Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Two girls approach him. Slim and blonde—Heather? The other blonde I recognize as Lyla, a ring girl who hangs around the guys. They giggle, fawn, play with their hair, and touch him in a shameless display.
And he’s not exactly telling them to get lost.
Why should he?
A larger crowd swarms toward him. Oh, great. That stupid show made him some sort of celebrity.
Griff turns his head, and across the distance our eyes lock. No joy or spark lights up his face. If anything, he looks tired and annoyed. His jaw tightens and he tears his gaze away, focusing his attention on the blondes.
A bottle of ketchup drops on the table. Torch slides into the chair across from me. “You all right?”
I blink and swallow hard. Did he catch me staring at Griff? “Yup.” I grab the ketchup and squirt a big dollop on my burger. “Thanks for getting this.”
“No problem. Never seen you eat a burger without it.”
My lips curve. “True.”
I can’t risk letting my gaze stray past Torch’s shoulders. Thank God he’s tall enough to block the view. The girls could be doing a strip tease for Griff or asking for his autograph for all I know.
“Do you want me to come out and visit next weekend?” Torch asks.
“Huh?” I haven’t heard a word he’s said since he sat down. “No, I think I’m coming home again.”
He breaks into a wide smile. “Yeah? There’s a carnival coming into town we can go to. If you want.”
My heart stutters. Griff and I were supposed to go to that carnival when he came home. Can I really go with someone else?
Torch watches me with raised eyebrows, waiting for an answer to his invitation. Why can’t I feel a fraction of what Torch seems to feel for me?
“Maybe.” I force a smile. “I like the games and carnival food. But I never trust the rides at those traveling carnivals. A few bolts go missing and you end up sailing through the air.” I swish my hand over the table.
He chuckles. “I think you’ve watched Final Destination too many times.”
“It’s possible.” I grin at him and bite into my burger.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stay at the track any longer. I lost sight of Griff but that didn’t mean he wasn’t lurking in the shadows somewhere.
Hiding at home seems like the safer option.
The ride in Torch’s car is full of awkward, uncomfortable silence. Usually, we have plenty of stuff to talk about.
Not tonight.
He pulls to a stop in front of my house.
“Sorry I didn’t want to stay longer.” I press my hand to my stomach and lie through my teeth. “I think I ate too many burgers.”
“Pax makes them with extra grease.” He’s too kind to call me out. Somehow that makes me feel worse.
I lean over the console to pop a quick kiss on his cheek. At the last second, he turns his head, and our lips meet.
The contact’s brief but warm.
He pulls away and lifts his hand to cup my cheek. “You all right?”
“Yes, why?”
He runs his thumb over my bottom lip, probably smudging my lipstick. “Seeing Griff seemed to rattle you.”
My heart lurches. He knows. He saw right through my act tonight.
“I’m fine.” I push closer to show him exactly how perfectly fine and not at all rattled from seeing Griff I am.
He pulls out of kissing range and shakes his head. “I like you, Molly.”
My eyebrows pinch together. “I like you too.” I force a quick laugh. “Obviously.”
The corner of his mouth lifts at my sarcastic tone. “I like all the time we’ve been spending together.”
I sense a but coming and fall into my seat. “Me too,” I whisper.
Embarrassment prickles over my cheeks. Torch is ten years older than me. He’s probably used to dating women who are eager to do a whole lot more than kiss his cheek at the end of the night.
And oh, how I’d love to get even with Griff by sleeping with one of his friends. But Torch—despite his road name—doesn’t set me on fire. My feelings for him are warm. Friendly. Maybe they could be more—one day.
I’m not in a hurry to have my heart broken again, though.
“But it’s pretty clear your heart’s still in Griff’s hands,” he finishes in a gentle, patient tone.
Misery threatens to swallow me whole. Why can’t I get over my boyfriend like a normal person? Who the heck ends up with their first boyfriend forever, anyway? Breaking up was inevitable. Why can’t I just move on?
“I don’t want it to be.” At least that’s true. I don’t want to feel so torn in two. I don’t want to have the urge to jump into Griff’s arms the second I see him.
I don’t want to hurt anymore.
Torch inhales a long, slow breath. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this,” he mutters.