Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 107077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
I shake my head, appalled she would think that. “Absolutely not.”
The idea that I would actually date a muscle-bound jock is almost laughable.
Not in this lifetime. Or any others, for that matter. We couldn’t be more different. I’m definitely not the kind of girl he likes to…spend time with.
She raises a brow. “Hmmm. You were awfully quick on the draw with that answer.”
Unwanted heat floods my cheeks. “That’s because it’s the truth.” When she continues to stare with an unnerving amount of scrutiny, I grudgingly admit, “I’m helping him with homework, okay? It’s nothing more than that.”
“Huh.” Her curious gaze returns to Asher, who is still hunched over his computer.
Strangely enough, he’s focused on his work. I’m not sure if that has to do with the restaurant quieting down or that I took the time to explain the concepts in more depth.
Or maybe a combination of both.
I can only begin to guess at the inner mechanisms of his brain.
I’m just relieved he’s working. If I’m lucky, he’ll finish the assignment before I’m done cleaning up and I can head home. I still have my own studying that needs to be completed before I can call it a night.
It's been a long day. One that started out like shit and will most likely end that way. Added to that, I’m tired, my feet hurt, and I’m concerned about how much it’ll cost to fix my car.
My cousin cocks a hip as interest sparks to life in her dark eyes. “If you don’t want to help him, I’d be more than happy to do it.”
Not bothering to dignify that comment with a response, I roll my eyes. There’s no way I’m letting Carmen within five feet of Asher. I love my cousin to death, but she’s something of a maneater. She goes through guys the way most people go through underwear. Then again, these two would probably hit it off and get along like gangbusters. Which is even more of a reason to keep them apart.
Once the last customer pays their check and leaves, I grab a cloth to wipe down the tables. It takes roughly fifteen minutes to run through my closing responsibilities. After working here for years, I have it down to a science. I grab my coat and purse from the backroom before heading to the table where Asher is still typing away.
When I’m close enough, he glances up before lifting his arms over his head and stretching. It’s difficult not to get distracted by the play of muscles that ripple beneath his form-fitting T-shirt.
Objectively speaking, Asher is a good-looking guy with short blond hair and piercing blue eyes that remind me of the ocean. Not that I’ve seen it firsthand, but from all the photographs, this is exactly what I imagine the color to look like. He stands well over six feet and is broad in the shoulders with bulging biceps. They’re so big that it’s doubtful I could wrap both hands around the thickest part of his arm and they’d touch.
So…yeah, on a pure superficial level, I get his appeal.
It’s almost a surprise when my mouth turns cottony from the thorough inspection I’ve just treated him to.
It takes effort to clear away those thoughts. “Are you ready to go?”
With a nod, he shuts down his computer.
“Were you able to finish up the assignment?” Fingers crossed he says yes.
He glances away. “Almost. I still have three questions to go.”
I bite back the groan that bubbles up from deep within. “When’s it due?”
Please don’t say tomorrow.
“Tonight at midnight.”
Even worse.
My shoulders wilt under that knowledge. As much as I want to tell him to finish up the rest on his own, how can I do that after he took care of my car this morning?
“Okay. Well…” Taking him back to my house is the only viable option. Especially when I don’t have transportation of my own. “I guess we can head to my place,” I mumble.
“Are you sure?” His gaze narrows before searching mine. “You seem kind of beat.”
Yup. Nothing new there.
“It’s fine. Hopefully, it won’t take long.”
“I think you’re being overly optimistic.”
I snort out a reluctant laugh. “Probably.”
With that, he rises to his feet and grabs the thick gray sweatshirt from the back of his chair before tugging it on. And then his bags get hauled over his shoulder. “Ready when you are.”
I jerk my head into a nod as we make our way to the front of the restaurant. Tío Alejandro gives me a quick hug as we pass by the hostess station.
“See you tomorrow,” he says in lightly accented English.
“Yup.” Even though I wanted to scale back my hours at work, I’ve already picked up as many shifts as I can. It’ll make studying more difficult, especially since I need to squeeze in room for Asher, but what other choice is there?