Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Davis responds huskily, “I can leave it if you prefer.”
I stop in my tracks. I’m not the only one having second thoughts here. Maybe I can talk them out of this nonsense. “Yeah, let’s skip it. Come on, let’s go to Red’s Diner. My treat. I’ll buy you each a piece of the apple cinnamon Blaze cake that everyone keeps going on about.”
Abby threads her arm through mine again and practically forces me another few steps. “Jason, my friend Olivia is the best in town. We can’t cancel now. Plus, Davis has already promised us dinner at Red’s, his treat.”
I grumble, but I follow right along beside her. There’s no arguing with Abby.
When we get inside, the noise of women talking and laughing automatically comes to a halt. Even though I can’t see it, I can feel all eyes on me. There’s a rush of heat that travels through my body, and I have to take a deep breath and let it out slowly. It’s either that or I’m going to run out of here, and with my luck lately, probably right into an oncoming car on the busy downtown street.
A voice I’ve never heard before rings out in the room and moves closer to us. “There she is. It’s been forever since I saw you. Heck, when was the last time? Oh yeah, the sex club.”
My head jerks. Did she just say sex club?
Abby gasps, and I feel her swaying beside me. “Seriously, Olivia? Why don’t you buy a billboard and put it up there that we went to a sex club, geez.”
I don’t hear the woman respond, but she must do something because Abby is giggling. I would love to know what’s going on, but instead I stand here like a clueless fool. “Anyway, you know Davis, my fiancé,” Abby singsongs, and then she pulls me closer to her side. “And this is our friend, Jason.”
The woman is silent, and I’m about to hold my hand out when I feel her grip my elbow while she holds on to my arm. With her hand on me, she asks, “Hey Jason, you want to go first?”
My tongue feels as if it’s swollen to twice its size in my mouth. Feeling her body pressed to my arm has me wanting to pull her in closer but at the same time run out the door. The reaction is instant, and when you haven’t felt anything in a very long time, it’s almost alarming. “Yea. Sure. Might as well get it over with,” I tell her more gruffly than I should.
She laughs and then threads her arm through mine. “Okay, so sexy and grumpy. My kind of man.” She walks me through the room, and finally the talking of the women around us continues.
Olivia guides me to the chair and then wraps her hand around mine that is holding on to the cane. “You mind if I take this? I promise to give it back.”
When I don’t let go right away, she giggles and leans in until her breasts are pressed against my arm once again. Her voice is low and like a whisper in my ear. “You can trust me. You don’t look happy to be here, and I don’t want you hitting me with that thing.”
Instantly I release my hold on the cane. “I would never hit a woman.”
As soon as I say it, I realize she meant it as a joke. She takes the cane from my hand but is back almost right away. “Okay, so you’re sexy and grumpy but no sense of humor.”
I clear my throat. Is she flirting with me? That’s twice she said I was sexy. Before the accident, I didn't have any doubts. I could practically have my pick of women, but since then, I’m not so sure. Maybe it’s a pity flirt, but regardless, already I feel the need to apologize. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
When my voice trails off, she squeezes her hand around my wrist. “It’s okay, really. I’m just playing with you.” She lets go of me, and I’m just missing her touch when her hands go to my head. I flinch with a jerk, and we’re both silent.
I let out a puff of air. “Shit. I’m sorry. I should go.”
I’m about to get up when both her hands go to my shoulders, holding me in place. “Stay. It’s fine. We’re just learning each other, that’s all.”
I grit my teeth. “Right…. Learning each other.”
She giggles like she knows I’m being obtuse. “Yes, learning each other. So we just met, but I already know to never joke about hitting a woman and that you don’t like to be touched—”
Oh shit. In the two minutes since I’ve been in here, I’ve found that Olivia likes to touch, and I don’t want her to stop. “No!” I say a little too loudly and then soften my voice. “It’s not that… it’s just sudden movements that catch me off guard. You can touch me all you want.” Fuck. Did I just say that? “I mean… you touching me doesn’t bother me.”