Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
“Ha!” Cass giggles. “You’re right. Maybe I should try and get his number just to test that theory.”
Oh no, what have I done? Apparently, I’ve both created and unleashed a monster. I know her parents would never forgive me. Also, I’m more than a little protective of my best friend.
“No! I…I don’t think that’s a good idea. He works for my dad. Definitely not a good idea.”
Cass sizes me up while something cold and metallic unfurls at the back of my tongue and bites into my gut. Uhhhh, right. So that wouldn’t be jealousy because I’m not jealous. Obviously.
She crosses her arms, but then she smiles prettily at me. Cass is a good girl. She’s incapable of anything but pretty smiles. “You’re right. And you did see him first. Or I saw him first for you. He’s perfect. Just the kind of guy who would fit right into your life and probably be able to stand up to your dad. If anyone could do it and proudly take you on your first real date, he could!”
“Cass, no!”
“Oh, come on. Let’s have a little fun before we get tossed. Please, get his number and see what happens,” Cass begs.
“No! Are you crazy? How would I even get his number?” Of all the things I could ask, I ask that. Wow. Nice one, va-jay brain. A va-jay brain, in case anyone’s wondering, is the type of brain that is controlled by a vagina. It’s a hormonal brain, a brain not functioning at full or even half capacity because it’s addled by lack of blood flow, which is flowing to appendages south of the border.
“Just go up there and flirt for two seconds—I’m sorry, I’ll define flirting because I know it’s on your list of things you don’t do. It means batting your eyelashes, acting all ooey-gooey, and smiling all cute and charming. Maybe playing with your hair a little and thrusting out your breasts to their best angle. Then, after a few seconds of that, order a drink and ask for his digits. What it does not mean is making your butthole face.”
“My what?” I screech. I can hear the shrillness of my voice above the bass, and yup, it might be time to dial it down just a smidge. I can still get away with the proper level of outrage and condemnation in my tone by being less of a harpy.
“Your butthole face. It’s like when you do this.” Cass demonstrates, scrunching up her pretty nose and puckering her mouth.
I huff and barely manage to hold back a laugh because she looks utterly insane at the moment. “That looks more like a lemon sucker face.”
“Okay, well, don’t make the lemon sucker face.”
“Wait, no, you have to explain that. You mean you’re telling me that I make a face that resembles a butthole because my mouth gets a little bit puckered from time to time?”
“I…uh…” Cass studies her heels. “No comment.”
“The whole thing is a terrible idea.” Hold up. You should just be saying a hard no, not listing reasons why it’s a bad idea to let Sweet Silver-Tongued Cass talk you out of it. Or rather, into it? Gah, just say no! “It would be humiliating. And he’d get fired if my dad found out.”
Sensing victory, Cass is all over the idea now. Yeah, I should have just said no. “I think you should get his number and just….” She shrugs dramatically. “See what happens.”
In response, I use her full name just to show her how not funny it is, how I mean business, and how I’m most assuredly not going to give in to her horrible let’s have some fun notion. “Cassadina! It’s not funny! I don’t want to cost anyone their job.” Or have them get their neck wrung, and their balls cut off. Smoke looks like he’d have real nice balls. Okay, I did not just say that, my lady bits are not in full-on tingling agreement, and my nipples are not joining in on the let’s get ultra-hard and pointy party.
Cass’ chin tilts up. She can be as stubborn as me when she wants to be. “Actually, I dare you to get his number and see what happens, and if you end up sleeping with him, tell me all about it so I can live vicariously through you having hot sex with a scarred-up, tattooed, mysterious man who practically exudes alpha sexuality for a rousing good time.”
I wish I could say it ended there because it would have been easier, especially where a certain test was concerned, but of course, we all know it didn’t.
CHAPTER 2
Ayana
The bar is crowded, but I seem to have a certain reputation. It’s like there are posters plastered all over the place with my face on them. See this chick? Get out of the way. There isn’t, but the crowd still parts for me like a smooth-working zipper, allowing me to walk up to the bar freely. The other guys see me coming and get real busy hustling the sides of the bar, so I can’t engage any of them in conversation. The only one who doesn’t move, who stands his big, steady, steadfast, granite ground like a black shadow that can’t be intimidated or tamed, is Smoke.