Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 127146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
He scowls, looks me up and down, then tips his head in a smile. "Sure, yeah, let's try it.”
He hands the game operator some cash, and we settle on the stools in front of the guns. The bell rings, and I pull the trigger, watching as the water gradually comes out. Hurry, hurry. I speak internally, excitement building in my belly.
“Nooooo!!!!” I squeak when Stewart’s bowling pin tips over first. He turns to me grinning, and for the first time in a long time, I return a smile.
How can you feel better and worse all in the same day?
“Want to do another round?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Nah, let’s walk around and see what else is happening.”
“Yeah, sure. Let’s go.” He offers me his hand, and I take it, letting him pull me up from the stool. It’s soft and warm, and holding his hand even briefly makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong. Like I’m cheating on Drew, which is impossible since we aren’t anything.
It doesn’t matter, though. My body refuses to acknowledge what my brain says, and I release his hand immediately. We walk around for a little bit, taking in the small shops and food stands. After a little while, his body inches closer to mine, and soon, he’s got an arm wrapped around my waist, keeping me close to him. He guides us through the crowd easily, and I tell myself he's just protecting me, but I feel weird about it as his hand oh-so slowly begins to drift lower. I don’t think I like where this is going.
Needing to put some space between us, I jump from his grasp. "Did you want to get something to drink?"
He gives me an easy smile. "Sure, doll."
How is it that I hate him calling me doll way more than I hate Drew calling me wallflower?
We cut through the building crowd toward a beer tent. I remember Jackie complaining about the university limiting the number of products being sold for liability reasons, but from the homemade flyer stapled to the wood, it looks like they have beer, soda, and water.
“What can I get ya?” A leggy blonde in a cheerleading uniform greets us. Her eyes glitter as they dart back and forth between the two of us.
“Two beers, please,” Stewart says, his tone gentleman-like.
We don’t even have to show our IDs since we had to do that to enter. Anyone over twenty-one was given this bright green wristband. It’s another way the university is trying to limit underage drinking. Although I admire the effort, the carnival is the least of their problems. The cheerleader pours from a tapped keg, filling two red Solo cups before bringing them over to us. Stewart pays her and slips his wallet back into his pocket. He moves to the side to get out of the way of other paying patrons. For a moment, we get separated, and someone grabs me by the arms, spinning me around. Panic bubbles to the surface and then evaporates when I see a familiar face before me.
Jack's face is bright and smiley as she glances over my shoulder meaningfully. "My oh my, look at you being all social. I'm so proud of you."
I laugh. "Don't worry. I definitely plan to be in bed by nine."
She waggles her eyebrows at me, and I laugh again and bat her hands away. "Alone." I lower my voice. "I plan to be in bed by nine, alone."
She leans closer like we are conspiring. "Who says you have to be alone? Just put a sock on the door."
"Do people still need to do that when they can just write 'brb having sex' on their whiteboard and people will leave them alone? Better yet, next time I want to have sex in our suite, I'll just text you a play-by-play update."
I notice Stewart out of the corner of my eye. He saunters forward, his long legs eating up the short distance between us.
Jackie laughs. “Well, if you want to send visual aids as well so I can see where you are in the process, I won't say no to that."
I roll my eyes and decide we need a subject change. "Stewart, this is my friend and suite-mate Jackie, or Jack, as I like to call her."
He gives her a smile and a shrug with the beer in his hand. "What's up, Jack?"
“Nothing much. Going to go get some popcorn and have my next conquest eat it off me,” Jackie jokes, or at least I hope she’s joking. She’s different in many ways.
Stewart laughs, but I can tell it’s forced. She smiles in return, but his doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Anyway, I’ll leave you two alone to enjoy the evening. I see a football player scowling at me, which basically means he wants me."