Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Aidan raised his hand. “I’ll do it. I’m confident I know all the best hiding spots in this house.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Nuala countered with a grin.
Derek sent Milly a warm smile, stepping close to her and placing his hand on her shoulder. “You sure you want to play?”
She nodded and smiled back. “It’ll be fun.”
“Okay, I’ll give you a count of sixty to find a place to hide,” Aidan said. “Starting from when Tristan turns the final light out.”
I began covertly moving towards the door. I’d planned to go hide out in my room until the game was over, but the idea of a countdown got me excited. I had a competitive streak, and I suddenly decided I was going to find a hiding spot so good I’d be the last to be found.
Rhys’ eyes landed on mine a moment before Tristan turned the light off. There was something in his gaze that sent a tremble through me, like he was thinking about me telling him he was hot. Aidan began counting down, and I hadn’t moved yet. Damn, I needed to get going. I’d let Rhys’ sexy eyes distract me.
“Fifty-six, fifty-five,” Aidan counted, and I got my butt in gear. My eyes hadn’t fully adjusted to the dark, so I had to feel my way along the wall to get out. Once in the hallway, some of the moonlight shining through the glass panels by the entrance lit my way. I could hear Nuala giggling and Theo whispering something as I made my way to the stairs. I was sure to go slow for fear of tripping on a step.
Aidan’s countdown had almost gotten down to zero when I reached the top of the stairs and frantically tried to decide which room to hide in. Remembering the room with the pool table had a large window with thick curtains, I decided that might be a good option. Shuffling quietly in the dark, I found the door and turned the handle. I entered the room, and it was empty.
I hurried towards the curtains, passing by a long couch when, suddenly, someone touched my hand, and I gave a quiet yelp. A hushed chuckle ensued, and I glanced down to find Rhys stretched out on the floor behind the couch.
“You almost scared me half to death,” I whispered.
“Sorry. Come down here. We can share this hiding spot.” His voice was pitched low, and my stomach did a weird flip at the thought of wedging myself in next to him. As always, I couldn’t resist as I let him tug me down to the floor. The expensive, plush carpet was soft under my head as I stretched my body out alongside his.
Right, well, this was unexpectedly intimate.
“Okay, I’m coming to find you!” Aidan declared from downstairs, his voice muffled behind the closed door. I heard Nuala give a squeal of trepidation from wherever she was hiding, unable to keep her excitement at bay.
“I love that girl, but she’s so silly sometimes. Aidan’s going to find her first,” I whispered to Rhys who quietly laughed.
“Good. Let her distract him so he doesn’t come looking for us.”
His eyes met mine in the dark, and my belly fluttered thinking he didn’t want to be found yet. He wanted to stay here, his body stretched out next to mine.
We fell quiet for a minute, and I shifted in place, unable to find a comfortable position. My elbow dug into his side, and I grimaced.
“Sorry. Just trying to find a good position,” I whispered then realised how the statement could be construed. Rhys didn’t tease me, though.
“It’s fine,” he replied low. “You can lean into me. I don’t mind.”
“Oh, okay,” I said and allowed my body to relax a little more. I hadn’t wanted to squash him. We stayed like that for a while, quietly listening to Aidan stomp about the house trying to find everyone. I knew as soon as he found Nuala because she gave another squeal and exclaimed, “Boo! Not fair!”
Aidan said something in response, but it was too muffled to hear.
“We’re one step closer to winning,” I whispered and noticed Rhys had rested his hand on my hip. I didn’t comment on it because he probably just needed a place to put it, and my hip was the nearest location. My mind went to the interaction with Aidan earlier on the stairs, how he’d described me. It still niggled because the picture he’d painted was far from how I saw myself.
We’d been quiet for a few minutes when I whispered, “Hey, Rhys, can I ask you something?”
His eyes flickered between mine. “Sure.”
“Do I ever make you feel uncomfortable? Like, when we’re around each other, do I come on too strong?”
He looked confused. “Come on too strong?”
Embarrassment swept over me. “With the flirty stuff, I mean.”