Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 111732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
Thankfully, the conversation shifts. We find out the latest about Lucy’s daughter, Frankie, whom we all adore. As Lucy’s speaking, however, I can’t resist sneaking a peek across the party at Mr. Smoke Show. When I look over at him, he’s tossing a bean bag in his game with Grayson, and the second my eyes land on his tall, athletic frame, my blood flash-boils with lust. Damn. Max looked stunning in a designer suit at Captain’s; he looked downright mouthwatering, naked and hard in the moonlight at his condo; and now, at this happy afternoon gathering, he looks like a runway model in those casual board shorts and a T-shirt.
“Hey, Marnie,” Jasmine says, yanking my attention from Max. “Is your dad still seeing that woman he met at the grocery store?” A couple monthly dinners ago, I told my friends the exciting news about my father’s encounter with a pretty lady at Whole Foods, which led to a sunset picnic at Kerry Park the next afternoon. Since that first bit of exciting news, my friends have regularly asked for updates on Dad’s budding romance.
I never did introduce Dad to the wonderful lady I met at that expensive yoga studio. In fact, I haven’t seen Geraldine since I moved in with Dad. For one thing, the yoga studio is way too expensive for me to keep my membership going. Plus, it’s too far away from Dad’s place to be practical. But even more than that, I realized I’d been so drawn to Geraldine because she’d reminded me of Mom, and that wasn’t a healthy reason to pursue a friendship with her. All’s well that ends well, though, because my father has been floating around the house like a schoolboy with a crush ever since he met his new crush, Gigi, at Whole Foods.
“Yep, Dad’s still dating Grocery Store Lady,” I say to the group, much to everyone’s delight. “And increasingly over the moon about it. He’s been taking it really slowly with her, but I feel like things have been noticeably picking up lately. He made Gigi dinner last week at the house, when Ripley and I were at Lucy’s for dinner. And then, Dad and Gigi took Ripley to the zoo while I was auditioning for that new client referred by Victoria.” I smile at Victoria. “Thank you again for that. I owe you big, even though you’re presently annoying me.”
Victoria laughs. “You’re very welcome.”
I return to the group, “And today, while Dad is watching Ripley for me, Gigi came over to join them at the lake for a little picnic on the shore.”
As everyone expresses excitement about that, Jasmine asks, “You still haven’t met her?”
“Not yet. Dad’s thinking about having her over for dinner next week to meet me, but I don’t want to pressure him. He’ll introduce her when he’s ready.”
My friends ask a few questions about my fancy new client who was kindly referred by Victoria, but when that line of conversation runs its course, Jasmine, a pediatrician, tells the group a story about an adorable kid at work. As Jasmine talks, I find myself giving in to temptation and glancing toward Max’s cornhole game again. But this time, Max isn’t over there. Damn. Where’d he go?
“Hello, ladies. May I join you?”
“Why, hello, Max,” Victoria says, her blue gaze fixed at a target above my head. “Yes, of course. Sit.” Victoria scoots over and a figure who smells delicious assumes the now-vacated chair next to me. Fuck.
“Hello, Marnie,” a male voice says. It’s a voice I’d know anywhere, despite the brief time I spent with the man and the lengthy passage of time.
I force myself to look to my right. “Hello, Max.”
Oh, Jesus. Up close, the man is hotter than ever. A forest fire. In a flash, I see myself dragging Max into a guest room inside Selena’s spacious house and fucking the living hell out of him. Quickly, I turn away, blushing, and sip my Grey Goose Grayson with a shaking hand.
Victoria asks Max how he’s enjoying the party, and Max says he’s having a great time. Jasmine asks Max if he won his cornhole game earlier against the Birthday Boy, and Max tells the group the story of his epic battle to the death. Victoria asks Max how he met Grayson in the first place, and Max explains Grayson used to work in the IT Department at his law firm before Grayson took the plunge and went into business for himself.
And through it all, I never once look at Maximillian Vaughn again, even though I’m supremely aware of his body heat next to mine. His scent. His feral energy. Even though I can easily imagine every detail of the gorgeous, girthy cock that lies beneath those board shorts. Even though he’s now resting his forearms on the table in my peripheral vision, and I can remember myself literally biting those forearms when he wrapped them around me from behind while fucking me senseless.