Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 94653 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94653 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Life as I knew it was blown apart.
Never to be the same again.
And now, here she is.
After years spent apart, our worlds have once again collided. And I’m not about to let her go.
Not for a second time.
Not ever.
At two o’clock on the dot, the final song of the evening is played, and then the lights are flicked on. Most of the crowd has thinned. All the guys who are wifed up took off earlier. Colby has his arms wrapped around two girls as Hayes attempts to charm a puck bunny who’s been flirting with him all night into making him a decision she’ll no doubt regret in the morning. Maverick gives me a chin lift before taking off alone.
Sully hefts himself up onto the makeshift stage and says in a booming voice, “It’s closing time! You know what that means! You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
A few boos go up as the bouncers clear out the place. One of them tips his chin at me as he herds drunk customers toward the exit. Fallyn shoots a glare in my direction as she helps Erin clear glasses from the tables before wiping down the tops. It takes about twenty minutes to clean up and then count out the tips. Fallyn beams when Erin gives her a fat stack of bills before shoving them into her front pocket.
Even though exhaustion creeps across her features, she’s no longer scowling. If I had to guess, I’d say she probably forgot I was waiting around to take her home. She says goodnight to everyone before taking a step toward the backdoor. One glance in my direction, and she falters before straightening her shoulders and dragging her attention away.
I wave to the crew before silently trailing after her. If Sully thinks it’s odd that she didn’t bother to acknowledge my presence, he doesn’t comment.
Which is for the best.
It’s not like I’m about to explain how messed up our past is to him.
Or anyone, for that matter.
As I push through the metal door into the chilled night air, my gaze searches the nearly empty parking lot. Fallyn waits beside my Mustang GTO with her arms crossed tightly against her chest. Instead of clicking the locks before reaching the vehicle, I beeline to her side. My gaze stays fastened to hers as I brush against her body before popping open the handle.
She lifts her chin and holds my eyes under the silvery moonlight that slants down on us. It’s as if we’re locked in a silent battle of wills.
“I could have opened it for myself.”
“I wanted to do it for you,” I murmur.
She presses her lips together before gingerly slipping inside the car. When she doesn’t immediately fasten her seatbelt, I lean down and snag the strap before stretching it slowly across her chest. Her pupils dilate as her muscles stiffen beneath my touch. We’re so close that I can feel the warmth of her breath ghost across my lips. I can’t help but scan her face in the darkness, looking for some kind of softening.
It’s so damn tempting to close the distance between us and take her mouth.
Instead of doing what every instinct within is clamoring for, I click the belt into place and rise unsteadily to my feet.
With my hand pressed against the side of the car, I stare down at her dark head. This time, she keeps her attention focused on the windshield. Her hands rest against the front of her legs. The way her fingernails dig into her jean-clad thighs is the only telltale sign that she’s as shaken by our proximity as I am.
It’s carefully that I close the door before inhaling a shaky breath and walking around the muscle car. After sliding in beside her, I start up the engine and pull out of the parking lot. The ride to her apartment is made in suffocating silence. The entire way there, I rack my brain for something to say, but it remains frustratingly empty.
Halfway to her apartment, it occurs to me that being this close to Fallyn sets me on edge. That’s never happened before. No girl has ever made me nervous.
No matter how pretty or popular.
They never bothered me because none of them mattered.
But Fallyn is different.
She’s always been different.
As I turn into the parking lot of her building, I realize that I need to say something. The second I cut the engine, this girl will fly out of the car like a bat out of hell.
“When do you want to get together for your first driving lesson?”
Her muscles fill with tension. “I have a big test to study for tomorrow and Monday. So maybe Tuesday afternoon?” As soon as the words leave her lips, she immediately shakes her head. “Actually, that doesn’t work.” Then she mutters, “I already have plans.”