Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Dancing seemed like the right kind of distraction. Of course, kissing would still be an option then as well. I’d cross that bridge when I came to it.
Blake started the car and turned on the radio. “What kind of music do you like?”
“To be honest, I’m a lazy listener. I always listen to the current charts.”
“Then this radio station should do the trick.”
It did, but the lack of conversation also allowed my mind to drift, and as usual it drifted to the one man I shouldn’t be thinking about, the man who was probably banging Dakota right this second.
There was a long queue in front of the dance club when we walked toward it. Blake had his hand resting on the small of my back as he led me past the queue with self-assured steps.
He waved at a few fans screaming his name before he shook hands with the bouncers, who nodded at me. They let us through without hesitation. “Do rugby players ever have to stand in line for anything?” I asked with a laugh, remembering how Xavier had gotten into every club or restaurant without waiting.
Blake chuckled. “Not around here, no.”
The club was already crowded despite the early hour but most people were still in the bar area, warming up for the dancing part.
“Drinks?”
“Yes, please.” We moved toward a free table close to the bar. The tables near the windows with a view of the harbor were already occupied.
Two mojitos later, I was ready to hit the dance floor. I usually didn’t get tipsy around people I barely knew but I needed to get Xavier out of my head. I wasn’t completely trashed, but a nice buzz had loosened my limbs. Blake took my hand as he led me through the crowd. The bass throbbed through my body and I began moving to the rhythm, swinging my hips like I’d never done before. Blake smiled, a slower, more intimate smile and touched my hips lightly, his eyebrows rising in silent question.
I put one hand on his shoulder to show him the touch was okay. I wasn’t even worried what he’d think of my softness. Was that because I wasn’t interested in him? Or was it just the alcohol in my system?
He was a good dancer, and I enjoyed myself tremendously. Blake moved a bit closer and his face moved even nearer. He was going to kiss me. His blue eyes were soft. Would it be so bad to kiss him? He was nice and sexy. Not arrogant, infuriating, self-assured, and an impossible manwhore, and yet it wasn’t his lips I wanted on mine.
Blake’s mouth was only an inch from mine, and my eyes were about to flutter shut when suddenly Xavier was there, shoving Blake away from me. Blake stumbled a couple of steps back, but caught his balance quickly.
“Have you lost your mind?” I hissed.
Xavier glared at Blake, ignoring me. “Hands off.”
“What’s your problem?” Blake shouted over the bass, stepping up to Xavier.
“My problem is that you have your fucking hands all over Evie.”
“Evie is single. She can go out with whoever she wants,” Blake said.
Xavier took a step toward him and Blake did the same. They looked like two bulls about to lock horns. Men. I noticed a couple of familiar faces watching with rapt attention and taking pictures with their mobiles: the bloodhounds from the tabloids. They weren’t allowed to take their cameras inside the club but of course they found a way to take photos. Damn it. That was the last thing I needed. And if the coach found pics of Blake and Xavier beating each other up in public, they both would sit on the bench in the upcoming game.
“Let me have a word with Xavier,” I told Blake with an apologetic smile. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
I gripped Xavier’s forearm and began dragging him through the crowd, cringing when I saw more cell cameras turning our way. He followed without protest. I didn’t stop until we were outside in a side alley, away from the blaring beats and curious eyes. I released him and he bent down to kiss me, his lips brushing mine lightly before I shoved him back.
“What are you doing?” I muttered. I couldn’t believe his nerve.
He let himself fall backwards against the wall. “I thought this was the beginning of hot make-up sex.”
“You are impossible,” I said, trying hard not to look at how tightly his shirt hugged his chest, how disheveled his hair looked, how sexy his dark stubble was. God, have mercy. Why did this man have to be so gorgeous? It wasn’t fair. “There won’t be any kind of sex between us.”
A slow smile spread on Xavier’s face. “I hate unfinished business.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You didn’t come last time.”
“Stop it,” I said sharply. I didn’t like the way he talked about it. “Where is Dakota?”