Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Sophia shook her head, stirring the ice in her cocktail with a little golden stir stick. “That's the line I draw,” she said, shrugging. “I can give you the tea, but no specifics.”
Had to give her credit, managing the hottest hotel in Manhattan, she saw her fair share of celebrities. It was almost so regular to her now that she was barely starstruck by anyone. And while I loved myself some good tea, I respected her for upholding the privacy of the guests that stayed in her hotel.
“Such a tease,” Jesse joked before taking a sip of his cocktail.
I’d opted for a soda water and lime, knowing that I had a ridiculously early shift tomorrow. But there’d been no way I was missing out on this dinner. Especially with my now unknown schedule, being the subject of Crossland’s whims. I had to take any time I could get with my friends.
“What about you, Aspen?” Sophia asked. “Anymore thoughts on opening up that coffee-bar-bookstore you've been dreaming about?”
I spluttered out a laugh, shaking my head. “You know I have zero time to entertain that right now.” I waved off my friends concerned looks. “All I want to do right now is get Brecken through school. After that, we'll see about me.”
Our chatty little table fell quiet, each of my friends’ eyes glued to me with concern.
My cheeks flushed, and I swallowed hard. I didn't particularly respond well to pity, and it took everything in my power to swallow down my trigger response—rambling about how content I was with my life the way it was.
They knew me. They knew I was fine with my life, but they also knew it wasn't exactly a dream. Guilt sliced through me at the thought. I was putting Brecken through school. That should be enough for me.
I shouldn't need more.
“Okay,” Maple said. “Then tell us about this new man in your life. Crossland McClaren? He's like a gojillionaire.”
I laughed softly at that, loving her for the change in subject.
“Yeah,” Sophia said. “You said in the group chat that you weren't dating, but you've been spending a ton of time with this guy over the last few weeks. We’ve seen you pop up in tons of posts with him. What's going on?”
Jesse and I shared a look, and another little sliver of guilt burrowed deep. Jesse had been present when the deal took place, or at least the beginnings of the deal, and he had to sign the NDA just like me. I knew I could trust Sophia and Maple, but as much as I wanted to tell them, I couldn’t break contract just to ease my guilt.
“We have a complicated relationship,” I said, breathing a little easier at that truth. “One I'm not exactly ready to talk about yet.”
“That’s fair,” Sofia said.
“Can you talk about how hot he is?” Maple asked, and we all laughed. “Because damn.”
“Seriously,” Sophia said. “I haven't seen one bad picture or clip of that man. He wears a suit like he was made for it. I can't imagine how hot he is in person. Not to mention sleeping with him.”
“He's not really like that around me,” I said. “I mean, it's not really like that between us. Right now.” God, I sounded as unsure as I felt. But it was the truth. Despite our arrangement, despite my role in his life right now, Crossland never really danced around that line with me. As much as I thought he would. Except...
Heat flushed over my body, my mind instantly replaying the kiss.
I couldn't stop thinking about it. I'd never been kissed like that before. He'd somehow thrilled me while also coaxing me into this languid and blissful state, which didn't make any sense at all because they were two complete opposite feelings, and yet somehow he'd managed it.
Not to mention that every time I thought about it, I craved that feeling again.
The feeling of being someone's sole focus. It was such a rarity for me to allow anybody to take control or to help or to even put me at the center of their attention. That just wasn't my role in life. It never had been.
I was the responsible one. The protector, the provider, the planner. The warrior, as Jesse and Brecken liked to say.
I wasn't someone who was taken care of. Ever.
And yet...When Crossland had kissed me, I’d felt fully taken care of for the first time.
Even though it was just a game.
Even though it had been out of some desperate edge to prove he could do better than I did.
And I liked that. I liked that a lot.
“Oh, no,” Maple said, waggling her finger at me. “I see that look. Where did you just go?”
“I have an idea,” Jesse muttered under his breath before hiding behind his drink.
I flashed him a scolding look.