Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 23974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
It’s a little sad, but I used to have the biggest crush on him. Okay, so I still have a crush on him, but a girl can dream right? Sure, he’s older than us, but Dane has always had a bad boy spirit which drew me like a magnet.
I remember when Patty and I would sunbathe in beach chairs in the front yard. Dane would be skateboarding shirtless in the street with his friends and I could never take my eyes off him. He was always toned and tanned, and I always made sure I had sunglasses on hand so I wouldn’t be caught ogling him. It didn’t really matter anyways because Dane never paid me much attention. I was just his little sister’s friend and utterly invisible.
I wonder if he’s still as hot as he used to be? Who knows? Maybe he let himself go.
Secretly, I hope not though. I let myself in the front door and make my way to the kitchen where I can hear Patty and Dane play fighting. He’s clearly winning by the frightening shrieks my friend is letting out between cries of laughter. I quietly slip around the corner and into the kitchen.
Nope. Dane, definitely did not let himself go. In fact, is it possible that he got even better looking?
I think it’s true because the man before me is no longer an adolescent boy. Before, he used to be lean and toned, with a lithe, narrow frame. But now he’s filled out. The man before me is built of muscle, with broad shoulders, bronzed skin, and a t-shirt that hugs his muscular physique. His hair is trimmed short, the black locks as dark as night, with blue eyes the color of sapphire. I shiver a little from the effect.
But then Patty sees me and comes running.
“Zoe!!! You’re here! Help!” she squeals as she slides across the floor in her socks, grabbing my shoulders for leverage to pull herself to a stop behind me.
Dane turns to where his sister ran, and we momentarily lock eyes. His eyes flash when they meet mine, and he literally growls a bit. Hot tingles run down my spine, making me self-conscious, but I remind myself that he’s not growling for me. He’s growling because he’s trying to catch his sister. All the same, I feel my cheeks turn bright red and I turn my gaze just slightly towards the floor. He grins.
“You’re not going to get away,” he grunts. I practically melt then because what does he do but take off his shirt before rolling it up like a boy in a locker room with a wet towel. I almost faint at the sight of his physique. He’s huge. His broad, muscular chest is covered in fascinating tattoos, and sleeves cover both of his arms. A tattoo sneaks its way down his abs to disappear into the waistband of his jeans, and my eyes go wide as I eye the bulge at his crotch. Does it continue down there? Oh god, I shouldn’t be thinking these things.
I swallow hard and try not to stare, but it’s impossible. My eyes flick up again, and devour the sight of a large green dragon coiled around his left pec, as if guarding his heart. I can’t speak when suddenly, Dane springs into action.
He runs at us, snapping his shirt around my back to whip Patty in the thigh. She grabs a hold of me, and before I can object, we’re tearing into the front room. Of course, I’m not exactly in shape, so my legs feel like they’re made of rubber. Squealing, I break Patty’s grip on my arm and drop clumsily onto the sofa, successfully removing myself from the action as the two of them continue to dash around like little kids.
They go at it for another minute or two. Patty’s brown eyes grow wide as her brother swings her up and over his shoulder, a bit of a feat because Patty is a bigger girl like me. Then, he sets her down and she lands in a puddle of almond-colored hair at Dane’s feet. She finally calls out for mercy, tapping on the ground half in tears of defeat and half in tears produced from fits of laughter.
Patty’s dad, Jim, hears the commotion and comes into the room. He is trying to contain his laughter at the sight of his two grown children sprawled out on the ground, looking disheveled and messy from their play fight.
“Come on Dane, not in front of the company!” Jim mock scolds. “You’re seven years older than these girls, for crying out loud. The last thing we need is word getting out that you enjoy tormenting your little sister and her friend!”
“Yeah, that’s what’s happening here Dad,” Dane says sarcastically as he pulls himself back to his feet. He reaches out a hand and helps Patty up off the ground as well. “If anything, they’re tormenting me.”