Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Devorah Crowley, the one he’d crushed on, loved even, through his formative years and the one he’d lost the day Chad Campbell weaseled his way into her life. She was still as beautiful as the day he last saw her. He’d come home from college to see her, only to find her smiling and happy with someone else. He’d missed his opportunity, again.
But it was the first time he ever kissed her that flashed in his mind on this dreary morning.
“What are you doing here?” Colt groaned when his sister walked into the basement of Sheldon Gene’s house. Hayden smiled, though, because Devorah Crowley was one smoking chick, and he had the hots for her. He didn’t even care that she was two years younger than him. Although, if he ever told any of his friends, especially Colt, they’d tease him. She didn’t act like the other girls in her grade and was way more mature than her brother. Sleepovers with her brother were some of Hayden’s favorite things to do on the weekends. Being one room away from her was a definite bonus. Plus, she liked to watch movies with them and always sat next to Hayden. The best part was when she’d get a blanket, and it would somehow end up covering him too. Then his hand could touch her leg, and no one but them would know.
“It’s not your party, Colt. Laila and I can come if we want.”
“Crow is going to bust your butt if he catches you.”
“Well then, it’s a good thing you’re not telling because he’ll bust yours too!”
She stuck her tongue out at her brother, and Hayden coughed to hide his laughter.
“It’s time to play ‘seven minutes in heaven,’” Sheldon yelled. There was a collective groan among the partygoers, who were mostly classmates at Oyster Bay but also included a handful of those who were excited. Seven minutes to make out with your boyfriend or girlfriend, without getting caught by your parents or teachers, was a nice reprieve. Or at least Hayden thought it would be if he’d had a girlfriend.
Everyone sat in a circle, boy / girl / boy / girl. Each drew a piece of paper from Sheldon’s hat, which was sort of gross because Sheldon wasn’t the type who washed his hair very often.
“Who has number one?”
Some girl Hayden didn’t know raised her hand and spun the bottle. It rotated a couple of times before stopping in front of a guy a few over from him. Hayden glanced at Devorah. She stared back, and Hayden really hoped the bottle would land on her when he spun or vice versa. He had wanted to kiss her for a while now, but there was no way he’d ever make a move. Not with Colt being his best friend.
With each new spin of the bottle, Hayden held his breath. He felt like he had a hundred needles jabbing into his skin, mocking him that he could end up with someone he didn’t like or didn’t even know. Which was the point of the game. But he only wanted to go into the closet with one person.
When Devy raised her hand indicating that she was next, Hayden couldn’t take his eyes off her as she leaned forward to spin, and then his eyes watched every revolution the bottle took. He’d never prayed so hard to be chosen.
His lungs seized as the opening of the bottle pointed toward him. If he had any words, they failed instantly. So had any rational thoughts, until he heard Colt.
“Dude, this is sick,” Colt hollered over the music and the snickers of the others in the circle. “She’s my sister.”
Hayden looked at the bottle, and sure enough, the seven minutes in heaven gods were watching out for him.
He smirked. He couldn’t help it but added the classic eye roll to let Colt know it bothered him to have to go in the closet with his sister. “Don’t worry. We’ll just talk.”
“You better, or I’ll kick your ass.”
Devorah stood and came toward Hayden, grinning from ear to ear. He followed her to the closet, where Sheldon stood with his stopwatch poised and ready to track those precious seven minutes. He opened the door, told them to keep their clothes on, and then closed it.
The space was dark, but nothing was hanging from the bar, from what Hayden could feel.
“So, we just stand here until Sheldon opens the door?”
“No.” Hayden kept his voice low and tried to add a hint of seductiveness, although he wasn’t sure he’d done it right. “I want to kiss you.”
“What about Colt?”
“He’s not in here.”
Hayden’s heart picked up the pace as he thought about kissing Devorah. He’d seen enough TV to know where his hand should go and what his mouth should do, but knowing and doing were vastly different things in the minds of teenagers.