Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Probably the boyfriend,” Will said flatly.
“We like him,” Molly said, smacking Will lightly on the chest.
“Yeah, he’s alright.”
“He’s a sweetheart,” Kara said happily. “And he thinks Reb walks on water.”
“How’s your leg feelin’?” Bishop asked, his eyes on me.
“Just sore,” I replied. “The Jaeger helped.”
“Ibuprofen would be better,” Molly said in exasperation.
“I’m good,” I replied with a smile.
“Who slides on a makeshift field?” Draco asked with a huff.
“Winners,” I replied, toasting him with my glass. “That’s who.”
“Charlie’s a bit competitive,” Kara told Bishop.
“I noticed,” he replied, the corners of his mouth curving up.
Holy crap. With two words he’d instantly brought back memories that weren’t at all appropriate for a family barbeque.
“Uh, I’m gonna go find Reb,” I said. “Outside?”
“She went out the front,” Kara replied.
“I’ll go with you,” Bishop said, taking a step toward me.
I was acutely aware of him as he followed me back through the room and out the front door.
“She’s not good with blood,” I said as I searched the yard for Reb. “Or any injuries, really. They freak her out.”
“Understandable,” he said easily.
“That’s why she stood outside my parents’ door while I was getting patched up,” I continued explaining. “She wanted to make sure I was okay, but she didn’t want to actually see anything—if that makes sense.”
“Yep,” he said, nodding his head. “Lots of people are like that.”
I found Reb sitting under a tree across the yard talking on the phone and I headed toward her.
“You look good,” Bishop said as we walked side by side.
“Thanks,” I muttered, distracted. Reb seemed upset.
“So,” Bishop continued. “You weren’t actually avoiding me.”
A startled laugh burst out of my mouth and I turned to look at him. “Well, yeah, I kind of was,” I confessed. “But you’re not the only one. I’ve been avoiding everyone.”
“Why?”
“I’m up to here,” I said, holding my hand over my head. “In coffee shit. I dream about it. Drink recipes and to-do lists and stock and profit margins. I have zero room for anything else.”
“Sounds unpleasant,” he said, reaching up to scratch his jaw.
“It’s just a lot,” I said with a sigh. “I’m not trying to be an asshole, here. I’m just working really hard toward a goal and I get tunnel vision.”
“I can understand that.”
“I’m really glad you’re here, though,” I said with a smile, reaching out to give his bicep a squeeze. “On my one night off.”
Whoops. I probably should’ve kept my hands to myself, because the moment my fingers touched his skin, both of us froze.
Bishop glanced at my hand, still wrapped halfway around his bicep.
Without thought my gaze dropped.
“Charlie,” Bishop said, a smile in his voice. “You want another round, all you gotta do is say so.”
I averted my eyes so fast I almost made myself dizzy.
“What’s with you staring at my dick?” he asked with a laugh. “My eyes are up here, honey.”
“I can’t help it,” I snapped, dropping my hand. “I know what you can do with that thing.”
“If I can keep it PG while you’re flashing your bare ass around, you can keep it PG when I’m fully dressed,” he joked.
“It wasn’t bare,” I countered. “I’m wearing underwear.”
“That’s not underwear, honey.”
“Yes it is.”
“Isn’t underwear supposed to cover your ass?”
“A G-string isn’t supposed to.”
“G-strings are a misguided attempt to cover the promised land and nothin’ else,” he said, laughing. “What’s the point?”
“I didn’t want underwear lines!”
“Then fully commit and don’t wear any,” he argued.
“I wasn’t going commando to my family’s barbecue!”
“Because a G-string is better?” he asked.
“Yes!”
“You’re nuts.”
“I am not.”
“It would take two seconds for me to reach under that dress and snap the string of those underwear in half,” he said with a laugh. “Who you think you’re foolin’?”
My skin flushed in an instant and for just a moment I almost forgot we were standing right in front of the clubhouse. I almost dared him to do it.
“Charlie, are you okay?” Reb asked, calling to us and snapping me out of the trance I seemed to be in.
I swallowed hard and turned to face her.
“I could ask you the same thing,” I said, striding toward her. “You looked upset.”
“I was just telling Wesley about your accident,” she said, getting to her feet as I reached her.
“No big deal, toots,” I said, lifting up my skirt a little so she could see the bandage. “Your mom fixed me right up.”
“That scared me,” she said, reaching out to touch the top of the bandage with her fingertips.
“It looked worse than it was,” I assured her. “I didn’t even need stitches or anything. Just a scratch.”
“You were bleeding.”
“Well, yeah,” I said, pushing on her shoulder. “Scratches bleed.”
“Mom cleaned it?” she asked, looking up from my leg. “If you don’t clean it, it’ll get infected. You have to get the germs out.”
“She cleaned it really well,” I assured her. “Your mom knows what’s up.”