Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
I took a deep breath. “You don’t want me to answer that. This is a dangerous conversation.”
“That’s the problem. I really, really want you to answer that question.”
The line between us was fading fast. As much as I wanted to erase what was left, there was too much at stake. I took a step back. “Jacob. We both have our reasons for why we think this isn’t a good idea.”
“Fuck,” he spat. “I know. I need to cool off. Or something.”
“You stay here while I get out. I’m just old-lady swimming. You look like . . . like a professional.”
He glanced down at me in the water and I couldn’t have felt more naked. I wanted to take a step and reach out to smooth my hands around his neck, link my legs around his waist. I wanted to lick his wet skin and press my body against his. I wanted to push my hand into the front of his shorts and circle my fingers around his cock so it grew hard in my hand. I figured he could have my costume off in less than half a second, his mouth on me in less than a second, be inside me in less than ten.
“Shit, I can tell what you’re thinking just by looking at you.”
I covered my face with my hands. “I’ve got to get out of here.” I backed away.
“Go,” he said, putting his goggles back on. “I can’t go anywhere right now.” Despite his size, he gracefully dipped under the water and headed back down to the other end of the pool. I watched for one then two seconds, then headed back to the changing rooms. Swimming was supposed to distract me from Jacob, but it had done nothing but fuel embers now sparking into flames inside of me.
Nineteen
Sutton
If it hadn’t been for Gilly pounding on my door, I would have spent the evening in a beautiful hotel room in front of Netflix. I told her I wasn’t feeling well but it didn’t work. She wasn’t taking any excuses.
“We get to spend time with McDreamy. You can’t just spend the evening in your room. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
After my swim, I’d showered and blow-dried my hair, but I was in a robe when Gilly arrived.
“I’ve got no makeup on.”
“You have perfect skin. Put some mascara on. It’s all you need.”
“I’m not even dressed.”
She didn’t comment. She just put a hand on her hip. I sighed and pulled out some jeans and a t-shirt.
Gilly was dressed up in a short skirt, a skin-tight polo, and heels. I hadn’t even thought to bring anything dressy. I pulled on my jeans and a Madonna t-shirt I’d had since the salon.
“You think Jacob likes heels?”
“I have no idea,” I said, slipping my feet into ballet flats.
“He’s single, right?”
“How would I know?” I countered.
“Not for long,” she said and gave me a wink, before I grabbed the plastic key card and my phone from the dressing table and shooed her out the door.
Dinner was a buffet. Jacob and I managed to stay at opposite ends of the room with our backs to each other for at least an hour. It was all I could hope for.
“I’m going to bed,” I said.
Gilly fixed me with a stare. “No, you’re not. I simply won’t allow it. Will you, Veronica? We get no time off to do anything nice together. We’re going to have a couple of cocktails and mingle with our colleagues.”
“Cocktails sound good,” Veronica said.
“Mine’s a sex on the beach with Dr. Cove,” Sara, another one of the FY1s, said.
“I’ll fight you for him,” Gilly said.
“Who are you fighting over?” Andy came over to our table and leaned on the back of mine and Gilly’s chairs. “Because there’s plenty of me to share around.”
“I’m going to the bar,” I announced, standing. All this talk of Jacob as if he were a prize to be won had changed my mind. Maybe I wanted to see how he interacted with the likes of Gilly and Sara. Maybe he’d have to hold himself back with them like he’d had to hold himself back today at the pool. Maybe I wasn’t special and Jacob Cove was a walking hormone.
When I turned around, Jacob had already left his table. Maybe he wouldn’t even go to the bar. Why would he want to hang out with a bunch of twentysomethings he had to work with? He was probably tucked up in bed with Netflix, the way I wished I could be.
One cocktail, and then I’d be heading to bed as well.
We wandered into the bar and found Jacob sitting talking with one of the FY1s I hadn’t spoken to before—a short, Asian girl called Lucy. She was pretty. Even though I knew I couldn’t have him, and even though it was me who had sworn off all relationships, a wave of jealousy swept through me. He wasn’t going to start dating Lucy—I was confident about that much. But he would start dating someone. Eventually.