Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 76246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
I was momentarily distracted by how fucking hot she looked, and it cost me. Her mood blackened, and she let out a little growl as she stomped around me to stand behind her desk.
My body followed her movement, turning so that I ended up facing her. I was grateful there was a chair in front of her desk and put my hands on the back and leaned in, hiding the evidence of how she was affecting me. “I’m here to convince you to have dinner with me. To let me explain some things.”
Aurora sniffed haughtily and put her hands on her hips. “I have no interest in anything you have to say to me.”
I opened my mouth to argue but was interrupted by Ariel. “Hey, sis?”
Aurora’s eyes flew to the side of the room, clearly just registering the presence of her sisters. “What?”
Ariel smiled, a little bit of evil lurking in the curve of her lips. “I double dog dare you to have dinner with Will.”
3
Aurora
I glared at Ariel, clenching my teeth to keep myself from screaming as I gritted out, “Tell me I’m imagining things, and you did not just do that!”
“Who me?” Ariel widened her eyes and pressed her hand against her chest.
“Yes, you,” I huffed, barely resisting the urge to stomp my foot in frustration.
“What? I thought I was helping!” she protested, as though she didn’t see anything wrong with how she’d just thrown me under the bus.
“Helping?” I pointed in Will’s direction. “How in the heck did you think it would be helpful to use a double dog dare for this guy’s benefit? He opened a quickie divorce office around the corner from our wedding chapel!”
Ariel gave up on the innocent act and shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t blame me. It’s all her fault”—she pointed her thumb in Belle’s direction—“since she’s the one who double dog dared me to move in with Maddox. I just wanted to get in on the action, and this seemed like the perfect chance.”
“Perfect chance?” I echoed in disbelief. “Belle double dog dared you to do something you would’ve done anyway. She just hurried the process along a little bit.”
“And your point is what exactly?” Ariel asked.
“That you’re daring me to do something I never would’ve done because I have no interest in going on a date with him!”
“I am standing right here, you know,” Will drawled dryly. I ignored him and kept on ranting. I wasn’t being one hundred percent truthful because I absolutely, positively would’ve jumped at the chance to go to dinner with Will...if he hadn’t been a divorce lawyer whose office was located in the perfect spot to give my clients an out to their marriage. Unfortunately, my sisters knew me too well. Ariel made a tsking sound and looked at Belle who shook her head and sighed, “It’s sad, really.”
“Yeah, I think Shakespeare said it best in Hamlet—the lady doth protest too much, me thinks,” Ariel agreed.
“Oh, for crying out loud,” I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose between my forefinger and thumb while taking a deep breath.
I dropped my hand and turned to stare at Will when he jumped back into the conversation. “It sounds to me like you and your sisters have a long-standing verbal contract in regard to double dog dares. As a lawyer, I have to advise you to come to dinner with me so you don’t violate the terms of the agreement.”
“I…You…” I sputtered. I couldn’t seem to get a full sentence out, and I blamed Will for it. He’d just amped up his sexiness factor even more with how smoothly he’d taken advantage of the door my sisters had opened for him. Smart, witty, and hot were a lethal combination.
“Look at her; she’s speechless,” Belle whispered to Ariel.
“Yeah, if I hadn’t already double dog dared her to go out with him, I would now.”
“Right? It’s so rare for anyone to get the better of Aurora,” Belle laughed. “I’m liking this guy more and more for her.”
I swiveled my head and narrowed my eyes at my sisters. They grinned at me, not even the tiniest bit bothered by my irritation. “Alright, you two. I think you’ve ‘helped’ enough.” My glare turned a little evil when I added, “Don’t think I’ll forget this. I will get even with you two.”
“I guess that’s our cue to leave.” Belle tugged on Ariel’s arm when it looked like she wanted to stay put and watch the fireworks between Will and me.
“Fine, I guess we’ll go,” she grumbled.
When the door closed behind them, Will started to say something. Striding over to the door, I interrupted him. “Hold on a second.” I yanked the door open. Ariel almost fell into my arms, and Belle crashed into her back.
I pushed them back a few steps and hissed, “I thought you said you were leaving?”