Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 59445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
My heart sank to my stomach. What if we made it to the end of the two weeks and he didn’t feel like I was worth the risk? I knew my feelings wouldn’t change, they hadn’t changed in years. I wanted to tell him that, but I also didn’t want to influence him in any way. I didn’t want to trap him out of some obligation to satisfy my feelings. I wanted him to choose me because he couldn’t see anyone else but me.
“Brynn?”
“Yes,” I said. “Two weeks it is.”
“Agreed.” Weston let out a long sigh. “Now, one more thing…”
I held my breath, wondering what other kind of impossible situations he wanted to subject me to tonight.
“What is it?” I asked, timid.
“What are you wearing?”
I laughed, sliding back against the pillows, my skin growing hot all over. “I would tell you,” I said. “But our two weeks just started.”
“Maybe I should just come over and find out.”
My toes curled and I couldn’t contain my smile. “You set the standard,” I said. “I’ll stick to it. You should too.”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “Goodnight, Ms. Allen.”
Sparks skated down my spine. “Goodnight, Mr. Rutherford.”
WESTON
“Winner buys dinner,” Gareth said, shaking my hand firmly as we took our seats at the hotel’s steakhouse.
“I’m fine with that,” I said, still riding the high off the Raptors’ win.
We’d played the Charleston Cougars in a tight matchup at their home field, but ultimately came out with a win. One that Nixon—our quarterback—and his wife Liberty were more than happy to celebrate with us as they took their seats at the large table.
“Hendrix!” Brynn’s voice reached an excited level that had a smile creeping along my face that I firmly kept in check while I spun around, watching her practically leap into Hendrix’s arms as he came in behind us. “I’ve missed you,” she said as he scooped her into a hug.
“Missed you too, kid,” he said, teasing her like he always did because she’d been two years behind us in school. He set her back on her feet while I reached for Savannah, who gave me a quick hug and a smile.
“Good to see you,” I said to her.
“Definitely,” she said before punching my chest playfully. “Even if you beat us.”
I laughed, waving her off and nodding to Nixon, who was now greeting Hendrix too. “You should blame him,” I said, pointing to our quarterback. “I had nothing to do with it.”
“You did all right,” Hendrix said, clapping Nixon on the back. The two had been close when they both played for the Raptors, and they made sure to put in the work to stay close once Hendrix traded to the Cougars. Just like he had with me.
We all took our seats, settling into a fun conversation reminiscing old times before arguing over which play was the real game changer tonight.
“Not a chance,” Gareth said after biting into his porterhouse. “What turned the tides for your team was that run in by Padilla. The yards he gained opened it up for you to throw it in,” he said, aiming his knife at Nixon.
Nixon raised his hands. “I’d never tell you you’re wrong,” he said, and we all laughed at that. “I don’t want to end up at the bottom of a river or anything,” he joked.
Gareth grunted, which was as close to a laugh as anyone was going to get with my surly, intimidating friend.
“Oh, stop it,” Savannah said. “Gareth is not scary at all.”
I nearly choked on my water, setting it down quickly.
“Not everyone is as fearless as you, babe,” Hendrix said, leaning in to kiss her cheek before returning to his meal.
“Plus, working for Ethan is probably ten times worse, right?” I teased.
“Ethan may be an asshole half the time,” Savannah answered. “But he’s always been nice to me.”
“That’s because you’re a woman,” I said.
“At least he’s upfront about it.” She shrugged.
“I’m only scary to the wrong people,” Gareth said so matter-of-factly it was hard to tell if he was joining in on the joke or being deadly serious. “You’re all good in my book.”
Brynn laughed at that along with Savannah and Liberty, but it was hers I heard over all the rest. The sound had a direct line to my heart, tugging on it in the warmest way anytime I heard it.
One week.
It had been a long fucking week.
Days of seeing her in the office, seeing her in my house in the morning as she briefed me on my schedule before heading into the marketing firm for the day. We’d agreed to wait two weeks to make sure our feelings weren’t fueled by only lust, but I knew I didn’t want to waste one more second waiting.
I knew what I wanted, and it was way more than sex. I wanted Brynn on a primal level where our lives were intertwined in all the right ways. Friendship, sex, work, passion, support. I wanted it all.