Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 25958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
But that couldn’t be right.
He looked back at me, and I saw his expression soften. “Testy much?” I prompted coldly, although it wasn’t cold at all. Truth was, my body hummed from his reaction to those guys. I shouldn’t let these feelings consume me as much, but it was like something shifted in me last night during our exchange.
It just seemed... different, in a good way.
He gave me this little smirk and stepped aside, tipping his chin toward his truck.
“Are you going to get in or what?” Although he sounded annoyed that I just stood there, I could still hear a teasing note in his voice.
It probably wasn’t a good idea to be in close quarters with Mal, given how I felt toward him and how he lit me up so fiercely just last night, but I found myself walking toward the vehicle.
He opened the passenger side door for me, and I lifted an eyebrow. “You doing the whole chivalry thing now?”
He snorted. “Who says I haven’t always been like this?”
I set my bag on the floor and climbed in. “Doesn’t seem like your style,” I said halfheartedly as I settled back against the seat. I glanced over at him and saw the way he watched me. I swallowed, my mouth drying at the look he gave me. “What?” My voice kind of squeaked at the end, and I hated I hadn’t been able to keep it smooth and even. I didn’t want Mal to see how he affected me, even if he’d never know it all leaned toward desire and need.
Love.
“You’d be surprised what my ‘style’ is if you didn’t hate me so much.” I heard that teasing note in his voice, although he also seemed pretty serious.
“I don’t hate you, Mal.” The words spilled from me before I could stop them.
His eyes widened just a fraction as if my words surprised him, but then he gave me a slow smile, one that had his blue eyes seeming even more beautiful. “I’m glad to hear that.” He sounded sincere—and relieved—as hell, and I felt my cheeks heat.
He gave me another smile, but this one was... different, and I couldn’t place why.
4
Delilah
Mal shut the door before I could think too much more on it and walked around the front of the truck to climb in.
Once he was in the driver seat, he looked over at me, a sly little smirk on his lips that did wicked things to my body. God, why did he have to be so damn attractive? He was masculine in every single way. His short dark-brown hair was mussed in that sexy way of his.
His blue eyes were bright, the shade unusual but striking. His body was tall and lean, cut muscle that I’d seen many times when he decided not to wear a shirt during the summertime. And he was such a skilled, talented athlete.
Plus, he was so smart. I knew that was the real draw for me. That’s what I found most attractive. Despite all his other delicious qualities, his intelligence was what really did it for me.
He didn’t say anything as he started the truck, and then he was pulling out of the parking lot and heading toward my house. I suddenly felt really nervous, and any annoyance I previously felt toward him vanished as my arousal rose.
I looked out the passenger side window, but I could feel him continuously glancing at me, his eyes like a physical touch. Goosebumps moved along my arms, and I rubbed my hands over my limbs, frustrated at the physical effect he had on me.
“Why did you want to pick me up?” He said I needed a ride so here he was, but was that the real reason?
He was silent for a few moments before he cleared his throat and shifted on the leather seat. “Can’t I just do something nice for you?”
I looked at him then, his focus on the road, his posture easygoing. But I could see he was a little tense, the knuckles on the hand holding the steering wheel white as he gripped it tightly. His jaw was also clenched, a muscle underneath ticking under the smooth skin. Before I could respond, although he said it like it wasn’t a question, Mal was speaking again.
“Besides, I like hanging out with you.”
I lifted my eyebrows again in surprise, but then snorted and shook my head. “I call bullshit on that,” I said honestly, and his deep chuckle slammed right into me and settled in my core.
I clenched my thighs together, this arousal like a living person inside me trying to take control.
“What’s bullshit about it?” There was amusement in his voice, and although I shouldn’t look at him because it only made my need for him worse, I found myself doing just that.
I stared at Mal’s profile, licking my lips and not knowing exactly how to respond. After a moment, I shrugged even though he didn’t see the act. “You seem like you hate me most of the time.”