Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Driver was already at work in the kitchen and he smiled when Tam came through the archway.
“Wow. Another surprise.” His gaze swept Tam up and down before he licked his lip and went back to pouring alcohol into the shaker.
Tam wondered if he should have worn something else. He’d just thrown on his favorite black jeans and the blue lace crop top he’d scored at one of Macy’s clearance sales.
“Driver was just telling us how you met.” Z rested his hip against the counter.
“Is Driver your real name?” Ansel asked.
“Wanna see my birth certificate?”
“Your parents must have been high.”
“Subtle, Ansel,” Z said.
Driver’s stormy eyes glittered with humor. “Nah, just huge racing fans.”
“Don’t feed the monkeys,” Tam said to Driver, who rewarded him with a deep chuckle that made his skin tingle. Their eyes met and held, both of them smiling softly, and for a breath there was no one else in the room.
Then Ansel cursed Z for some reason and they started bickering. Luckily, Connelly came in before there was bloodshed.
“Wanna dance?” he asked Z.
“Always.” They left with Ansel in their wake and finally Tam and Driver were alone.
“Sorry, my friends can be a lot to take sometimes. I hope Z didn’t annoy you.”
“Quite the contrary, he introduced me to everyone then put me to work.”
“What are you making?”
“Princess shots—vodka, watermelon pucker, and whiskey sour mix. Plus Virgin Mojitos.”
“Sounds perfect for this group.”
Driver’s gaze flicked to Tam’s heels for a fraction of a second. “I have a gift.” He handed him a plastic shot glass filled with the bright pink drink. “Be my guinea pig?”
Tam wasn’t much of a drinker. He’d never seen the point of it, but he swallowed the contents like he’d done it a thousand times. All without breaking eye contact.
Driver’s slow appreciative smile warmed him more than the alcohol.
“Perfect,” Tam said.
* * *
“Come out and join the party,” a lanky guy said from the archway. “We’ve got plenty of drinks.”
Driver took count. “You think?”
“They were already half-wasted when you got here because Hop brought Jell-O shots.”
“Ah.” Driver poured the mix he’d been working on and followed him into the living room.
He hadn’t gotten a good look when he’d arrived but now he noticed the rainbow-themed decorations. In the time he’d been in the kitchen, someone had dimmed the lights and set up a mini strobe. Dance music shook the walls, and if he squinted, he could imagine they were at a club instead of Tam’s sparse apartment. The furniture was arranged around the edges of the room. Most spots were taken by one or more occupants.
“I’m Connelly Reid, Z’s boyfriend.” He held out his hand as they found a spot near the window.
“Driver Ellis.” They shook.
“Z told me about the laundry room incident.”
Driver sipped the beer he’d found in Tam’s refrigerator. “And?” He’d figured that story would make the rounds quicker than a Formula One car, which made him exceedingly glad he hadn’t spilled the whole story.
“So, you’re new to the building?”
“I’m turtle-sitting for a friend of mine. He rents the apartment across the hall.”
“Harrison Givens?”
“Yeah, you know him?”
“No...” He didn’t elaborate but Driver sensed there was more.
“He’s in Japan for work.”
Connelly nodded like he knew. “So, Tam just invited you to the party after one conversation?”
The guy was trying real hard to keep his questions casual, which made the hair on the back of Driver’s neck stand up. “If there’s something you want to know, just ask. This beating around the bush shit puts me on edge.”
Connelly held his gaze. “What are you doing here?”
“Enjoying the party.” Driver took another slow sip of his beer. “Am I not welcome? Because Tam said it would be cool if I crashed.” He endured another second of Connelly’s scrutiny. Then the guy’s shoulders relaxed and his attention shifted to the group on the dance floor and, likely, his boyfriend.
“It’s just that Tam’s usually more reserved. Shy, you know? I’ve never seen him talk to strangers without a reason.”
Driver caught a glimpse of Tam in the middle of the dancers. He glowed. There was really no other word for it. His body was lithe and graceful as it moved to the music as if his heart beat to the same rhythm. His loose lacy top swung freely against the hard muscles of his abs. Sweat made his skin glimmer. The way his head swung from side to side, long hair falling into his face, it looked like he was in a trance.
Tam didn’t seem shy in that moment. Not at all. He seemed bold and sexy and absolutely intoxicating.
Driver hadn’t known what to expect, but when Tam came into the kitchen all made up and gorgeous, he’d been stunned stupid.
He was a fantasy come to life, all glitter and sparkles and light. In tight black jeans and a flirty top with gold heels that made the combination elegant, Tam looked comfortable. His makeup added to the effect with light pinks and gold highlights. A fairy princess instead of a flesh-and-blood man. Somehow he’d made his big brown eyes seem even larger and Driver wanted to stare into them for the rest of the night.