Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“I know,” I groan as I peek over the edge.
I scoot right to the edge and let my legs dangle off before clenching my eyes and letting myself fall. I resist screaming out and a second later, I drop straight into Jesse’s arms. “That wasn’t so bad now, was it?” he says with a cocky grin.
“Put me down,” I groan.
He laughs to himself and a moment later he helps to steady me on my feet as Nate drops to the ground beside me. “Come on,” he says, pulling me into him and walking up the long driveway.
“No car?” I question.
“Nope,” Jesse grunts. “Dad will hear it. Maxen will meet us down the street.”
I nod my head and come to terms with the sudden bit of exercise. “Why are we going out anyway?” I ask as Nate pulls out a packet of cigarettes. “Ugh, really?”
He looks down at me as I take the cigarette from his fingers and go to bring it to my lips. He snatches it right back and furrows his eyebrows. “What do you think you’re doing?” he grunts.
“Smoking,” I tell him.
He narrows his eyes on me. “No way. No girl of mine is going to be smoking.”
“And why the hell not?” I question with a grin.
He grabs me and pulls me hard against him before kissing me deeply. “You taste too good.”
“Oh, I see,” I say, loving how this has worked out so easily in my favor. “So, I have to put up with you tasting like cigarettes, but you don’t?”
He pulls back slightly to look down at me. “What are you saying? You want me to quit?”
“I’d love for you to quit, but that’s not my call. If you want to stop, then that’s great but I’m not going to force you to,” I explain. “All I’m saying is don’t expect me to enjoy kissing you when you taste like that.”
He presses his lips together as he watches me. “Fine,” he groans before sliding the cigarette back into the packet and tucking it into his pocket. “But for the record,” he says as we continue walking behind Jesse. “I can read your body like a map, so I know you enjoy kissing me no matter what I taste like.”
I force myself not to grin as I look up at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He rolls his eyes as a smirk takes over his handsome face. “Liar.”
“Would you two quit trying to make babies and hurry up?” Jesse calls. “I want to fuck shit up.”
“What’s he talking about?” I ask.
“You’ll see,” he tells me.
We take off after Jesse and the boys manage to somehow get me over the gate before we find Maxen waiting around the corner. We all pile in and the music is turned right up.
Jesse is giddy and excited and can hardly sit still while Nate looks as cool as a cucumber. Maxen pulls up at the party ten minutes later and kills the engine before turning around to look at me. “You should know,” he says. “Everyone is talking about what happened today.”
I nod my head as Nate watches me with concern etched all over his face. “I had figured as much,” I tell them, letting them know I’m good.
“Alright,” Jesse says. “Then let’s get this party started.”
Chapter 22
We walk through the door of the party and I instantly look around. I haven’t been here before and I’m completely lost, though, Nate takes my hand and leads me through the house as easy as if it were his own.
As usual, the second people realize that the Ryder brothers are here, drinks are thrust into their hands and people are swarming from everywhere to say hello. Girls begin throwing themselves at Jesse while others narrow their eyes on me, wondering what makes me so special to have stolen Nate’s attention.
The crowd seems to part for them as they make their way through the house which I’m thankful for as I search out a familiar face.
“Is Brooke here?” I call out to Maxen who walks in front of us.
“Yeah,” he says. “She was with Bec and Courtney when I left.”
“Thanks,” I say as I release Nate’s hand and go to search them out, only he latches onto my elbow and pulls me back into him.
“You’re not going anywhere. They can come to you,” he tells me. “My dad was right. If Josh is here, he might want to finish what he started and I’m not about to let that happen, so you’re not leaving my side the whole night.”
“Seriously?” I question. “I’ll only be gone for two seconds.”
He scoffs at me. “I’m sure that’s what you said right before Josh attacked you.”
I narrow my eyes on him and cross my arms over my chest, seeing that he means every last word. “So, I’m your prisoner tonight?”