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)
Abby nudges me with her elbow and jabs me in the ribs. “She’s right here.”
She pushes me in front of her, and I almost fall into Jason before I catch and balance myself. “Hey,” I say breathily.
Why does he have to be so handsome? Just looking at him causes a hitch in my breath.
Davis grabs on to Abby’s hand. “We’ll be right down here.”
“But—” Abby starts, trying to hold her ground.
Davis just laughs and picks her off her feet, carrying her down the sidewalk.
When they walk away, all I can do is look at Jason and wait. “I’m here,” I tell him.
CHAPTER 3
JASON
I practiced what I was going to say the whole time I sat on this wood bench. I was going to apologize for being an asshole and for being gruff and withdrawn. I was going to try and explain my behavior, but everything I thought I was going to say is gone.
Now all I can think about is the sound of her breathing, the smell of vanilla and lavender that from now on is always going to make me think of her, and of course the memories. Of her pressing against my arm, of her fingers in my hair. Hell, even now, my body reacts to it all.
I clear my throat, realizing that she’s standing in front of me, staring, probably impatiently waiting for me to say whatever I have to say so she can get back to work.
“I’m sorry.”
She’s quiet, and finally she asks, “Okay, what exactly are you sorry for?”
I run my hand across my face. “This is why I don’t go out much.”
Her comeback is quick. “Why? Because you’re an asshole?”
I laugh—how can I not? I was an asshole, and I’m glad she’s calling me out on it. A lot of people have been tiptoeing around me, and it drives me crazy. “You’re right. I deserved that. I was an asshole.”
I can hear the smile in her voice. “Well, it’s a good thing that I’m used to assholes, so no need to apologize.”
My forehead creases. “Who’s being an asshole to you? I mean, besides me?”
She laughs and puts her hand on my forearm. “Forget it. It’s a bad joke. And you’re not an asshole. It’s fine, really.”
When I hear the pity in her voice, or what I think is pity, I scrunch my nose up. “I like it better when you call me out for being an asshole instead of pitying me.”
She squeezes my wrist and then releases me. “Oh, I’m not pitying you. We may have just met, but I can tell that you’re a man that wouldn’t appreciate pity at all.”
I tilt my head to the side, and for the thousandth time today, I wish I could see. “Anyway, I need to apologize for my behavior earlier. I was rude, and I shouldn’t have treated you like I did. I’m sorry.”
“Why?” she asks. “I mean why were you? And you can tell me if I’m wrong, but you don’t seem the type to be rude, so what did I do that rubbed you the wrong way?”
“Nothing,” I tell her instantly, hoping that’s enough to make her drop it.
She laughs. “No, seriously, tell me. I’d like to know so I don’t do it again.”
I run my hand across my chin. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Jason…” She admonishes me, and hearing my name on her lips is my undoing.
I hold my hands up. “Where are you at?”
She reaches for my hands and brings them to her shoulders. “I’m right here.”
I clench them and then force myself to loosen my grip. Fuck, this is a bad idea.
I move my hands across her collarbones up her neck and hold her there. At this point, I’m practically panting. We’re in the middle of downtown, right outside her work, and I’m sure the ladies inside are watching us. Hell, I’m sure Davis and Abby are. I can’t do any of the things I want to do to her. I move closer to her until I can feel her chest rise with each breath she takes. “I was an asshole because for the first time in two years, I felt something.”
I can feel the muscles of her neck move as she tilts her head to the side. “You felt something? What does that mean?”
“Since… since my accident, I didn’t think… I haven’t felt attraction for a woman…”
I let my voice trail off. I have no idea what she’s thinking right now, but I don’t want to freak her out.
I feel one of her hands go to my chest, and she lets it slide to my belly. My muscles contract under her touch. “Wait… so you’re saying you’re attracted to me?”
My fingers tighten around her neck instinctively, and I nod my head. “Yeah…”
“And you didn’t know if … you haven’t been attracted to a woman since your accident.”