Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 61100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61100 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
There’s a slow drumbeat intro with guitars weaving in and out. It’s instantly recognizable, though the name might be hard to identify for someone who wasn’t as familiar with the song.
“She knows it,” Christian says, sounding resentful toward Hutch and his selection.
“‘Comedown’ by Bush,” I say. “That was easy.”
“Let me have it.” Christian grabs at Hutch’s phone, his eyes already on the screen.
“We’ll all pick one,” Hutch says.
Christian scrolls through the playlist for what feels like a full minute. Occasionally, he glances up at me, seeming to assess my musical knowledge by looking into my eyes. Several times, he shakes his head and continues to scan the list.
“Got it,” he says, as a new song takes the place of “Comedown.”
A laugh bubbles up, but I suppress it. After all of his deliberating, I feel bad letting Christian know how familiar I am with the song he picked, so I pretend to search my memory as I listen intently. Meanwhile, I’m singing along in my head with the lyrics.
“Is it ‘Everlong’?” I ask, even though I know for certain that it is. Christian’s head tips back as he groans, giving me a new view of the designs that mark his neck and curve to the edges of his jaw.
“You have to identify the artist, too,” Mace reminds me.
“Foo Fighters.” I reach for Christian’s arm and give it a comforting squeeze. “Sorry, this is one of my favorite songs.”
Mace laughs as Christian shakes his head and Hutch’s smile fades.
Zipper goes next, only taking a couple of seconds to select a song. Maybe he doesn’t want to win a date, because “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is one of the most well known songs of the genre, and I name it immediately.
Zipper hands the phone to Mace as Christian says, “You’d better make this good.”
“She knows her stuff,” Hutch says, his tone sounding both admiring and uneasy.
What am I doing, actually, trying to keep myself from enjoying a night out with these four? I’ve gotten a little caught up in the challenge, excited to flaunt my knowledge of old music, trying to impress these older men who think I’m so young and inexperienced, but if I name one more song correctly, I will win the chance not to go out with them. Doesn’t sound like much of a prize.
Sure, my brother wouldn’t want me spending time with them, but I want to learn more about them and be with them outside of their shop, and if I identify the last song correctly, I’ll lose my opportunity.
Mace is scrolling through the playlist while I deal with my inner dilemma. When he looks up at me with a sexy, sly grin on his face, his dark eyes gleaming with hope, I know I’ll be throwing this contest.
To his credit, he picks a tricky one, a song with an unusual title, and he cuts it off before the female vocalist snarls the part near the end that includes the title. It’s an easy one for me to mess up, and I do. “‘One plus one’ … and I can’t remember the band’s name.”
“Is she right on the title?” Christian asks. “I have no fucking idea what the name of this song is, even though I hear it every day.”
“He got you on that one,” Hutch says, laughing like he’s celebrating.
“It’s actually called ‘When 3 is 2’ by Hammerbox,” Mace says, reading from the screen before he hands the phone back to Hutch.
“That means we’re going out Thursday night,” Christian says.
I smile, and Zipper notices, with an expression on his face that makes me wonder if he knows I answered wrong on purpose.
“I’m going out with all of you, together?” A shiver runs through me as I ask the question.
“Are you okay with that?” Hutch asks.
“I guess so. I just don’t know how it would work, me going out with all of you. Are we just all hanging out like friends?”
“It’s not a friend date,” Christian clarifies, his eyes going darker as they pierce mine, intensifying the shiver and sending it right between my legs.
“If you’re not comfortable going out to a restaurant with all of us, we could cook for you,” Hutch says.
“Oh, you cook?”
He frowns briefly, and nods slowly, like my question is strange. I don’t cook, and my brother doesn’t like to, so I’m surprised by the offer.
“You have to taste our fettuccine alfredo,” Christian says.
“Ooh, I love fettuccine alfredo.” My mouth is finally watering for something besides these men—well, not besides, but in addition.
“That’s the plan, then. Would you like to come to our place, or would you prefer we cook at yours?” Hutch asks.
“You live together?”
Hutch gives a single nod in response.
“I can come to yours.” My place isn’t an option, but even if it was, I’d opt for their house, because I’m so curious to learn more about them, and their house will be another piece of the puzzle. Plus, the thought of being alone with them in their home has all of my little shivers joining forces, setting my whole body tingling with anticipation.