Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Hugo groans, hand sliding into my curled hair, and tightens his grip. His tongue spears into my mouth, owning me with every swipe of it. I’ll have to reapply my lipstick, but it’s worth it. I love how Hugo always devours me like I’m something rare and he must greedily consume it or it’ll disappear forever. It’s nice to be so treasured and adored.
He pulls away all too soon and peers down at me, eyes burning with heat. “We have to leave or I’m going to mess up all your hard work. Fuck, Love, you drive me insane.”
“Likewise,” I say, grinning at him. “Let me reapply my lipstick and we can go. Try to keep your hands off me during dinner.”
He smirks at my flirting. “What about the car ride there and back?”
“Hmm,” I tease, “I guess we’ll see.”
His hand reaches for mine. “I guess we will.”
Turns out, having Hugo’s hand on my thigh while he drove us to the restaurant was torment for both of us. He’d been so hard by the time we arrived, I thought he was going to need to get off before getting out of the car. But he’d seen Scott Jeter, his opponent, and his wife, Sarah, walking into the restaurant, which killed all sexual tension.
Now he’s just tense.
Sure, he’s wearing a bright, fake smile as he guides me into the restaurant with a gentle hand on the small of my back, but I see through it. The last thing he wants to do is spend time with Scott. The feeling is mutual. I wish it were just me and Hugo.
“Hugo Park,” Scott booms from a nearby table where they’ve already been seated. “My nemesis.” He cackles, waving us over.
Hugo’s fingers brush over the cutout opening on my dress at my ribs, making my skin break out in goose bumps. He leads us over to the table where our party is waiting.
Scott is probably in his fifties or so and a far cry from Hugo’s handsome good looks. Thinning hair slicked back in an attempt to make it look fuller, pudgy around the middle, and a condescending grin on his face, Scott reminds me of Ben. Past his prime but still wanting to play like he’s young.
“Hugo, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is the guy I’m going to beat,” Scott says, laughing at his own joke. “And who’s this gorgeous little thing?”
Hugo shakes both their hands and then introduces me. “This is my stepdaughter, Aubrey. Since Neena couldn’t make it, I asked her to come along.”
Scott winks at him. “I’d let her fill in anytime for Sarah.”
Sarah, also a woman in her fifties but with a whole lot less fillers and plastic surgery than the other women in this town, elbows her husband. “Oh, stop. You’re a dirty old man and you’re making the child uncomfortable.”
Child.
Hugo tenses but plays it off well, changing the subject to the wine selection at the restaurant. I sit between him and Sarah, heart thudding hard in my chest. This is a lot more awkward than I anticipated what with Sarah pointing out my youth and her husband’s pervy comments.
While the men jokingly razz each other about the campaign, Sarah asks me about school. She also waves away the waiter when he attempts to pour me wine. I want Hugo to save me from her mother henning, but he’s in politician mode.
I just have to make it through this dinner.
Sarah bores me with stories of a charity gala she’s doing in the spring and how her children are all involved. One of her daughters is around my age and still in high school. It grates on me that she keeps pointing out my age.
Can she sense more is going on between me and Hugo?
Does she know his knee is pressed against mine beneath the table and my blood is running hot from the small but illicit touch?
“How’s the boy?” Scott asks, piquing my interest. “Must be difficult for a young man to share a home with such a beautiful temptation.”
I cringe at his insinuation. Mostly, because it’s true.
“Ew,” I blurt out, feigning disgust. “He’s my stepbrother.”
“Good girl,” Sarah purrs, patting my arm. “Boys are dumb. Focus on school like my Leah. She’s going to be a doctor. What are you going to be when you grow up, sweetie?”
When I grow up.
Hugo moves his leg away.
My stomach twists itself into a knot. The steak I’m staring at doesn’t seem so appetizing despite the fact it’s so expensive it doesn’t even have a listed price on the menu.
“I don’t know,” I admit, shrugging my shoulders. “Haven’t thought about it much.”
Sarah drains her third glass of wine and narrows her eyes at me. “What teenager hasn’t thought about her future by your age?”
“The Park family tends to take a gap year off,” Hugo interjects smoothly. “Though, if she and Spencer want to go to PMU this fall, we can easily enroll them with a quick call. There’s really no rush, though. Aubrey has time to figure out her life.”