Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 106806 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106806 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
I turn to find the guy from last weekend standing not two feet from me—Oliver of the pretty eyes and sexy laugh. He’s dressed in dark-wash jeans and a white T-shirt that strains across his chest and biceps—the kind of shirt that’s cut to show off a guy’s muscles. And his tattoos. Damn.
“Savvy, we meet again,” he says, ignoring Miranda and offering his hand to me.
“Oh, hey.” I dig in my backpack for my wallet. “How’s the first week of classes been?”
He shoves his hands into his pockets. “Fine. It’s my last semester, so I’m just doing my capstone.”
Miranda bats her lashes. “What’s your major?”
His lifted-brow expression suggests this is none of her business, but he says, “I’m finishing my MBA.” He shifts his gaze back to me so swiftly that even Miranda seems to pick up on the dismissal.
“I’ll see you Thursday,” she says to me, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder and giving us her back.
“Text me if you need anything,” I call, but she just waves and continues to the line at the register, utterly disgusted at Oliver’s lack of interest in her.
His eyes seem to catalogue every inch of me, and I ignore the flip-flopping, nervous mess that makes of my insides. Nothing happened. Nothing is going to happen.
I pluck a twenty from my wallet and shove it at him. “Here. For the pancakes.”
He pulls back like I just offered him a pile of steaming dog poo. “I already told you I don’t want your money.”
I frown, pulling my Naked Bean apron from my backpack. “Then why are you here?”
“I have a proposition for you. Can I take you out after work? Or tomorrow between classes?”
The word proposition sends all sorts of inappropriate scenarios running through my head. What is it about this guy? I give him my best quizzical WTF face. “I have a boyfriend, remember?”
“So you’re not allowed to eat lunch or dinner with a friend?”
I loop my apron behind my neck and position the ties at my waist. “I didn’t say that.”
“Then come out with me. Everyone needs to eat.”
Not me. I’m going to have to spend the whole week making up for the extra calories in all those ill-advised drinks I had at the party. “It’s not a good idea.”
“Because you almost kissed me?”
That question makes my insides freeze. I snap my head up, gaping at him before looking around to make sure no one heard. The café is bustling, as it always is this time of day, with a line that nearly reaches to the door, but no one is paying us any attention. “Seriously?” I ask in a harsh whisper. “That’s not what happened. You almost kissed me. I stopped you.”
He grins, his gray eyes dancing. “Is that what you told your boyfriend?”
“I didn’t tell my boyfriend anything.”
“Is that so?” That grin twitches into a cocky smirk. “Okay. I’m cool with being your dirty secret if that’s how you want to play this.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“I think the word you’re looking for is irresistible.” His eyes scan my face. “Look me in the eye and tell me you haven’t thought about me in the last two days.”
I can’t do that. I’ve thought about Oliver way more than I want to admit. I’ve thought about the things he said about his childhood, about how easy it was to talk to him, and about how when he bent to kiss me, I felt a pull to him that I’ve read about but never thought was real.
Maybe if things were different, I’d have let it happen—let his lips sweep over mine, reminded myself what it was like to be touched by someone who doesn’t spend half their time trying to convince me I’m repulsive. Maybe in that same world, I’d let Oliver take me out tonight, maybe even go home with him after. But instead of living in that world, I live in one where I’ve promised my idiot brother I won’t break up with my idiot boyfriend until after the big fight.
Which is tomorrow night, a little voice whispers. I’m pretty sure that voice belongs to the same hussy who almost let me kiss Oliver on Saturday. My promise to my brother might be over after the fight, but I’m counting on Nathan making good on his promises before I walk away from Chuck. Namely, paying me back the cash he borrowed two weeks ago. Without it, I won’t have the deposit I need to live on my own.
Oliver must take my silence as an answer, because he gives me a soft smile that I’m sure makes all the girls’ knees go weak. “It’s okay. I won’t make you admit it,” he says, his voice lower now.
“I have to clock in.”
He nods gravely. “See you tomorrow, then.”
I frown. Didn’t we just cover that he won’t? “Because you’re stalking me now?”