Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Chad barely paid attention to the antics of his tablemates as he tilted the cocktail glass back, letting the ice fall into his mouth. The only person he was interested in was out on the dance floor. He crushed the small cubes between his teeth, the coldness clung to the tip of his tongue as he watched his friend on the dance floor. Ducky was a damn enigma. The guy could have anyone in this bar he wanted. Why didn’t he act on any of the interest? What the fuck was going on inside Ducky’s gorgeous head?
Someone’s elbow hit his arm and knocked the glass away from his lips, spilling ice down the front of his shirt. He hopped off the stool to stop any potential cold wet cubes from tumbling into his lap. Which might not be such a bad thing in his current state. His traitorous dick had been giving him hell all night.
When he looked back at the table, the expectant stares halted him from lashing out. He’d clearly missed something, and no matter how quickly he’d done a rewind in his head, he couldn’t figure it out. “What?”
“What,” Felicia mimicked as if he were the dumbest person on the planet. Her shoulders slumped a little further forward, her back bowing as if he’d slung an insult her way. That drew a hilarious amount of laughter from Ava and Eric.
“No really, what?” Chad asked. That time he spoke to only Felicia. She seemed the only one willing to engage.
“Every girl here’s been hitting on Ducky all night and all he does is stare at you.” Felicia deflated again right before his eyes. If she wilted any further, she might slip underneath the table. “I’ve given him all my best moves. I’m everyone’s type.” Her hand slapped down on top of the table, driving her point home. “I’m the one who turns guys down, not the other way around.”
Chad knew what a catch Ducky was, but Felicia’s words confused him. As much time as he spent discreetly stalking Ducky, he’d never caught him looking back. Not once. He lifted a hand, stopping her full-on pity party before it became a full-blown narcissistic laden rant.
“What’re you saying about Ducky looking at me?” Chad asked, which caused the three of them to give some sort of incredulous eye roll in unison.
Eric even burst out with a mocking laugh. A hearty sound Chad was certain had been designed to make fun of him.
“Dude, you know you can’t pretend like that,” Eric said. His hands flew out toward the club. “Literally everyone is talking about it tonight. Ducky’s got a thing for you.”
As much as his heart wanted to believe such a ridiculous notion, his head couldn’t get past the obvious. “He’s been out dancing with everyone tonight.”
Chad’s anger built with a low rumble in his core. What a cruel joke.
“Just watch Ducky,” Ava intervened. “Not with that sly way you think you have. Just turn and watch him. I promise not a minute will pass before he looks at you. Try it.” Challenge laced her words.
Chad didn’t overthink it as he turned his gaze straight toward Ducky. He openly stared at the bobbing head, his vision tunneled to one object of focus. An involuntary smile crept over his lips as Ducky jumped around. His friend tried to dance but that was clearly one of the few things he didn’t do well.
It didn’t matter. The way Ducky lit up the dance floor with his smile, using his whole body to dance regardless of the beat or style of music, held Chad mesmerized.
The evolution of that man spoke volumes. Of course, he was the hit of the club. He’d become a celebrity of sorts with the targeted advertising to this exact demographic. The old Ducky would have rejected this entire environment, certainly not put himself in the middle of the revelers.
When Ducky’s gaze captured Chad’s, instinct almost forced him to turn away. He stopped himself. Instead, he allowed all the feelings he’d hidden for years to show in his eyes. If Felicia and her friends were playing some sort of sick joke on him…
Ducky’s face morphed through a range of emotion from confusion to uncertainty in a fraction of a second, but he didn’t look away. Chad could feel the slow steady thump of his heart increase with every beat when Ducky’s stare held his.
Desire ricocheted between them at lightning speed. His breath came in rapid puffs, drowning out everything standing between him and the stunning man staring back at him.
Ducky’s plump lips parted.
Chad could feel the small breath Ducky took deep inside his soul.
The connection drawing him to Ducky cinched tight. Electricity crackled, the air sizzling between them. Or at least he felt it. He was so fucked over this guy.
Chad rounded the table, releasing the glass on its top, never breaking eye contact with Ducky.