Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 108656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
This conversation was starting to annoy her.
“Nothing happened,” Drake mouthed. “She’s fucking lying. I don’t even recognize who it is.”
Pru believed him.
Whoever the girl was, she was only trying to score some kind of points with her friends and she was using Drake to do it.
For the first time, Pru saw Drake as a victim. There were people out there, women, who would use him to get ahead. She wasn’t using him for anything and didn’t expect anything from him in return. Sure, he’d been an asshole, but that didn’t mean he deserved to be hurt.
She couldn’t help but wonder if a time would ever come when he’d be wanted for himself rather than the money and wealth people often sought him out for?
****
Friday night, Drake checked the clock for what felt like the hundredth time. So they wouldn’t get caught, Pru had offered to meet him up by the lake, and now he was waiting. He didn’t like the thought of her walking through town on her own, but this was the only way they would get any privacy.
Rubbing at his temples, he tried not to think about what he hoped would happen this coming weekend.
Not that he’d force her.
Of course not.
He was more than happy to wait until she was ready, another big shock for him because he didn’t wait around for anyone. Pru had surprised him at every single turn, and he loved it. He loved to be taken by surprise.
Running fingers through his hair, he looked around and didn’t see a thing.
“You look nervous,” Pru said, rounding the corner.
“You took your time.”
“Well, I had to make sure I wasn’t being followed.”
“We’re not spies.”
“True, but I like the mystery.”
He pulled her in close. “Are you ready for your birthday tomorrow?”
“No. Is anyone ever ready for their birthday?”
“I don’t know.” He pressed a kiss to her lips but it wasn’t enough. He wanted more. He gave her another kiss. “You taste amazing.”
“Yeah, that’s coffee for you.”
“You had anything to eat?”
“Nope. I’m starving.”
“Lucky for you, I know what to get us both.” He took her hand, grabbing her overnight bag and tossing it into the back of the car. He helped her inside and couldn’t resist leaning in close and pulling her seatbelt on.
“You’re such a gentleman.”
“You have no idea just how gentlemanly I can be.” He winked at her and then felt like a crazy person for doing exactly that.” Walking around the car, he felt nervous.
He was. His hands were shaking a little bit, and his stomach, well, he felt incredible about what was going to happen.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“It is a surprise. Your parents aren’t going to think I kidnapped you, are they?”
“Nope. They don’t know I’m going away. I said I’ll be in and out all weekend so if they don’t see me not to worry.”
“And they fell for that?” he asked.
“Yes. What? You look shocked. Are you telling me your parents are at home right now, worried about you?” she asked.
“No, they don’t even give a shit that I’m gone.”
“Exactly, and neither do my parents, so why don’t we just worry about the two of us, and leave the rest of the world to fend for itself? How does that sound?” she asked.
“It sounds exactly like what I want to do.”
“Good. Me too.” She leaned over and kissed him. “Take me away, honey.”
“Honey. I like it, baby.”
“Ugh, that sounds so bad,” she said, giggling.
He loved the sound of her giggle. Pulling away from her, he turned over the engine and moved away from the curb. He wanted to get this show on the road, but first, they needed to have some food.
“So, did your little friend want to spend some time with you?” Drake glanced over at her and she was looking right back at him. “What?”
“You want to talk about Sean?”
“Why not? He’s your friend, so why not? You like him. I guess I will tolerate him.”
“You don’t have to. He’s fine with it. He had some thing with his parents.”
This time Drake paused. “He did?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I just … it’s weird that on the weekend of your eighteenth birthday, he’d leave you all alone. It doesn’t exactly sound like the Sean thing to do.” It was the oddest thing.
“They’re going up to some kind of museum. He and his folks and he’s been talking about it.”
“A museum.”
“Yeah, it’s … damn, I can’t think of what it is called. It has lots of old English artifacts. Anyway, they’d been waiting to go for a long time, and now that they can, I don’t want him to miss it.”
“I’m not going to complain. I’ve got you all to myself.” He grabbed her hand, locking their fingers together and kissing her knuckles.
“You can be sweet when you want to be,” she said.
“You got it, and yes, I even got you a present as well.”