Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Deciding to lay it on thick, I go ahead and flat out lie to the woman. “Been trying to get her to marry me for years. I’m sure I’ll wear her down one day.”
The women stare at me in astonishment, as if they can’t understand why Blue would be such a catch. And because she might actually have been elevated above their ranks, I see it in Christina’s eyes that she wants to knock her down. It causes me to brace hard as I wait for it.
“Blue,” Christina simpers as she looks slowly down Blue’s body, and my eyes snap back that way. “That dress is so cute.”
My girl blinks in surprise at the compliment before saying. “Thank you. Yours is gorgeous too.”
Christina’s smile is dismissive and she turns to Krystal, playfully tapping her on the shoulder. “Of course, I could never pull off something that wasn’t designer, but Blue does an amazing job of it, doesn’t she?”
Before I can defend the seventeen-hundred-dollars I’d dropped on that dress or the nearly ten grand for the bracelet, and that doesn’t even take into account the Louboutins on her feet, Christina turns her attention to me. “You should have seen Blue in high school, Erik.”
My jaw locks tight and Blue tenses up beside me.
Christina shoots a quick look to Blue. “No offense.” Then she looks back to me. “But she was such an awkward little thing.”
I stay utterly still, not knowing where Christina is going with this. She slides her eyes over to her husband, sees him eyeballing Blue’s tits and she sucks in air through her nostrils. Her eyes go positively malicious then and she looks back to me. “Quite the ugly duckling, you know. But I suppose she ‘blossomed’ somewhat.”
Christina even uses air quotes when she says “blossomed.”
“In fact,” Christina continues on as her two friends sidle in closer, wanting to feed off the nastiness of her words. “Once, in high school—”
“What the fuck is wrong with you people?” I ask in a low voice that cuts sharply across Christina.
Her chin jerks inward and she blinks at me in surprise. “Pardon?”
“Pardon?” I mimic her, pulling Blue in closer to me. “I said, what the fuck is wrong with you crazy people?”
Everyone is utterly silent except for Ellen who gives a distinctive snicker behind her hand which is covering her mouth.
“How do you think it’s even remotely okay to talk like that about someone, and right to their face?”
I get nothing back from the women except affronted stares. TJ stares at Blue.
“I suspect,” I continue on in a scathing voice, “you do it because you’ve always done it and no one’s been brave enough to call you on your shit. I suspect women like you are so down on yourselves, the only way you feel good is to make fun of someone else.”
A long gust of air releases from Blue and her entire body goes lax as I take up her defense. I hope she enjoys this.
“I feel sorry for you,” I say in a hard voice to the group. “You’re missing out on knowing the most beautiful, generous, caring woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. You could be better people if you just soaked in a little bit of Blue’s goodness. But I expect you’re so mired in your pathetic misery, you don’t even know how to go about doing that.”
Turning to Blue, I cup her chin and tilt her head back to look at me. “These people are beneath you.”
I get nothing back but a smile.
It’s neither grateful nor affirming. In fact, there’s nothing within it that has a thing to do with these people, but has everything to do with just me. I memorize the profound feeling of euphoria it stirs within me and turn back to Christina.
“Thank you for inviting us,” I tell her with a slight bow and a charming grin. My hand slides down to take Blue’s and I look over my shoulder at Ellen. “We’re going to go grab some drinks at the Sneaky Saguaro. Want to come?”
“Absolutely,” she beams back at us.
Bringing Blue’s hand up to my mouth, I kiss the back of her hand and release it. “You and Ellen head out to the car. I’ll be out in a moment.”
Blue doesn’t question me, rather turns and loops her arm through Ellen’s. “Come on.”
No one says a word as the women walk to the double doors. I turn to TJ, who’s eyes are now pinned on Blue’s ass. Once she’s out of sight, he finally turns his focus to me.
My fist is there to meet his nose.
One short jab because a full cross by me would seriously hurt the dude. But it’s enough to make his knees wobble as he screams like a little girl, cupping his bleeding nose. He sinks to the floor, crying.