Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
I finished tightening another bolt and straightened, bracing my hands on the edges of her car, staring at the work I’d just done. It was fixed, yet I was thinking about the other shit I could do so I would stay close to her.
I heard the inner garage door open and leaned to the side to see her walking toward me. She had her bag thrown over one shoulder as she texted on her phone.
“Hey you,” I said and she stopped, lifting her head up and smiling.
“Hey you back.” She tucked her phone in her bag and walked up to me. Standing beside me, she looked at the engine. I saw the way her brows knitted, and couldn’t help but smirk.
I wanted to move my finger between her eyes and smooth that confusion away.
“So, this was the problem?” She pointed to a random spot under the hood and I smiled wider.
“No, here,” I said as I took her hand gently in mine, moving it over to where the water pump was.
I might have lingered a little too long with my hand on hers, and when I looked over at her, I could see her body was tense, her throat working as she swallowed. I moved my hand off of hers, my fingers sliding slowly over the back of her wrist.
“So much stuff going on under here,” she said softly, still looking at the engine. “I should learn what all of this is.”
I couldn’t deny how insanely attractive is was that she was trying so hard to understand.
“I’m actually done.”
She glanced over at me. “Really?” She looked so happy, so grateful.
“Really.” Just seeing her like this made it all worth it.
“I can’t thank you enough, Roman. You’re such a huge help.”
I cleared my throat, feeling slightly awkward at how embarrassed her praise made me feel.
“So…” She hesitated for a moment and I turned to face her, giving her my full attention. “Is that invite for tonight still open?”
My throat tightened instantly. “Absolutely.” Fuck, she’s coming? “You’re really coming?” Calm the hell down. Don’t act so damn eager. You’ll make a fool out of yourself.
Her smile was bright, genuine. “I mean, you’ll be my first.”
Fuck. Hearing her say that instantly had my cock hardening. She’d said it so innocently, yet here I was being a dirty bastard about it.
“Figure if I’m going to go to my first party, might as well be yours, right?”
Damn right.
“Absolutely.” And I was feeling pretty fucking good until a car pulled up to the driveway and some asshole shouted out the window for her.
“See you then?” She smiled and I actually lifted my hand and placed it over my chest, the sight causing my heart to ache in the best of ways.
I looked over at the guy, instantly glowering. He was some pretty boy, driving an expensive car, all grinning at Kennedy like he knew her better than anyone else.
No one knew her better than I did.
Did he know what her favorite food was? That if she could eat chocolate pudding for three meals she would? Did he know that when she was nervous her pupils dilated and she fiddled with the ends of her hair? Or how about when she was excited? Did the prick know that she spoke faster, and laughed more when she was happy?
Or what about that whenever she ate cherry cheesecake she pushed all the cherries off to the side and refused to eat them?
I doubted he knew any of that. Those were things I had picked up watching her for these last two years. There was more, so much more. Like how she bit her lip and her breathing increased when she was unsure about something.
I wanted her to spend time with me exclusively, to know that I could be the one she could come to for everything.
And then she climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door. She lifted her hand and waved at me, and I forced myself to do the same. But what I really wanted to do was pull that little asshole out of the driver’s seat and toss him over the hood of the car for even looking in Kennedy’s direction.
My jealousy was so powerful that I gripped the wrench so damn tight, I felt pain lance up my arm.
I couldn’t do anything but watch her leave, let my jealousy fester because acting out and looking barbaric would do me no favors.
I growled low in my throat. Tonight, she’d know the truth.
Tonight, I’d make her mine.
Chapter Eleven
Roman
I kept looking at the clock, then at the front door. As much as I wanted her at the party, I also knew it would probably be best if she didn’t come. But hell, I wanted her here desperately.
I wanted to see her.
This wasn’t her scene. Shit, it wasn’t really even my scene anymore. I should have had the balls to shut Raif and Theo down on this whole party.