Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 65944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
“Josh,” Aria clips, and I watch a look in his eyes turn calculated before he quickly replaces the look with a charming smile.
“You look fantastic, Aria.” His eyes wander over her face and cleavage, and my hands ball into fists. “And it’s nice to meet some of Aria’s friends.”
“So nice,” her mother agrees, then her nose scrunches, and I know why a second later.
“Honey.” Aria’s dad, who’s obviously been drinking, moves around the table so he can give Aria a kiss on her cheek and me a hard pat on my back. “I’m so glad you two could make it.” He focuses on Aria. “You look beautiful tonight, honey.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Aria says quietly before she motions to Colton and Gia. “You remember my friends, don’t you?”
“Of course.” He grins, giving Gia a kiss to her cheek and Colton a pat on his back. “I’m glad you could all make it.”
“Thanks for having us,” Colton says, and her dad nods before moving around the table to his wife and tossing his arm around her shoulders, causing her to stumble slightly to the side.
“Really, George? You’re already drunk?” Beatrice removes his arm and takes a step away from him.
“I’m not drunk. I’ve had a few drinks.” He shrugs, then adds, “I have some clients I want you to meet.” In an instant, her expression changes, and she wraps her hand around his bicep.
“Of course.” She looks at Josh and holds out her hand. “You should come with us.”
“I’ll be with you in just a moment,” Josh says, and Beatrice nods before her husband leads her across the yard to the group of men he was talking to earlier. With them out of earshot, Josh turns his attention to Aria. “Can we talk?” He glances through our group. “Someplace private?”
“No,” I answer for her, not giving a fuck, and he transfers his gaze to me.
“Sorry, friend, but this has nothing to do with you.”
“If it has to do with Aria, friend, it most definitely has something to fucking do with me.”
“I beg to differ,” he dismisses me to focus on Aria—the pompous dick. “We need to talk, if not now, before I leave town on Tuesday.”
“Like I said, that’s not happening.” I hold his glare when his eyes come to me and curl Aria deeper into my side.
“Josh, we really have nothing to talk about.” Aria rests her hand against my stomach, and his jaw twitches. “Just go enjoy the party.”
He opens his mouth like he’s going to say something more but stops when Beatrice calls his name. After looking over his shoulder, he straightens the lapels of his tux and adjusts the button on his jacket, giving Aria one last look before he walks off.
“Well that guy’s a douche,” Colton mutters, and Gia giggles, her dancing eyes going to Aria.
“Does your head hurt?”
“What?” Aria asks, sounding confused.
“I was just curious if it hurt when Tide bonked you over the head with his club to stake his claim on you.”
“A little.” Aria laughs along with Gia, and Colton and I both shake our heads at the girls.
With the mood a lot lighter than it was we finish our drinks, grab some food, then walk around to talk with a few people who we know before we go back to the bar to get topped up. Once we have fresh drinks, Aria leads us through an arched gate that leads to the pool that is cut off from the yard and the party. With no one else around, we settle in on a couple of loungers to enjoy our drinks and chat.
“Do we need to cut you two off?” Colton asks, grinning at Gia and Aria, when both girls start to giggle. What the fuck they are laughing about is anyone’s guess, but I’m sure it has something to do with the four drinks they have both had in the last hour.
“No.” Gia leans into her husband, grinning. “But you could dance with me.”
“Dance with you?” Colton frowns, and she rolls her eyes.
“Yes, you know, that thing you do standing close together while moving to music….”
“Baby.” He shakes his head, and she holds her hands up in front of her like she’s praying.
“Please.” She pops out her bottom lip. His eyes slide over her face. “I really want to dance.”
“Fuck me. Fine, but you owe me as soon as we get home.”
“Yay,” she says quietly, and Colton’s face softens as he wraps his arms around her and ducks his head to say something next to her ear, and when she nods and laughs, he looks at me.
“We’ll be back.” He pulls her up with him, and I lift my chin, then watch them walk past the pool and head back through the gate.
I drop my gaze to Aria, finding her chewing her bottom lip as she watches them go. “Do you wanna go dance?” I ask, even though I have no desire to step foot on the dance floor. I think the last time I danced I was probably fifteen.