low, sexy tone of his. When Joaquin licks his lips, I know I’m close to giving in to this man because what he wants, I want too.
I just wish I weren’t so easy.
“I have to get home,” I say and move toward my car because I need to get away from him before my resolve cracks.
“Please,” he says and steps in front of me, an earnest expression on his beautiful face. “We should talk.”
Talk, he says. Not fuck. And those softly spoken three words break my determination to stay angry at him for being angry with me. I can’t even believe I just thought that shit.
“Fine. Dinner.” I bump him with my hip and grasp my door handle. “Where are we going?”
“Someplace private,” he assures me and nods toward his bike. “Hop on.”
I do, but not because he tells me to, but because I’ve missed being on the back of a bike. His bike.
I hang on to Joaquin and enjoy the ride to some unknown location, leaning my cheek against his back because I can. I don’t recognize the neighborhood we’re in, but it’s nice.
The homes are new and big, and trees line up every few feet on the wide streets. It’s the kind of place people would call idyllic.
He rolls to a stop in front of an impressive white house with a blue door and matching blue shutters. Like it’s inviting us in. It’s perfect. “Where are we?”