Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
He snorted like he didn’t believe me.
“My dad isn’t a liar. If he says he doesn’t know about it, he doesn’t. However, he promised to look into it.”
“We’ll see, princess.” Callan shrugged.
“Don’t you believe me?”
“I believe you believe your dad.”
“You are extremely irritating.”
“You’re no picnic either.” His gaze darted to my mouth, then to my chest, before he looked away.
Ignoring the shiver of awareness that skated down my spine, I replied dryly, “Your eyes certainly think I’m a picnic.”
Callan’s lips twitched. “I already told you I think you’re fit.”
Samuel had called me beautiful. As much as I didn’t want Samuel calling me beautiful, it was an adjective I could get on board with. Fit was not. “I know you think that’s a compliment, but it’s the kind of thing I hear men murmuring to each other in the pub. ‘Check her out, she’s well fit.’”
He chuckled at my grimace. “You’re complaining that men think you’re fit?”
“I hate the word. It’s so … impersonal and unsexy.”
“It’s not any different from being called hot.”
“Of course you don’t get it.”
“I really don’t.”
“Ugh.” I picked up my pace to get away from him, but Callan kept in stride with me.
“You don’t have to walk me home.”
“We live in the same building. I’m walking in the same direction you’re walking. And aren’t we supposed to be seen together?” He reached for my hand and clasped it tightly in his. “See, isn’t this nice?”
The fact that I’d quite like the hand-holding to be real made me sniff haughtily.
“Was that a yes? Or should I put my arm around your waist?”
“Try it and I’ll kick you in the balls.”
“And here I thought you said you were attracted to me too.”
“I am.” I grinned, and it was all teeth. “You’re fit.”
“I take that as a compliment.”
“Really? Because I find many men fit. Fit doesn’t make you special.”
Perhaps I let a wee bit too much of my hurt leak into my words because Callan fell into silence. He didn’t release his hold on me, and I could think of little else but the physical contact as we walked all the way home without another word spoken between us.
He let go of my hand to let us into our building. We strode upstairs together and then I gave him a nod before walking over to my door. I expected him to keep on walking. However, as I put my key in the lock, I heard his footsteps quicken and then his heat surrounded me as he braced his hands on either side of my door, his chest to my back.
I shivered as his lips brushed my ear. “Just for the record, princess, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”
His hoarse words made me suck in a breath, and Callan’s chest pressed more firmly against my back.
“And if you ever change your mind about scratching this itch between us, I promise you’ll like the way I show you how fucking gorgeous I think you are.”
Cold air blasted over me as Callan abruptly pushed away.
I shook with need, my breathing hard and fast. His footsteps disappeared upstairs, and I finally forced myself to open my apartment door. Heart thundering in my chest, I leaned against the closed door and squeezed my eyes shut as lust flushed through my entire body.
The image of Callan moving over me, naked, hard, hot …
Don’t do it, Beth.
I needed a damn cold shower. Having never experienced such sharp, unfulfilled desire, I was surprised by how much my knees shook as I pushed off the door and forced myself to move farther into my apartment.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CALLAN
Striding out of the showers, my mind was still on the match and the fact that Baird had informed me Braden Carmichael had agreed to a meeting. He wouldn’t be able to sit down with us for a few weeks between scheduled meetings and a three-week vacation he had planned with his wife, but the meeting was in the books.
He hadn’t lied to Beth. Or he had and he was only meeting with us now to keep the peace with his daughter. I supposed I’d be able to gauge the truth once I met the bloke.
My teammates were giving one another shit about the game as I wandered through the locker room, but it was all good-natured. We had, in fact, wiped the floor with Roselin in the European tournament. Leg 2 of 2 was ours. Complete annihilation. With success hot in my blood, the meeting in the books, and a fake date with Beth this evening, I was in a fantastic mood.
Although we’d texted, I hadn’t seen Beth since last Sunday. That was only four nights ago, but it felt longer. I tried not to look forward to seeing her tonight, but I couldn’t help myself.
“What is that smirk all about?” John asked as he shrugged on his jeans.