Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 153268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 766(@200wpm)___ 613(@250wpm)___ 511(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 766(@200wpm)___ 613(@250wpm)___ 511(@300wpm)
“Yes!” the crowd cheered in unison. The first tear rolled out of my eye down my cheek, freezing an inch before it reached my jawline.
“Ten!”
Row’s mouth quirked one way, revealing a dimpled smile.
“Nine!”
I bet he’d run to tell her I’d snitched on her after that night we’d kissed. That Allison had found a way to explain everything to him. Maybe he was taking her side now.
“Eight!”
Another tear ran down my cheek. Kieran and Dylan stepped away from each other, bracketing me on either side, shielding me from view. Dylan rubbed my shoulder, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “Don’t, Dot. You know I’m your no-bullshit friend, and I’m telling you as someone who can see the bigger picture here—there’s nothing between Row and Allison.”
“Seven!”
But even if Dylan was right, tonight proved I couldn’t chance a heartbreak.
“Six!”
“Stop looking so miserable,” Kieran ordered through gritted teeth. “Allison is having a field day watching you.”
“Five!”
Row was staring at us with an intensity that burrowed into my bones.
“Four!”
“Argh.” Kieran ran a hand over his hair. “I hate being a good guy.”
“Three!”
Allison shimmied her shoulders in anticipation, giving me her best Ursula-in-human-form smirk.
“Two!”
“Fuck,” Kieran muttered, bending forward to catch Dylan’s eyes. “Just so you know, the next thing I’m about to do doesn’t mean anything and is solely being done to impress you.”
“One!”
Kieran grabbed me by the waist, tipped me down, cradling the back of my head, and pressed the coldest, driest, most platonic kiss I’d ever been given to my lips. One of my legs tipped in the air, like in the iconic V-J Day nurse and sailor smooch.
My breath caught in my throat. My eyes were wide with horror.
Kieran. Kissed. Me. And I was cold all over. Humming with terror and dread. Scared down to my tiniest bone.
Stop touching me, my mind screamed. Let me go right now.
I noticed the sky was ink-black save for a few lonely clouds. No Christmas lights were turned on. Row had never pressed the red button.
The next thing happened very fast. Kieran grabbed me by the waist and the back of my neck, mumbled shit, and tipped me down so my hair nearly touched the ground. He pressed his lips to mine, and my heart stopped in my chest. Panic clawed through my flesh, and I felt like four invisible walls were closing in on me.
“Motherfucker.”
He is touching me.
This man is touching me.
My mouth fell open, the beginning of a scream making its way up my throat. But before I could yelp for help, Row was pulling me upright to stand on my feet and shoving me into his sister’s arms.
In a flash, Kieran was flushed against the back of a food truck. Blood gushing from his nose. Row had murder in his eyes, and I didn’t know if it was because he knew I was scared of men, he was jealous, or both.
Kieran tipped his head back, chuckling. He didn’t bother wiping his nose, even though his designer coat was marred red. “You’re welcome, asshat.”
“Welcome?” Row seethed, balling Kieran’s shirt, pressing his nose to Kieran’s, pupils dancing in fury. “I’m about to give you your farewell, and you’re telling me I’m welcome?”
“Jesus Christ!” Dylan dumped me on the plastic chair I’d brought for her. She thundered toward the two men, shooing Row away like he was an aggressive duck trying to steal a sandwich. Row retreated, probably because he didn’t want to take any chances with his heavily pregnant sister. She plucked a handkerchief from her purse and pressed it to Kieran’s nose, tipping his head back and brushing his hair away from his face. “I’m so, so sorry. My brother is a world-class idiot and I’m probably going to write a tell-all and throw him under the bus after this.”
“Don’t forget to mention that time he sold weed on school grounds and got suspended for two weeks.” Kieran grinned down at her, towering over my friend, who normally dwarfed all men other than her brother. He clasped a lock of onyx hair that fell across her eyes, rubbed it between his fingers, then slowly curled it around her ear. They both ceased to breathe, and I had to blink to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating the entire thing.
“Not done with your ass by a long shot.” Row pointed at him, his cheeks ablaze. He took advantage of Dylan stepping aside and balled the collar of Kieran’s shirt, bringing him closer. Everybody was staring, inching toward us. This didn’t bode well for Kieran’s quest for privacy. Our pineapple pizzas had been discarded on the ground.
Row raised his finger in warning, his nose almost touching Kieran’s. “Now you listen carefully, pretty boy. If I see your ass—let alone your lips—anywhere near Cal, I—”
“You what?” Kieran snarled in his face cockily. Kieran might know how to play the good-guy role these days, but he still had that villainous spark. “She is just your employee, right?” Kieran tilted his head sideways, popping a toothpick into his mouth. “Running partner, maybe. Any other titles that I’m missing?”