Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“Let’s go somewhere quiet and talk,” I say as I pull him away from the bar. “And just so you know, if he throws you overboard, I’m jumping in after you.”
He laughs and the sexy sound sends goosebumps rocketing along my skin. The pool is between us and my dad, so we’re able to escape.
I pull him into a large room that has people chatting all around it. Items for the high-end auction are displayed everywhere on tables and the more expensive items are behind glass.
We wander over to check it out. I notice that he doesn’t let go of my hand. I have no problem with that. It feels good to be touching him.
“Is this for a helicopter ride?” I ask as I look at a tiny metal replica of a helicopter on the table.
“Nope,” Nolan says with a chuckle. “That’s for an actual helicopter. We’re at a billionaire’s party after all.”
“Oh,” I say, shaking my head. “Of course. Who else would make an impulse purchase of a freaking helicopter?”
“This is more like it,” Nolan says as he picks up a laminated flyer with a gorgeous villa on it. “A month-long stay in a villa in Santorini, Greece.”
“I doubt they have any skating rinks on Santorini,” I say with a grin. “Would you be able to stay off the ice that long?”
“Waking up here every morning,” he says as he flips it over and looks at the picture of the bed with the gorgeous ocean view. “With someone special…”
He looks at me and I get all tingly knowing I’m that someone special he’s picturing.
“…that sounds like a dream come true.”
It sure does.
“Are you going to bid on it?” I ask.
“Are you going to come with me if I win?”
“Win it first, then we’ll talk.”
He grins as he picks up a pen and starts filling out the form. It’s a silent auction so you place your bids and hope for the best.
Edvard Svensson comes rushing over as Nolan puts his bid into the box. “Have you guys seen Gemini-X?”
“The singer?” I ask.
“Yeah, I can’t find her anywhere.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want to be found by you,” Nolan says with a grin. “Ever think of that? It sounds like she’s hiding.”
“Playing hard to get, hmmm,” Edvard says while rubbing his chin. “I like that.”
He goes to rush away but then stops and looks at us.
“You guys make a hot couple,” he says. “Just don’t let the coach see. Nolan, you might be able to stop everything, but even the best goalie in the universe can’t stop the coach on a rampage.”
He hurries off and I look at Nolan with a shy smile.
“Is it true you can stop everything?” I ask with a flirty smile.
He’s serious as he shakes his head. “Not everything. I can’t stop myself from falling for you.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Does that line work on all the girls?”
“I have no idea,” he says as he gazes into my eyes with a sincere look. “I’ve never said it before.”
“Well, I bet it would,” I say with a grin.
We wander over to the section with all of the art up for auction. There are beautiful paintings and weird sculptures that people are assessing. I’m trying to keep my eyes on the artwork and not on him, but it’s so hard. He’s so cute.
“Where did you grow up?” I ask him as we stop in front of a weird sculpture that kind of looks like a flower that was melted in the microwave.
“Minnesota,” he says. “A small town you’ve never heard of.”
“Was it nice growing up there?”
He gives me a nostalgic smile. “It had a hockey team and a small frozen lake in the winter. That’s about all I needed.”
I can picture him out on the frozen lake as a boy, glued to the net and stopping every shot, even from the older teenagers. I can’t help but smile.
“Where did you grow up?” he asks. “Did the coach keep you locked away in a secluded ivory tower?”
“No, it wasn’t that bad,” I say with a chuckle. “He let me step outside for twenty minutes every day.”
People start rushing out of the room and crowding onto the main deck. I turn to look at what the commotion is.
“No way,” I say when I see her on the stage. “Gemini-X is starting!”
She’s a huge pop star. I love her new album.
“Let’s go!”
I grab Nolan’s hand and pull him outside as the excitement builds.
There are so many excited people crowding around that I’m forced to let go of Nolan’s hand. I head deeper into the crowd with my eyes on the stage as Gemini-X starts playing.
“Can you believe this?!” Jane shouts as she grabs my hand and pulls me over to where the girlfriends and wives of the team are dancing in front.
“This is amazing!” I shout back.