Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
The dazed look filling her eyes sets fire to my blood.
“How many guys have you kissed?”
Juliette blinks as if she’s incapable of wrapping her mind around the question. “Kissed?”
Unable to resist the temptation, I nip her plump bottom lip. “Yeah, tell me.”
Her fingers rise before drifting over her mouth. “I don’t know…maybe a dozen.”
“And were any of them as good as that?”
She scrapes her teeth across her lower lip before giving her head a slight shake.
A slow smile spreads across my face. “All you need to know is that I do everything with just as much finesse.”
Her eyes flare.
When she remains silent, I ask, “So, are we on?”
After that kiss, there’s no way this isn’t happening. I’ll do whatever it takes to convince her that I’m the man for the job.
“Yeah.” Her response comes out sounding shaky.
My muscles loosen at her easy capitulation. Then, I tackle the last obstacle standing in the way. “About number ten…” My voice trails off.
“What about it?”
“Let’s take it off the table.”
“That…makes sense.”
“Good. Then we’re both on the same page.” I hold out my palm. “Give me your phone.”
She blinks a few times before reaching into her back pocket and pulling out her cell. Once she opens the locked home screen, she hands it over. I quickly input my number and pass it back.
Even though I don’t want to, I take a step in retreat. Then another. Her gaze clings to mine the entire time. Little does she know that every instinct within is demanding I grab hold of her until she’s locked up tight in my arms for safekeeping.
“I’ll catch you later,” I force myself to say.
“Okay.”
And then I swing around and take off before I can destroy all the painstaking progress I’ve made this afternoon.
CHAPTER 15
JULIETTE
“Hey, sweetheart! It’s good to see you,” Dad says, pulling me in for a warm embrace. “I’ve missed you.”
Even though I roll my eyes, my lips bow up into a smile. “You just saw me last week.”
“It doesn’t matter. I always miss seeing my little girl’s face.”
For just a moment, I rest my head against his chest as he wraps an arm around me, and we settle in the bleachers to wait for the game to get underway.
“Hey, baby,” Mom says, leaning over to kiss my cheek.
“Hi.”
“How are classes going?” she asks.
“They’re pretty good.” It won’t be long before we’re heading into finals, so I’ve been doing my best to stay on top of everything.
“Even inorganic chem?” she asks with a smile.
“It’s fine. I’ll drop in for office hours if I need to.”
With a shake of her head, she glances at Dad. There’s a twinkle in her mocha-colored eyes when she says, “I’m not sure where this one came from. She’s too damn smart to be ours.”
Dad grins before dropping a kiss on the crown of my head. “She’s definitely all yours, Nat.”
My gaze bounces between them and the smiles that simmer across their lips as they stare at one another. For just a moment or two, it feels as if the arena and all its noise fades to the background and it’s just the two of them.
As soon as Mom turns away to talk with Ryder’s parents, Cal and Sadie, who are seated on the other side of her, Dad leans closer and whispers, “All the plans are set for Mom’s birthday at Taco Loco.”
“She’s going to be so surprised.” It’s hard to get anything past my mother. But I don’t think she has a clue about what Dad’s up to.
“Sure will. I threw her a surprise birthday dinner at a Mexican restaurant when we were in college. Did I ever tell you about that?”
“Yup.” And it makes my heart melt every time he shares the story of how they fell in love. Back then, she refused to give him the time of day. According to Dad, she couldn’t stand him. They’re so in love now that it’s hard to imagine. They actually pretended to date, one thing led to another, and she fell head over heels for him.
It’s exactly the kind of relationship I’ve been searching for. I want someone who can make my heart skip a beat and my tummy tremble when our gazes lock from across a crowded room. I want someone who makes me forget my own name when we kiss.
Kind of like at the library with—
My phone vibrates with an incoming text, and I slip it from my pocket before glancing at the screen.
Don’t make plans after the game. We’re checking something off tonight.
My heart plummets to my toes as I stare at the message. It’s been days since I ran into Ryder at the library. I’d almost thought he forgot about our agreement.
Looks like I was wrong.
I glance up just as the Western Wildcats take to the ice, circling around their half. Their opponents do the same on the opposite end. My gaze sweeps over the players until it lands on Ryder. Even though all the guys look similar in their uniforms, padding and helmets, I’d know him anywhere.