Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 106909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
“What?” Then. “Oh my God.”
I laughed. “Listen, can you call Matt and let him know I’m okay.”
“Umm, yeah of course. But Kat …” I heard the hesitation as she cleared her throat. “Are you sure this is what you want? Whatever you decide, I’m there behind you a hundred percent. I’m just asking because you … well, you were really pissed at him.”
I was sure. I had no clue if this was right or wrong or if there was such a thing as right or wrong when it came to ... love?
“Babe.” Ream’s hand came down on my shoulders and I looked up at him. Did I love this man? Is that why everything had hurt so much because I loved him?
“Is that him?” Emily asked. “Logan wants to talk to him.”
Before I had the chance to say yes or no, Logan’s voice came on, “Give him the phone, Kat.”
I held the phone up to Ream. “Logan wants to talk to you and he sounds scary.”
The corner of Ream’s lips lifted before he took the phone then walked away. I watched as he listened to whatever Logan spewed, and I could only imagine that it wasn’t good. Although, Ream looked pretty relaxed about it. He said a few curt words and the only sentence he said was, “I’ll be there.” I was guessing they were talking about something to do with the band.
He didn’t say goodbye, merely slipped the phone in his back pocket and headed straight for me. I picked up my glass of red wine and wet my lips as I swallowed, because watching Ream stand under the moonlight wearing a snug black T-shirt and worn jeans ... I was letting him in and I probably loved him. No, not probably, I did. This wasn’t something new. I’d known that for a long time. I’d hurt so much because I did love him.
He reached me, leaned down putting his hands on the armrests caging me in. “Ready.”
“For what? More sex without the actual sex because someone didn’t bring condoms?”
He quirked a smile and shit, it was adorable. You’d think someone like Ream couldn’t ever be adorable, but when he did that cute smile where the corners of his mouth partially curve up with those sparkling eyes … well, it was super-hot and I was betting he knew it. I felt like I was handed a part of Ream that few ever experienced.
He took my glass then helped me up.
“Where are we going?”
“I have this thing.” He let my hand go as he tagged the wine bottle and his glass. “Addiction you could say.”
“Well, I know it’s not drugs.”
He chuckled and I was glad that we could laugh about it now. “Real estate.”
“Huh?”
I opened the screen door and stopped dead. Ream had not only done the dishes, he’d put out candles, and the coffee table had been shoved aside and instead a pile of pillows were laid out. In the center of them sat a board game.
I looked back at him then walked over. “Monopoly? You like Monopoly?”
He brought the wine and set it down on a side table. “No. I love Monopoly. You ever play?”
“Well, yeah, of course. But I’m not very good at it.”
“Just like you’re not very good at go-karting? And gaming?” Ream asked, brows rising.
Okay, maybe I wasn’t going to fool him this time. Matt, Emily, and I played a lot when we were in our teens. I was more of a “spend everything and buy anything you land on type” while Matt was cautious and saved his money for the big properties. Emily could go either way, a wild card. She also never won.
I sat on a pillow and Ream passed me my wine. “I’m going to kick your ass. And this time if I win the stakes are high.” I slowly smiled and he frowned immediately, suspicious. “I give you a blow job.” I did it for two reasons, I wanted to give him one and because I wanted to see how he’d react.
Ream studied me for several seconds before muttering, “Fuck.”
And maybe I had read too much into it. Ream had desire swirling in the depths of his eyes. Well, now he’d just have to decide what was more important, winning or a blow job. Either way, I won and he’d have to sit there thinking about me sucking on his cock for the next two hours.
Ream sunk to the pillows looking rather defeated, and I grabbed the dice and rolled. “Ready? I have a feeling this is going to be a long, long game.”
Ream scowled. I laughed to myself. Although, I was beginning to think that he wasn’t the only one who would be tortured for the next couple of hours.
***
I could see the conflict on his face. He didn’t like losing.
He tossed down his last dollar onto the center of the board, eyes on me. I squirmed a little because, really, being under the gaze of a guy like Ream sent a parade of emotions through me. It was like the clash of a tambourine, the thumping of the bass drums, and the gentle stroke of a guitar all at the same time. My body didn’t know how to feel.
I glanced at his crotch then back up.
He wasn’t smiling. Not even a little bit. Was he that much of a sore loser? Kind of turned me off. Okay, not really, but I was disappointed. I thought he’d take it better.
“Kat.” His voice was rough.
“Ream.”
“Good game.”
“Did you lose on purpose?”
He hesitated. “Do you think I’d lose on purpose in order to get a blow job?”
I laughed. “All guys would.”
He remained quiet.
I continued, “But you …” I suspected Ream would do whatever it took to win his game, regardless of whether losing brought a desirable outcome for him. He was the most stubborn man I’d ever met. He surpassed Logan and that guy was a badger when he refused to give up on Emily. I also thought sex wasn’t as important to Ream as it was with most guys. “Never.”