Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“Have you had a break yet?”
“Bless you, Sav. I could use a breather.”
I took the bag of ticket stubs from her and stepped in to supervise the ticket collection while the ride operator continued.
“Okay ladies and gents. We’re wrapping up. Who wants one last ride on the Ferris wheel today? I’ve got space for twenty.”
With a big, friendly grin, I began to collect tickets from eager patrons. I was about to turn back to the Ferris wheel when I looked up and did a double-take. Suddenly, I felt as if I was spinning out of control.
There, standing a few feet away from me, was Max!
Oh God!
All day I had forced myself not to think about him. Throughout the day I’d met a few people I had emailed, and each time I’d forced myself not to hope that Max would keep his word to be there. At any point that I found myself wondering if he was there yet, I reminded myself that he was not the most reliable person at showing up. His promises were all built on sand.
I was happy that my visor and sunglasses hid any expression on my face. If he only knew how desperately I was drinking in the sight of him as he stood there, looking at me, his own eyes shielded. I did not know if his blue gaze scanned me as I did him.
My God, the man was beautiful.
He wore a soft yellow button-down shirt. Without moving my head, I allowed my eyes to travel downward to the dark blue jeans that hugged his lean hips, and was shocked to find my body was growing warm just looking at him. What the hell was I doing?
Suddenly, the hurt, rage, anguish, and hate that had become second nature to me dissipated like hot breath on a freezing night. I struggled to even remember how furious I was with him. I just wanted to wrap myself around him again. Feel his hard body against mine, his skin like raw silk…
NO! The word was like a scream reverberating in my head.
I forced myself to remember the familiar anger, the hurt, the pain, the anguish, the grieving, everything he had put me through with his revolting betrayal. I rammed the intolerable image of him with the other woman forcefully to my mind. I must never forget that, yes, he was very easy on the eye, but he was actually a disgusting human being who had also tried to steal from his best friend. A kind man who had taken a chance on him and his business ideas. Robert was almost a brother to him, and someone who had taken the risk of backing him financially when no one else would. Max’s repayment had been to steal from poor Robert.
Ugh!
I felt the desire evaporate and I set my jaw defiantly.
Taking a deep breath I watched him taking long strides towards me. He was wearing sunglasses, so I couldn’t see his eyes, but the evening sun slanted onto his cheekbones, and made him look so darn beautiful, my stomach clenched. Once this man was mine. I dreamed he would be forever. Now he was a stranger. I would never feel his lips on mine again. I felt tears burn the backs of my eyes, and suddenly, I knew I couldn’t meet him. Not yet, anyway. I just needed a bit more time.
To prepare myself.
I turned on my heel and all but ran away towards another part of the field. I dared not look over my shoulder until I felt I was far enough away from him to be safe. Thankfully, though the grounds were becoming scanty, there were still enough patrons around and things to be done where I could be busy.
I made my rounds, discreetly looking for his black head. He always was the tallest man in a crowd. I spotted him a few times as he walked around, laughing and chatting with a few sponsors who he seemed to know. Why the hell hadn’t he come earlier when it was busier and it was easier for me to get lost in the crowd? I could not help but feel as though he had deliberately waited until there would be very few distractions. But then again, I was only assuming he had just arrived. He did not have the look of someone who had been at a fair all day.
I stood with my back against a tent as I scanned the field once more. All I had to do was avoid him for the next ten minutes after which the fair would close and all patrons would have to leave. I could already see the school’s security team beginning to round up stragglers who were trying to get into any last-minute rides and food. The clean-up crew were already moving in and some of the ride operators had already started dismantling their equipment.