Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
The colossal blast that’s just happened in my knickers.
I flinch and cross my legs on the spot. I have no fucking clue what’s going on inside me, but it’s snapped me out of my ridiculous inertness. ‘Shots!’ I blurt, making a grab for the glasses. ‘Hey, I ordered four,’ I call to the waiter, scowling across the bar.
The man next to me starts laughing, a deep, sexy low rumble.
More blasts. Oh . . . God. Be quiet!
‘Just how drunk are you?’ he asks, and I look at him to see him watching me closely.
‘Perfectly sober, thanks,’ I say, snatching my eyes away from him quickly before I give them the opportunity to embarrass me again. ‘I ordered four.’
‘And you’ve spilt two,’ he points out. I look down and see the two empties . . . and it comes back to me. How long was I daydreaming? Or admiring? Or drooling?
‘Oh.’
‘Not drunk?’
I keep my eyes on the bar. They can’t be trusted. ‘Like I said, perfectly sober.’ I gather up the remaining glasses and make to turn, being sure to maintain my stability. Not that I’m stubborn or anything. I’m not drunk.
‘Care to prove it?’ he asks, pulling me to a stop. A challenge?
I risk a peek at him out of the corner of my eye and find the most gorgeous smile on his already gorgeous face. Where the hell did he come from?
Prove it? ‘How?’ I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.
‘Take the shots to your friends.’ He nods past me, and I look over to see my friends all now gathered around the tall table, Micky’s arms flying in the air dramatically, the girls laughing. I manage to note that Dishy Man here knows who I’m with. How long has he been here? There’s no way he would have slipped under any of the girls’ Hot-Man Radar. ‘Then come back to see me, if you want,’ he adds quietly.
If I want? Do I want? I have another quick peek up at him. He’s still smiling. It’s a dangerous smile. Very dangerous. He’s too handsome to be harmless.
I slink off, shamelessly adopting a mild sway of my arse as I go, resisting the urge to see if he’s watching me. He is watching me. I just know it, and it’s got me all hot and bothered.
Lizzy is on me like a pouncing tiger when I arrive back at the table. ‘Who in God’s name is that?’ she asks, eyes wide with excitement as she takes a shot.
‘I don’t know,’ I reply, downing the last shot myself instead of giving it up to any of my friends, all the while feeling the magnetic pull of the man behind me, my body tightening with the strain it’s taking not to turn and seek him out again.
‘Annie, I know you’re pretty much immune to men, but this is taking the piss. He’s watching you.’
Immune? I’m not sure I’d say immune. I’ve just never felt anything close to special. So why the hell am I tingling all over and trembling like a fool? I don’t feel very immune now. ‘He can watch.’
She gapes at me. ‘Well, if you won’t talk to him, then I will, since I’m single now.’ Pushing past me, she slaps a smile on her face and heads towards the bar, and my man.
I have no idea what comes over me, but the next moment my hand has shot out and I’ve seized Lizzy’s wrist, yanking her to a stop. I squeeze my eyes shut, annoyed with myself. ‘Just hold on one minute.’ I breathe in deeply and turn to her. ‘A rebound fuck with a stranger isn’t the way forward.’
She’s holding back a grin that will probably split her face if it escapes. She has me. For the first time – probably ever – a man has caught my attention. I shouldn’t read too much into it. I expect this particular man has caught every woman’s attention, the unholy, good-looking son of a bitch.
Leaning into me, Lizzy pushes her mouth to my ear, just as my eyes fall on him again. He’s still watching me. Intently, almost challengingly. ‘He looks like a hard fucker,’ Lizzy whispers, giggling as she breaks away, giving me a coy look. ‘Do womankind a favour and get laid.’ She nods past me. ‘By him.’
‘I’m just going to talk to him,’ I protest, leaving my friend behind and giving in to the pull luring me back to him. I drink in air and start a steady pace towards him, dropping my bottom lip from between my teeth when I realise I’m biting it.
He maintains a serious face, watching me as he leans on the bar casually. ‘I believe I saw a slight stagger,’ he says, raising his eyebrows.
He’s just too fucking handsome for his own good. And, undoubtedly, my good too. ‘Sober,’ I mouth, leaning next to him at the bar.