Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Trev and Declan were headed toward the kitchen when I met them in the foyer. It was a good thing I had left when I did.
“I brought the good stuff,” Trev said, holding up a bottle of his favorite rye whiskey.
Unlike my father, who kept tabs on the contents of his liquor cabinet, Trev’s dad had an entire cellar and didn’t notice when a bottle went missing.
“I’ll grab glasses from the bar and meet y’all in the theater,” I told him.
He glanced over my shoulder toward the hallway leading to the kitchen. “Where’s Maddy?”
“Not feeling good. She’s got a headache and going to bed,” I explained.
He grinned and held up the bottle. “I got the medicine she needs,” he replied, then started to walk past me.
“Wait. I doubt she wants that stuff,” I told him.
He shot me a cocky smirk. “She might not know she wants it, but she will.”
“Seriously, man, she’s had a long week. Let’s give her space,” I argued.
Trev looked slightly concerned, but only for a moment. “I won’t bother her if she doesn’t want me to. But just because she is trying to escape you two doesn’t mean she won’t appreciate my charming company.”
“Come on,” Declan said, running a hand up my chest and pressing a kiss to my neck. “Let him go check on her. She might want to see him. It’ll give us some alone time.”
Trev pointed at Declan. “Listen to your woman,” he said, then walked off before I could say anything else.
Damn, this night had gone to shit.
Nine
“Hey, gorgeous. I got your headache fix right here,” a familiar male voice said.
I turned around to see Trev with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He was flashing me that smile of his that said he knew he was attractive and he enjoyed using it to get his way. I liked Trev, and we had agreed to be friends, but not tonight. Dinner with Declan had been more than I could handle.
“I don’t drink. Remember?” I replied.
He set the bottle on the bar and walked around it to come stand beside me. “Well then, let me help you wash the dishes,” he said.
I didn’t argue. I figured there was no point. He took the bowl I’d just washed from me and began to rinse it.
I smirked. “I would bet money this is the first time you’ve ever washed dishes.”
He cut his eyes to me, then chuckled. “You’d win.”
I laughed. It felt good to laugh. The tension in my body eased, and I was suddenly glad that Declan had invited Trev over.
“I’d be willing to bet your headache starts with a D and ends with a bitch,” he said.
I bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing again. “You’d win,” I replied.
He laughed out loud this time and reached for the plate I had finished washing. “I keep waiting for Sax to dump her, but he’s too nice. I think he’s hoping she’ll break it off. Dude’s delusional.”
I handed him another plate. “Why does he think she will break it off?” I asked.
Trev rinsed the plate and began to dry it. “He never asks her out anymore, he avoids her the best he can, and he doesn’t text or call her—he only responds to her texts with brief replies after waiting hours to do so. The kind of shit most girls would get the hint from, but Declan has her talons in and isn’t going to let go.”
That sounded miserable. For both of them.
“That seems like too much work,” I replied.
“Yeah, it does. Wears me the fuck out, thinking about it,” he agreed.
We continued washing dishes for a few moments in silence, and then Trev leaned down closer to me.
“Wanna skip out and go have some fun?” he asked.
I glanced over at him, realizing he was really close. “What do you mean?” I asked, turning my attention back to the almost-empty sink.
“We can go out that back door and head over to my place,” he suggested.
I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so.” I wasn’t about to walk into that circus again.
“I swear, no pool, no hot tub, no Blaise, and no live sex shows. You ever played Grand Theft Auto?” he asked.
I handed him the last bowl. “I really hope you mean the video game,” I replied.
He took the bowl as he grinned. “Yeah. Unless you got a wild side I don’t know about and want to try your hand at the real thing.”
I laughed and pulled the plug from the sink so the water could drain out. “Definitely not. But I’ve never played a video game.”
Trev placed a hand over his heart, like he was wounded. “What? Are you serious? That’s a fucking tragedy.”
I took the dish towel from his hand and popped him in the chest with it. “Dramatic much?”