Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
Penelope gasps. “Oh my God, Kayla.”
“What? Look at them. They are so dating,” she says.
“Blaine?” I mutter. “Dating?”
It hadn’t crossed my mind that was even an option with those Tartarus boys. I always thought they only cared about their own pleasure, not to date other people.
But then the two turn sideways, and my jaw is on the floor because Blaine smashes his lips on the guy’s mouth in full view of everyone in this shop. And not just a simple kiss—no, an actual straight-up French kiss where he grips his throat and makes sounds.
“Good God, is it hot in here?” Kayla fans her own face with the napkin.
And I struggle to even breathe.
Because the first thing he does as their lips are still tethered to each other is look at me.
I immediately turn around and pretend I don’t exist, shoveling my cake into my mouth like it’s nobody’s business.
“I wonder who it is,” Penelope mutters.
“They’re coming this way,” Kayla hisses. “Act natural.”
I’m sweating like crazy, and it doesn’t relent.
Two hands curl around my seat.
A piece of cake lodges in my throat.
“Crystal. How nice to see you here too.”
Oh God. Now I have no choice.
He literally spins around my seat so I’m facing him and his … boyfriend, I guess.
The guy holds a little bag filled with cake and drinks, but his lovestruck eyes focus solely on Blaine. And honestly, I don’t blame him.
“Um, hi,” I say, waving awkwardly. “I didn’t know you went to Fi’s Cups and Cakes too.”
“Of course, I do. Everyone in this city does,” Blaine muses, leaning back against the guy he just kissed. “They have the best cake.”
“Right,” I mutter, not knowing what to say. “Well, I just didn’t expect you to enjoy them.”
I gulp when his hand slowly lowers to the guy’s butt, and I struggle to stay focused.
He lowers himself so he’s on my level, eyeing me up while I lean back in my chair, desperate for air. “Am I not allowed to have my cake and eat it too?”
Kayla giggles behind me.
“By the way, I wanted to invite you to a party at the Tartarus House,” he whispers into my ear. “Don’t tell your friends.”
“Why?” I squeak.
“It’s not safe for them.”
Blaine smiles and checks out my friends before he steals a strawberry from my cake. His tongue dips out to curl around the strawberry, licking off the whipped cream before he bites off the entire thing right in front of me, then moans—actually moans—as he swallows it down.
And for a second there, I almost wish I was that strawberry.
But then the thought is immediately banished from my head.
He grins again and leans back, throwing his long black hair over his shoulder. “Well anyway, I’ll text you the time and date. Have fun at your little get-together with your friends, darling. Bye.”
He strolls off and slaps his date on the ass before they leave the shop.
But I can’t even get myself together … as the two girls behind me begin to squeal.
Kayla wheezes. “DARLING?”
I turn around in my seat and chuck the remaining strawberry at her face. “Shut up.”
BLAINE
Later that week
She throws her knives at my face, and I narrowly avoid them as they hit the tree behind my head. But the second I turn, she’s right in front of me, knife at the throat, and I can’t help but gleefully smirk.
“That’s my girl,” I muse.
“Learned from the best,” she says, winking before retracting her knife.
“Let’s take a break,” I say as she pulls the knives from the tree.
I grab the bottle of water off the bench and chug it down while she sits to take a breather. I hold out my bottle and offer her a sip, which she gladly takes, chugging it all down until only a few droplets are left. And as she pulls the bottle away, my eyes can’t help but home in on the few droplets landing on her lips and the tongue that dips out to lap them up.
What I wouldn’t give to suck them off.
She hands back the bottle, and I immediately chug down the remaining water, but the mere thought her lips were on this bottle just seconds ago makes my hard-on twitch in my pants.
“God,” she murmurs, leaning her head back. “This training thing sure takes up a lot of energy.”
I chuckle. “If it feels easy, it won’t do anything. It’s supposed to be hard work.”
“I know.” She sighs. “I just wish it could’ve been different. That I wouldn’t have had to learn any of this, you know?”
I smile and pick another rose from the nearby bush in this maze. It’s the only place we’ve been able to train in peace and quiet during the day without people looking at us. I’ve seen her performance with and without people watching her, and she’s ten times better if no one can see how good she is.