Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
I had to swallow to keep my eyes from tearing up like a goddamn pussy.
“Your freckles are back.”
She seemed flustered that I’d noticed and looked away. “I like to give my skin a break on the weekend. I’m going to grab some coffee. You want anything?”
I lifted the two tall cups from the table and extended one to her. “Blonde vanilla latte with extra vanilla syrup.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
My appointment wasn’t for another half an hour, so I motioned for her to take a seat. “We have a little time before we have to go.”
“Go? I thought we were where we were going. You said to meet you at Starbucks.”
“That’s right. Meet me at Starbucks. We have somewhere to go from here.”
“Where?”
I grinned. “That’s a secret.”
She bit her lip, a rare sign of nervousness, and sipped her coffee. I couldn’t help staring at her.
“You have to stop doing that?” she said.
“What?”
“Staring at me. It freaks me out.”
“All right.” I sat back into my chair and turned my head away from her. “So tell me what’s been going on over the last year.”
She elbowed me in the ribs playfully. “You know what I mean.”
I turned back to face her. “Yeah, I do. You want me to me act like you’re not all I think about, and that when I see you it doesn’t take every ounce of strength I have to keep from grabbing your hair and making you remember what our lips felt like pressed against each other.”
Layla took the slightest breath in, just shy of a gasp, but more than a regular inhale. She wanted to hide any effect I had on her. She looked away to break the moment before turning back, shaking her head.
“I made a list, you know.”
I sipped my coffee, knowing exactly what she meant. Everything needed to be thoroughly analyzed. “Lay it on me.”
“Pros,” she started and grinned. “Let me think. That was a much shorter list.”
“Easy now. I’m sure you’re just missing a few. That’s another reason we needed to spend some time together today. So I can help you balance that thing.”
“Maybe I’ll walk away with a whole bunch of new cons I hadn’t thought of after this.”
“You won’t.”
She rolled her eyes, yet smiled. “So cocky.”
I winked. “My cock definitely goes on the pro side.”
“That reminds me, I need to add pervert to the con side.”
I leaned closer. “Give me a chance to make good on the dirty things I say. You’ll move it to the pro side. I promise.”
“Will we ever have a normal conversation again?”
I smirked. “Again? Did we ever have a normal conversation?”
She sighed. “You have a point.”
“I’m just kidding. We did have good talks, Layla. You’re beautiful, but I’m not celibate after more than three years because I can’t meet a woman. We connected on a different level. I want you to give that a chance again.”
She nodded but didn’t look too convincing if she was saying yes.
“Would it make you feel better if I told you that you scare the shit out of me, too?”
Her lips parted, and she covered this time by bringing the coffee to her mouth.
I noticed a woman waiting for her coffee looking over at us and staring. Lifting my chin in her direction, I asked Layla. “Friend of yours?”
When she turned to look, her face and posture changed. It looked like she wanted to duck and hide under the seat. The woman waved, and Layla hesitantly waved back. “Shit.”
“Someone you don’t want to see?”
“It’s my half-sister.”
“From your father’s other…”
“Family. Yes.”
“She lives in New York?”
“She moved here a few months ago. And thinks we should be besties.”
I glanced over at the woman now walking toward us with her coffee. “Well, don’t look now, but your bestie is on her way over here.”
The woman had an irritatingly high-pitched voice. “Layla! I can’t believe I finally ran into you. I left you a few messages. I was starting to think you were avoiding me.”
“No. Just busy.” She pointed to me. “Even working weekends. I’m sort of in a client meeting.”
“Oh!” She looked at me, her interest piqued. “Lucky you.”
“But it was great seeing you.” Layla laid it on thick.
“You, too. I’m having dinner with Dad next weekend. You should join. He’d love to see you.”
Layla feigned disappointment like a champ. “Oh. Sorry. I’ll be out of town.”
The woman stuck out her bottom lip. “Okay. Well, I’ll let you get back to work.” She leaned down and went in for an awkward hug and air kiss. “I’ll call you!”
“You do that,” Layla said. “Take care.”
When she turned back around, her shoulders slumped. “I hope wherever you’re taking me, there’s alcohol.”
I looked at my watch. “It’s even better. You’ll love it. It will put a smile on your face and make you forget all about your crazy family. And you won’t have a hangover tomorrow.”