Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 98(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 98(@200wpm)___ 78(@250wpm)___ 65(@300wpm)
“Okay, but we have to be quick about it because I don’t want my brother getting nosy. Let’s go into the guest bedroom. That way my brother can’t just waltz in.” Luckily, he found time to annoy Gabriel while we worked on ways to get him to notice me. Although maybe Charlie’s been right this whole time, and he’s into me. He’s holding back for some reason.
“Good idea. You know he can’t stay out of your business for more than a minute.” We sneak into the guest bedroom while my brother is still outside talking to Gabriel and then lock the door so he’ll at least have to knock before barging in.
“Come on, girl. You’re killing me. Tear it open so we can see the masterpiece.” I tear open the slim box and slide out the wrapped booklet. “Girl, you’re moving too slow,” she complains, bouncing on the mattress and nearly sending the package on the floor.
“Well, chill out. I can’t open it if you’re rattling my brain.”
“You want him to rattle your brain and shake the bed, so let’s get moving, girl.” I slide off the plastic wrapping and see my image on the front cover. It’s nothing sexy, but I still feel dirty because I know what else is inside the pages.
Charlotte snatches it from me. “Hey.” I try to snag it back, but she’s too fast.
“You were dragging ass. I want to see my masterpiece.” She flips to the centerfold and smiles. “This is perfect. Go ahead and sign it, so he has something to think about when he looks at it.”
I take it from her and smile because the image is much better than I expected. I quickly pull out a sharpie and write a note on that page. “Girl, you’re dirtier than you give yourself credit for. Now, let’s sneak over there soon. His mother returns in a couple of days, which means this is your last chance to nab him before school.” She’s right.
“I’m going to put this in my room. Gabriel should be at work tomorrow,” I quickly hide the portfolio and sneak out of the bedroom and over to my bedroom.
Looking toward his bedroom window, I imagine him standing there naked, bare chest, strong muscles flexed as he takes hold of his cock in his hand. I haven’t forgotten the silhouette of him jerking and orgasming in the bedroom across from me. In the bedroom, I’d been in weeks ago, a shiver of excitement runs through me. The memory was so strong and deep that I dreamed about it, and I attempted to get myself off in the shower to it, but I needed his firm grip on me to do the job.
A knock at my door shakes me out of that visual. “Cat, his car is gone,” Charlie hisses from the doorway.
I open the door for her, and she swoops in. “Perfect, but what about Callahan?”
“You have the key Mrs. Becker gave you just in case, so I’ll distract your brother, and you slip inside and drop it off.”
“Sounds like it can work as long as you give me enough time to sneak in and out.”
“Don’t go dawdling then. I’ll go harass your brother.” She smiles and skips out of the room, leaving me to rush out behind her. I have Mrs. Becker’s key on my keyring, so I quickly sneak into the house without my brother or anyone else noticing. Bringing the note to my lips, I kiss it, hoping that he enjoys it and is willing to express his gratitude. My thighs clench together as I think about him again. Shit, months of fantasizing about this man has turned my brains to mush. I used to think about more than Gabriel, but I’ve got him on my mind twenty-four hours a day. If this fails, maybe college will be the thing to get over him.
As I lock the door, I feel insanely pathetic. Still, I quickly make it back to the house to see Charlie and Cal standing too close together. I’m worried she will knife him, but when he sees me, he steps back. She glares at him and then looks at me. Cal storms out after hovering over her with a dark look in his eyes.
“So let’s go to the mall for a bit,” Charlie says.
“Sounds good to me.” As soon as we’re in her car, I ask. “Do you want to talk about what happened in there?”
“No, he’s an asshole.” I’m not sure if they will hook up or kill each other. I shake my head and let a chill afternoon at the mall calm me. By the time we get back I’m a bundle of nerves and can’t think straight. What will he do?
Chapter Nine
Gabriel
After running to the store for some cat food and stuff that my mother will need when she’s back in a couple of days, I go back to the house and then see that someone has been inside the house again. This time there’s a package for me on the entry table.