Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Oh God. I’m losing my mind. Of course, I know who the heck Elvis is! This is Ryker’s fault…somehow. My eyes shift over to the map display where I swear I can hear stifled laughing. I clear my throat. “Duh. My brain is mush today. First couple weeks of classes and all.” I pause and smile. “My favorite Elvis song is ‘Love Me Tender’. It’s very romantic.” I briefly shut my eyes in mortification.
What is this nonsense coming out of my mouth?
I need a reboot. Stat.
“Yeah.” He stares down at his hands for a moment before looking back up at me. “You know, I’ve wanted to talk to you several times, but I never seem to find the right time. I’m glad I ran into you today. Do you play chess?”
I blink at the non sequitur but smile at him, and he blinks a little, his eyes lingering on my lips. Thank you, cherry red lipstick. “Yes, I love it so, so much.” At least that much is true.
He grins. “I didn’t realize we had so much in common.”
“I know. Amazing.”
“I’m headed to a chess tournament this weekend, but maybe you’d like to get together soon—if you’re not seeing anyone?” He blushes.
This is so easy. All I have to do is agree with everything.
“That sounds great. I work a few nights at Sugar’s and at the library, but if I know in advance, I can ask for it off.”
He nods. “Cool. I’d love for you to come to Cadillac’s with me. Maybe show me some of your moves from high school?”
Cadillac’s is a local bar where students from Waylon hang out. There’s a collection of pool tables there. Dammit.
It’s like a soap bubble has burst.
“Uh…” I freak out internally as I emit a nervous laugh. “I may have to study…you just never know. I’ll check my schedule.”
He takes his glasses from his shirt and slips them on. He really is adorable. “Nah, just bring your books with you. We can go over whatever you need to do after we play.”
But…
How in the hell am I going to fake play pool when I don’t even know what end of the stick to hold?
“So, it’s a date then? Maybe next week sometime?” God. He actually said the words…
Damn. Ryker did it. Connor actually said date.
I exhale. “Uh, yeah.”
He asks for my number, and I give it to him, my gaze flicking to the area where I know Ryker is lurking.
Connor offers to walk me to class, and I give him a nod then tag along.
We walk out of the student center and head to the science building for our class. We’re halfway there when I get another text.
You might need to brush up on your Elvis. And pool.
I smile to myself.
“Who’s that?” Connor asks.
I sigh. “No one.”
Ryker
Penelope Graham. Damn.
Somewhere between hiding with her behind the plant and kissing her in the bookstore, something changed between us. I can’t put my finger on exactly what, but I do know I’m fucking jealous as hell of a nerd who loves to talk about mechanical pencils and pool.
You have no right to your jealousy, I tell myself while I follow behind them as they walk through the quad.
Much to my surprise, I also notice that, at some point, she pulled up her sweatshirt and did some kind of tie thing on the side, so it shows off her heart-shaped ass. She must have done it while they were walking out of the bookstore, and I was lingering behind the display.
I take in several pairs of male eyes roving over her as she sashays past them and it annoys me.
But…
I shouldn’t be surprised they’re staring.
There’s something mesmerizing about her that calls to the caveman in me and brings all my alpha instincts to the surface. She’s part goofy but clever. Hot but innocent. Her lips are a perfect Cupid’s bow, full and red, and I admit to staring at them a little too long in the bookstore before we kissed. And her coppery hair that falls around her oval face? That’s the stuff of wet dreams.
I half-smile. She isn’t impressed with who I am, and that…that I fucking dig.
I walk briskly, my stride extended as I try to catch up to them without getting close enough to be noticed. Hell, I just want to be a fly on the wall for their conversation. Most of their exchange in the bookstore was about school supplies.
What I’m definitely not thinking about is the elephant in my head: that kiss.
Yeah, it was spur of the moment, but part of me wants to repeat it as soon as I can.
But…
That won’t happen.
I’m getting Connor for her—not me.
I enter the science building, still following the…lovebirds? I watch their heads bend close to each other as they have a conversation that seems intense. What are they talking about?