Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 15180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Mia
I tried not to stare at Pope, to keep glancing over to where he stood in the corner, but he was a force of nature. His very presence filled a room. He was like an entity that commanded attention wherever he went.
There was no way to avoid his presence.
There was no way I wanted to.
“Hey, did you hear me?”
I glanced over at Rita and nodded. “Yeah, I heard you.” I brought the beer to my mouth and swallowed the lie.
Rita snorted and shook her head. “You’re such a bad liar,” she said on a grin.
I glanced at Pope again, seeing his focus right on me. I didn’t miss how Rita turned her attention to where my vision was trained. Camden and Gina were busy talking about guys ... who was a douche and who was decent in bed, and not paying attention to the fact I wasn’t focused on what was going on.
Instead, I was wondering what it would feel like to have Pope’s hands on me.
Rita glanced back at me and a smile spread across her face. “Oh my God,” she said in a harsh whisper. “You’re totally eye fucking Pope.” That had Camden and Gina stopping their conversation and glancing at me.
I looked between the three of them and felt my face heat, being put on the spot. I could’ve lied, but they would’ve been able to tell, I was sure.
“Maybe we should talk about something else?” God, my face was on fire. I started guzzling the beer and the three of them laughed.
“You do realize that we see the way you two look at each other constantly, right?” Camden was the one to speak.
“Yeah, like you guys are so not subtle,” Gina said on a smile.
“I’ve been wondering how long you guys are going to wait before you actually make a move. I’ve almost been tempted to make bets on who’ll be the first.” The three of them started laughing after Rita spoke.
I rolled my eyes, trying to act nonchalant, but I was embarrassed by the fact I’d obviously not been very obscure about my feelings toward Pope.
I could feel Pope’s gaze on me and glanced over at him, seeing this intense look on his face as he not only watched me, but periodically scanned the room. I knew he was doing that to keep a watch on me, to be my personal security guard.
He’d always been like that, but he’d gotten more intense after Jonathan had passed away. I couldn’t lie and say I didn’t like that he was so possessive of me, that he didn’t even want other guys talking to me, let alone looking at me.
“Surely you’ve noticed the way he looks at you?” Gina was the one to speak, her eyebrows lifted, surprise on her face.
I looked at Rita and Camden, seeing the same expression on their faces. I shrugged, feeling my face heat even further. Of course I’d seen him watching me, felt the way his gaze was a little bit more than friendly, how he seemed very proprietary toward me. But I guess in my head I’d played it off, thinking that it was just him looking out for me, Jonathan’s best friend making sure I was okay.
When I glanced at Pope for what was probably the millionth time that night, my heart jumped to my throat. He looked at me with such possessiveness that I felt like fingers raced up my body. The shivers worked their way over my arms and legs, and I tried to hide it, but the way the girls were grinning at me told me I’d failed.
I finished off my beer, my throat tight and dry, everything spinning around me. For so long I hadn’t been honest with him. Hell, I hadn’t been honest with myself. I’d hidden my true feelings toward Pope for years, too afraid to utter them, to ruin what we had.
But maybe that feeling I got every now and then when he looked at me, when I thought maybe he felt the same desire for me … was real? Maybe Pope wanted me the same way I wanted him?
“Mia.” Camden was the one to speak and I looked over at her.
I could feel Rita’s and Gina’s gazes on me. “You only live once, right?” Camden said. “If I had a man who looked at me the way Pope looks at you, nothing could keep me from being with him.”
I was shocked a little at the seriousness from Camden. She was always the easygoing one, the flippant attitude girl in the bunch. She never acted serious about much, but right now, her face was set hard, her tone genuine.
I nodded as I looked at Pope one final time. So much time wasted. So much time lost.
This little voice in the back of my head told me to be honest, that although it might ruin our friendship and put this awkward wedge between us, at least I’d be honest, not just to Pope, but to myself as well.