Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 67138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
I grab a menu and head toward the lady who just sat down in the corner booth.
“Welcome to Pete’s. Can I get you something to drink? We have Pepsi products, tea, coffee, and lemonade.”
“I’m actually meeting someone. Can I just get a water for now? I’m so nervous that I’m not sure it’s wise to have anything else.”
“First date?” I ask before I can stop myself. I can’t remember the last time I had a date. I sure can’t remember when I’ve been so worked up over a guy that I was queasy. I have a sneaking suspicion that it was never. I don’t really date. It’s hard for me to even think about exposing myself enough to let someone in.
“Yeah. It’s a blind date. I don’t get much time off work and decided to try one of those silly dating apps. Now, I’m starting to think it was a bad idea. This will be date number four. So far, I’ve gone from bad to worse,” she says, laughing a little as her face blooms in embarrassment.
“At least you’re getting out there,” I respond, trying to be reassuring. What I really want to do is ask her if she’s not scared that one of these men will be an ax murderer. I know I’m horrible. I hear all the time about couples meeting and falling in love, but I’m a cynic. If there’s an ax wielding murderer out there, I’d be the one he set a date up with. Since I’m already panicking over the man I met in my dreams, the last thing I need is to worry about one I meet in person.
“That’s true.”
“I’ll be right back with your water.”
“Thank you.”
It just takes me a minute to get her water and bring it back to her table. She’s got a pen in her hand, and she keeps clicking it, exposing the point, and then letting it disappear. She does it over and over while I place two menus on the table. I give the nervous woman a small smile.
“Would you like an appetizer or something while you wait?”
“No, but I have a favor to ask. You’re going to think I’m insane, I’m sure. It’s just, I only recently moved here from Florida. There isn’t anyone close and…”
“What is it?” I ask, wondering just how much stranger tonight can get for me.
“If you see me drowning in a bad date, can you call me?” she asks, jotting something down on a napkin and giving it to me. I look at it confused. “It’s my number. If you sneak and call me, I can make up some excuse to get away from him.”
“I… I’m not sure that—”
“Please? You just don’t understand how bad some of these dates can get. Do you know that last week I met a guy who confided in me that he was a secret agent for the U.S.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. He said he didn’t expect to make it back from his next mission, and just needed a woman to hold him. He said it would remind him of what he was fighting for.”
“Um…” I don’t know what to say because my mind is trying to wrap itself around that. I mean, you’ve got to give the guy points for trying to get laid. “I guess I could…” I respond cautiously.
“If it’s bad, I’ll drop my napkin or something?”
“Okay.” I tell her.
Just then, the bell above the door rings, indicating another customer just entered. I turn, with a fake smile plastered on my face, ready to tell whoever it is to sit anywhere they’d like. I don’t get the words out. They freeze in my throat. My body instantly trembles when the stranger looks up at me. His dark eyes connect with mine. He stares right at me, and I can feel this electricity move between us. It charges everything around us. He walks toward me as my heart seizes in my chest. I have to remind myself to breathe.
“Clara?” the man asks, but I just stand there, unable to talk—unable to move.
“That’s me! Are you Stark?” the woman from behind me says. The man’s gaze is still on me. I can see the disappointment flash in his eyes as he breaks our connection to look at the other woman.
I should scream at her to run. All I can do is back away, however, because I know the man she’s talking to. It’s the man who’s been haunting my dreams—my nightmares.
Fang Boy.
Only now he has a name. Stark. And he might be here on a date with another woman, but as I back away from their table, he’s staring straight at me.
Shit. I’ve got to get out of here…
4
#7
(STARK)
Thirty-three minutes.
That’s how long I’ve been here, listening to Clara talk and trying to appear like I care. I can’t tell you the first thing she said. I’ve been lost since the moment I walked into the restaurant.