Total pages in book: 210
Estimated words: 203847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1019(@200wpm)___ 815(@250wpm)___ 679(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 203847 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1019(@200wpm)___ 815(@250wpm)___ 679(@300wpm)
Blood rushes to my cheeks. Holy fuck!
Tyler bursts into laughter. There isn’t a trace of embarrassment on his face, but mine is flaming.
“I gave the old bird in the opposite block a striptease last night!” he yells, winking at me.
Holy nonononono!
“I’ve changed my mind,” I breathe. “You can take her for breakfast!”
He looks at me, still laughing. He moves quickly, tugging me toward him, and presses his lips against mine. His teeth graze across my bottom lip as he pulls away.
“C’mon. Time to face the music, little exhibitionist.”
“It was your idea,” I murmur, trotting behind him. I hope I’m not still blushing.
“Yeah, well,” his sister says, “they’re soaking wet because it rained last night.”
“So you can dry them. You’re not staying here for free.”
“I’m not picking up your shit. I’m your older sister, not your slave, you messy git.”
I hide my laughter behind my hand, and Tyler looks at me. I shrug. “You are messy.”
He clicks his tongue. “I can see the next three weeks are going to be fun,” he says dryly. “Tessa, this is Liv. Liv, my sister.”
“And who is Liv?” Tessa asks, grinning.
“Tess.”
“Ty.”
I chew the inside of my lip.
“Tessa, this is my girlfriend.”
She smiles widely and bounds forward to hug me. Oh, wow. Okay. Apparently these two are huggers.
“I’m so glad to finally meet you!” She squeezes me then pulls back, holding me at arm’s length. “You’re gorgeous! Gosh, Ty. She is gorgeous.”
Now I’m definitely blushing.
“Tessa. Shut up. Not everyone has word vomit like you.” Tyler knocks her arms down.
“Oh, shit. I’m so sorry. I kind of did the same thing to Dayton last year. She looked at me like I had two heads,” Tessa muses. “I thought we were supposed to be the reserved ones, hmm? You guys are all shy and stuff.”
“Um,” I say. Way to make an impression, Liv. Good job, you fucking star.
I sigh internally.
Seriously though. How am I supposed to respond to that? ‘Thank you?’ I’m not even sure who she’s calling gorgeous.
She’s fucking stunning.
She’s the spitting image of Tyler, just oh so feminine. Her nose is tinier, her lips plumper, her eyes wider, her hair curlier.
The Stone family is so unfairly blessed with good genes.
I kind of hate them all.
“I’m sorry. I am kind of overwhelming sometimes.” Tessa smiles apologetically. “And I’m really sorry for barging in here like this. I didn’t realize Tyler wasn’t alone. In fact, I didn’t realize he was here at all.” She shoots him a glare.
I can tell by his sigh that he’s rolling his eyes.
“Jesus, Tessa. I thought you said Sunday. Ever heard of calling ahead to confirm?”
“In my defense, bro, you don’t usually have company the next morning.”
Tyler stops, rests a hand against the countertop, and rubs his forehead.
Tessa snaps her head toward me with wide eyes. “No offense. Crap. I think I’m jet-lagged. I’m sorry.”
“No worries,” I offer.
“Okay.” Tyler turns and hands her a cup of tea. “You drink this, replace your brain-to-mouth filter, then for the love of my sanity, and go to fucking bed. The spare room is made up for you. I’ll take you out for dinner tonight.”
“Okay.” Tessa meekly takes the tea. “Really, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, honestly.” I give her a genuine smile. She’s so fucking adorable.
“Sure. Right. Okay. Going now.” She waves goofily and turns off to the left.
“To the right. Third door!” Tyler yells, shaking his head.
“Fuck you very much!” she shouts back, making an about-turn in the hall.
I watch the mini exchange with a smile slowly spreading across my face. These two are like bread and butter and chalk and cheese. It’s incredible to see. So alike but so different.
I also get why he’s so protective her. She looks so innocent, so freakin’ cute, but her personality totally makes up for it.
I mean…wow.
Tyler runs his tongue across his teeth with a grin. “I need some ibuprofen already.”
I laugh and wrap my arms around his waist. An uncontrollable urge to just hold him is coming over me. A scary, enticing urge I simultaneously want to fulfill and fight.
His arms circle me tightly and he breathes me in deeply. “See? That wasn’t so bad.”
“Yet. I think I’m already kind of in love with her,” I tease.
“Oi!” He nuzzles my cheek. “You don’t get to fall in love with her first. I’ll have to withhold all spankings if that happens.”
“That’s quite the threat.”
“Mhmm. In fact, I’m pretty sure you’re not allowed to love anyone other than me. Ever.”
“I never said I did love you.” Wow, this is awkward.
“Does it matter? You’re still not allowed.”
“What if I never love you?”
“Then you best hope Angus lives another fifty years, ‘cause you’re totally fucked, babe.”
I smack his ass. “Bastard.”
He pulls back and grins. “Breakfast?”
“If you’re paying.”
He lets me go, sighs dramatically, then passes me my heels. At least they match the shirt.
“If it’s not my mouth, it’s my food. If it’s not my food, it’s my money.”