Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104570 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 523(@200wpm)___ 418(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Just as we enter the kitchen, my eyes land on the tattooed beauty whose hair is swept to the side with some intricate braids. Her ink is sticking up past the collar of her shirt, and having her hair to the side gives a clear view of a red rose that rests on the back of her neck.
Every red rose represents something amazing in her life. Every blue flower represents loss, heartbreak, or something painful in her life. Some of those flowers are because of me.
Fucking hate those blue flowers for me.
“Hi!” Rain says with a smile when she sees Bella. “Thank you so much for helping.”
Bella shrugs one shoulder as though it’s no big deal, but I’m barely paying attention to her. My eyes are fixed on Rain, but I’m actually watching Ruby from the corner of my eye as she turns around and her spine stiffens.
She recovers quickly, handing Rain a sketchpad which has Rain immediately gushing like a little girl who just got her pet pony. I can’t believe Ruby isn’t even going to acknowledge me.
Obviously that makes me grin.
“Oh!” Rain says, smiling as she looks back at Bella. “Ruby, this is Bella. She’s Allie’s bestie and Angel’s aunt.”
Ruby’s smile forms, and I inwardly curse Rain for divulging that so quickly. I was supposed to get to play longer.
“Nice to finally meet you.”
Ruby cuts her eyes toward me, as if to say, “Nice try,” before she takes her sketchpad back from Rain.
“I’ll work up some more design schemes for you now that I’ve seen the space,” Ruby says, moving her eyes back to Rain. “I need to get to the shop and make sure everything is running smooth.”
She eyes me before walking by, a smirk playing on her lips.
I hate our games.
Ignoring Rain’s knowing grin and Bella’s curious eyes, I jog after Ruby to catch up. Just as I open the door, I’m… tripping, stumbling, and barely stopping myself from falling on the porch.
It takes a lot of badassness to prevent myself from landing in a heap, but I manage it. Then I turn to see Ruby leaning against the brick wall as she smiles over at me and retracts the leg she just used to trip me.
Evil woman.
“In a hurry to get somewhere?” she drawls.
She’s fucking loving this.
“Trying to catch up with you,” I grumble, not caring I just looked like an ass.
Pride won’t ever mess with me again as far as she’s concerned.
Going closer, I lean against the wall as well, angling my body so that I’m facing her and crowding her personal space.
“You need to give me a little breathing room,” she sighs, looking up at me with those big blue eyes and long lashes.
“I just got comfortable,” I tell her, making sure to add in the grin that always brings her eyes to my mouth.
She doesn’t disappoint. Her eyes immediately drop to my mouth, and she takes a shaky breath before forcing her gaze away.
“That’s not what I mean.” She looks down, and my eyebrows pull together in confusion. When her eyes come back up, I see her hesitance. “I mean… Never mind.”
She looks back away, and I get a little sick. Ruby hasn’t pushed me away since I tore her heart out and destroyed us both. But I see that’s what she’s trying to do right now, and I have no idea why.
“You need to use your triple dare. Life is always better when a triple dare is in play.”
She laughs, but it almost sounds sad. “If I use mine, then you’ll use yours.”
“That’s usually the way it works,” I reply dryly, but I wink. Hell, she has to know there’s a double entendre there.
Usually she takes it to a dirty place that has me adjusting myself in my jeans, but it’s like she doesn’t even notice the joke. She’s distant.
This can’t possibly be about Blade.
“Yeah,” she says, seeming to be lost inside her own head. “That’s how we work.”
I hate this. I hate feeling like she’s pulling away. I hate feeling like she’s pissed. I hate not being able to just touch her without the death-glare. Mostly, I hate the fact she’s finally here and we’re fighting.
I’d rather be curled up with a movie and her, keeping her to myself the only way I can.
“Hang out with me tonight,” I say, pulling her hand in mine.
She immediately withdraws it, cursing under her breath. Damn Blade. I should have just paid him to break up with her. It’s not like I haven’t done that shit in the past.
Why oh why did I waste a triple dare on him?
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m… still… adjusting to Sterling Shore… and… I’m mad at you,” she says quickly, stuttering as if she’s forcing herself to get out the words.
Why the hell won’t she look at me?