Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Sounds good,” he says.
I start to walk away but he pulls me back in his arms for another earth shattering kiss and I think I might die from longing again. I wish we were at the lake and we hadn’t been interrupted.
“I’ll text you later?” Sookie says.
I nod at him and smile.
“Okay.”
I make it back unscathed and mingle amongst the film crew like I had never been gone. I grab a tea from kraft services and warm my hands up.
“Why’s your hair wet?” Iseul surprises me from behind.
I lift my hand to touch the strands and shrug.
“I…”
“You went for a swim in the lake?” Iseul looks surprised.
“No,” I shake my head and my gaze crashes right into Sookie’s who’s watching me from the opposite corner of the camp now.
I say the first lie that comes to mind.
“Sookie pushed me in,” I shrug my shoulders.
“He must really hate you,” Iseul returns almost wickedly.
“He must,” I return… or maybe he loves me.
***
Later in the night, I’m in my bed and I’ve showered. I’m just reliving every single incredible moment with Sookie.
It was a dream come true.
Literally everything I had ever imagined it could or would be between us. If I dared to dream, I don’t think I’d even go that far…
My phone pings next to me and I pick it up.
SK
I can’t stop thinking about you.
My smile is as big as Seoul.
Me
I can’t stop thinking about you.
SK
Everything about tonight was perfect… everything about us.
Me
It was everything, Sookie.
SK
I wish you were here right now.
Me
Me too.
SK
Grace can sneak you in… just kidding.
I sigh.
Me
I wish.
SK
Well, maybe it will come true one day.
Could it? I wonder… could it really come true? I can’t even allow myself to dream that… or dare to dream that because the thought of it not happening hurts too much.
Me
Maybe.
SK
Good night, beautiful Ari. Dream of me.
I always do.
Chapter Nineteen
Sookie
I wake up feeling on top of the world.
I don’t know when the last time was that I felt so good. But then, I had sex with Ari last night.
I had sex with Ari.
I let that sink in for a second.
Okay. For longer than a second.
And goddamn, it feels good. No one is taking my smile away tonight. Not one goddamn person.
“Oh man, I think I’m going to puke!” Jay’s groaned words cut into my moment of happiness.
I roll over to find him on the floor again, clutching his stomach like he’s in some serious pain.
“I think I drank too much,” he admits.
“You think?” I cock a brow at him.
Rae and Lucas barge in and stare down at Jay. To be fair, they don’t look much better. In fact, they look pretty sick too. Especially Rae. His skin color is almost a greenish tint.
“Seems like you all overindulged,” I’m amused because I’m not in their shoes.
“Seems like you’re a genius,” Lucas lifts his finger up in the air like he’s just figured it out. “Maybe even Mensa.”
“Who’s the one who’s skin color is a light yellow, maybe greenish tint?” I challenge.
“We can argue about this later,” Rae says as he holds his head in horror. “We have to shoot soon.”
“Shoot what? I thought we had the morning off?” Jay moans.
Two hours later, we are shooting the variety show from hell.
We’re on a set of a game show that resembles one of the old reality dating series where contestants could ask as many questions as they wanted before they picked the guy or girl of their dream.
Except we’re the guinea pigs and are the ones who are going to be asked all the questions. And the best part? If we give the wrong answer, our chairs open up and we get a cold plunge into a pool that has a temperature set for a polar bear.
If you win this competition, you get to go on a date.
I don’t know what sounds worse, the cold plunge for another date with a fan that I have no interest in. The competition begins and even though everyone is hung over, people start having fun and get into it. Rae is the first one who’s dunked, then Jay, then a few of the girls and before you know it, me and Kai are the last two men standing… well, sitting to be exact and Iseul is the only girl left.
Which means the date will be with her.
I’d rather not.
When Lucas asks me a question, I lie intentionally, making a mistake with my answer and before I know it I’m dunked into the pool that is yes… fucking freezing cold and for a half a second I think it might have been worth it to just go out again with Iseul but then I catch a glimpse of Ari at video village and shit…
I’m hard again.
For her.
I get out of the pool and dry up, ignoring the laugh… just grateful that the torturous day is over. I make my way over to where Ari is standing. She’s next to the kraft services table and picking at a carrot. I look around to make sure we are alone and then I come up and stand right next to her, invading her space and smiling when I hear her breath hitch.