Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
“What should I do with these?” She didn’t really understand why he was giving them to her, other than to prove he was who he said he was.
“Well, you can take a photo of one and send it to a friend. So, someone knows I’m here talking to you.”
“Ohhh. Wow. That’s a good idea.”
“Uh, thanks. I can’t claim that I thought of it myself.”
It would be a great thing to do—if she had any friends. But she took a photo anyway.
Callahan Security? Was he hoping to sell her a security system?
“So, do you think you could open the door now?” he asked.
“Nooo,” she wailed. Turning, she rested her back against the door, then slid down until she was sitting.
“It’s okay,” he soothed. “I get it. I’m a stranger.”
“Who saw my nipples!”
He cleared his throat. “Right, but I, um, I didn’t really look.”
“What color are they?”
“What?”
“What color are they?”
“Pink?”
“So, you did look!” she accused.
“That was a guess!”
“Why would you guess? Why wouldn’t you say you didn’t know?” she asked.
“Because I panicked! I thought it was a quiz and I didn’t know the answer.”
Okay, this guy was a bit crazy.
But she liked that.
“Um, Autumn?”
“Why are you still here?” she asked. “It’s my allure, isn’t it?”
“Your allure?”
“Uh-huh. You can’t resist it. I’ll try to tone it down,” she promised.
“I hadn’t noticed your allure. Does it come out of your nipples?”
“What? Why would you say that?”
“I don’t know,” he wailed. “Because I’m an idiot. My sisters are always saying I have no filter. I’m sorry, I was thinking about your nipples, and it just popped out.”
“You were thinking about my nipples?”
“I think I should just shut up now. This is not going how I expected.”
“Welcome to my life.” She took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself.
“If you can’t open the door, I understand. Maybe I can come back another day?”
Another day? Why would he come back?
Just open the door now, Autumn.
“No! Wait.”
Standing, she turned and unlocked the door, opening it slightly.
“Hi.” He gave her an awkward wave.
She opened the door wider. Yeah, he was definitely cute. He had a sort of sexy geek thing going on, which would totally do something for her if she wasn’t dead down there, that is.
Fine, she wasn’t dead. But nothing had stirred inside her for months. Her hoo-ha had gone on permanent vacation. Maybe to never return. She’d tried to use her clit tickler the other day, and nothing. It had just felt odd.
“I don’t suppose I could talk to you for a moment?” he asked.
“Aren’t you talking to me now?”
“Uh, yes, right. I suppose I am.” He fiddled with his glasses. Was it a nervous habit?
She looked him over, noticing that he had something spilled on the front of his T-shirt.
“Ketchup?” she asked.
He looked confused for a moment before sighing as he glanced down at himself. “Yeah. I really hope it doesn’t stain. This is my favorite T-shirt. I’m always having to throw T-shirts out because I spill something on them.”
For some reason, his admission made him seem more trustworthy and she pushed the door open further. Perfect scared her. Brad had seemed perfect. He’d always been well-dressed. He was smart with a good job and money.
And he’d been a cold, emotionless asshole.
Autumn would take real over perfect any day.
She glanced down at his T-shirt, smiling as she saw what was written on it.
Being awkward is my superpower.
“It’s my superpower, too,” she said.
“What?” he asked.
“Being awkward. Well, actually, maybe my superpower is making people feel awkward. I’m like a finger in the bum.”
His eyes widened. “Huh?”
“Yeah, either I make everything so much more fun, or I’m an unwanted visitor you just want to get rid of as quickly as possible.”
She waited for him to look at her like she was nuts. Instead, he grinned. “I think I should get that on a T-shirt.”
Her lips turned up in an answering smile. It was just so hard to resist his smile. “That would be funny. You’ve got a really cute smile.”
“Thanks. So do you.”
“Not sure about that. I don’t smile much.”
He frowned, looking concerned. “Why not?”
“I don’t have much to smile about. Anyway, this conversation has taken a weird turn. See what I mean? Awkward. Oh, here.” She handed him back his cards.
He fumbled with his wallet and she could see a Superman emblem on the front. That was cute. As he tried to get the cards back in, more things fell out of his wallet onto the stoop.
“Shoot,” he muttered, crouching down to pick them up. “Such a klutz.”
“Here, I’ll help.” She picked up a card that had fallen close to her. “This is a Build-A-Bear gift card.”
“Yes, well, yes.” He held out his hand for it, his cheeks red and his gaze low.
“Is it yours?” she asked gently.
“Yes.” He took it and stuffed it in his wallet. Then he took a step back. Poor guy looked so embarrassed. “My sisters got it for me for my birthday as a bit of a joke.”