Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
I try to hold in my laughter, truly I do, but the instant Caleb’s shoulders shudder, I howl like a wolf. The deep rumble of his laugh vibrating through successfully conceals my snort when Jack’s entrance return to the living room has Octavia’s cheeks turning the color of beets.
“I’m so sorry,” Octavia apologizes, her tone low with embarrassment. “With the dining table only having four seats and Jess finally joining us, I thought we could have dessert in the living room.”
“It’s fine.” The blonde I am assuming is Marissa battles not to laugh is more successful than Caleb’s and mine. “I really should get going anyway. It’s late.” She collects her summer jacket and purse from the kitchen counter before directing her focus to Jack. “Will you be okay if I take the town car home?”
“I can drive him home,” Caleb offers before he strays his eyes to mine as if to say, it’s on the way.
Bailey’s bachelorette party is occurring in the hotel Jack is staying at. I mentioned that to him Monday night.
Regretfully for Caleb, Jack has other plans. “Or I could stay the night?” He drifts his gleaming-with-lust eyes to Octavia. “If that’s okay?”
“Umm…yeah, sure. If you want,” Octavia replies, her tone high with lust.
“And that right there is our cue to leave.” I swear I groan out loud when Caleb shifts on his feet to face me before holding his hand in offering. “How does a nightcap on your balcony sound?”
I almost rat him out by reminding him he doesn’t drink, but then I remember he keeps his secrets locked up tighter than a vault. I’m also as eager to leave as him. Octavia’s chest is covered with sticky brown goop, but Jack is staring at her as if she is the Northern Lights.
Caleb guides the unknown blonde and me outside before leaving the introductions up to me. “It was lovely meeting you…”
She fills in the gaps remarkably quick. “Marissa.” She waits for me to accept her handshake before adding, “And I take it you’re Jess.” My eyes snap to Caleb when she mutters, “I’ve heard a lot about you.” Any hope that he’s yanked his head out of his butt is left for dust when Marissa pulls the world out from beneath my feet. “Octavia speaks very highly of you.”
* * *
“Ohh…” I breathe out in annoyance. It is a ploy. Even if Caleb wasn’t talking me up, it’s nice to know he was reminded of my awesomeness by someone other than me. “That’s lovely to hear. Thank you.”
Marissa smiles before dipping her chin in farewell and slowly making her way down the stairs. She is only just out of earshot when Caleb asks, “How long until your Uber arrives?”
I check the time before replying, “Twenty minutes. Why?”
A giggle rumbles in my chest when he nudges his head to his apartment door and asks, “Do you think that will be long enough for whatever that was to get out of their system?”
His face screws up when I answer, “I don’t like your chances.” I head for the stairs so he won’t see the hope in my eyes while offering, “But you’re more than welcome to hang at my apartment until they’re finished.”
As I reach the bottom of the stairs, he grumbles, “I’d rather hang out with you.”
If Bailey wasn’t one of my closest friends, I would reply to his mumble, but since she is, I strap on my big girl panties, snatch up my purse from the entryway table, then leave Caleb in the middle of my apartment, appearing a little lost.
The mix-up is nice for a change.
CHAPTER 38
CALEB
Jess groans while her eyes rake my body. Her celebrations last night went longer than anticipated, and although she swears she only had water, she looks like the walking dead. I guess you can’t wake up with the sparrows and go to bed after them.
“Oh my God. I’ll love you forever. Thank you.” She scoops the large venti of coffee out of my hand before trudging toward the kitchen to add the extra boost of sugar she adds after every long night.
Although I bought coffee as a peace offering, the instant her eyes land on a toppled chair from her dining room set, they narrow into tiny slits.
“Don’t look at me like that, Jessie. I was just making sure I had the visual right.”
Jess wasn’t lying when she said the freaks come out on the weekdays. Bailey’s decision to have her bachelorette party on a Tuesday wasn’t to save money. It is so she would have the cream-of- the-crop stripper.
The best book out months in advance—on the weekends.
If you settle for a weekday, you can have anyone your heart desires.
Bailey’s maid of honor only booked four strippers. Six turned up.
The ratio of one stripper for every two guests means every one of Bailey’s guests were given a one-on-one performance. When Jess tried to explain the moves they used, I aided her story with visual prompts. It saw my crotch ground into her face a minimum of ten times during a four-minute performance and had Jess swearing I was jealous.