Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
As if to prove my point, Derek started talking to a girl at the next table and eventually followed her to the bar to buy her a drink. I switched seats to be next to Alex, which earned me a wink from Jordan and a cutting look from my brother. I ignored both, soaking in the fact that I didn’t have to hide my interest anymore.
“Since we’re no longer sneaking around, does this mean you can leave with me tonight?” I said against his ear, and he shivered.
“I don’t know. I’ll have to check my schedule,” he teased.
“Oh, I see. You’ve got other opportunities lined up? Trying to make me jealous?”
Alex’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “Would you be?”
“Probably,” I replied without hesitation, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. He liked hearing that, so instead of carefully considering my next words, I just went for it. “We haven’t discussed this yet, but…while we’re doing this hanging-out thing…I’d like to be exclusive.”
“Yeah?” He pressed his shoulder against mine. “That almost makes it sound like we’re dating.”
“Does it?” My heart stuttered at the idea.
“Uh-huh, and you made it clear you’re not interested in relationships.”
“You said the same,” I pointed out.
“True, I did. But sometimes I…never mind.” He wouldn’t meet my gaze, leaving me feeling a bit unsettled. Did he want more and couldn’t admit it, or was I reading too much into it? And why was I even entertaining that idea? Alex was turning me inside out. That was obvious.
“All I meant was…I’m not interested in anyone else right now. Only you,” I told Alex, and he visibly swallowed. “But if that’s not cool with you, just—”
“I’m not either,” Alex replied. “Only you.”
Fuck, I liked hearing that way too much. I breathed out, relief washing over me.
He grinned and dipped his head.
“What?” I asked.
“Goes to show that whoever you end up with in life, you’ll be loyal to a fault. And not only because of what went down between your parents.”
I sucked in a breath, amazed once again how much Alex could read me. Because it was true and also my greatest fear that the loyalty wouldn’t be returned.
Maybe Bailey and I weren’t so far apart in our deepest wishes after all.
“So it’s a deal?” I put out my hand, and we shook on it, our grins growing. I knotted our fingers together and tugged so he swayed toward me. And fuck me, I almost—almost—kissed him right in the middle of the bar until I remembered where we were and who our audience was. But damn if I didn’t want to lay one on him.
I felt Alex’s soft breaths against my lips. “Pretty sure Bailey would lose his mind if we started making out.”
I looked past him to find that we were indeed being watched by my brother, who quickly looked away. He might not complain aloud to Alex anymore, but his expression said it all. He was still struggling with this. “Then maybe we should, if only to drive him insane.”
Alex chuckled, squeezing my fingers, and making me remember I still had hold of his hand. I didn’t let go, and he didn’t try to pull away, and I couldn’t have cared less who noticed. Not that I ever did, just that this time it seemed to matter more.
“See?” Jordan said across the table. “Cute. Like boyfriends.”
“It’s not that serious.” Alex threw him a stern look, and my gut churned because I apparently didn’t like that answer, even though I’d just asked him to be exclusive with only our hookup status.
“You sure about that?” Jordan laughed, ignoring Alex’s warning. “You two barely notice anyone else in the room.”
“Stop,” Alex muttered, reluctantly pulling from my grasp and seeming as embarrassed as me to be under his scrutiny. I wanted to argue that had Steve been at the bar, Jordan would barely be paying attention to us. But I kept my mouth shut because what was the point? He was right on every count, even if I didn’t want to admit it.
We made small talk with the group, but I was hyperaware of Alex’s every move, his thigh pressing against mine, his fingers brushing my wrist.
“My jacket still smells like you, by the way,” he said, burying his nose in the collar. “But I might need you to wear it again.”
“Fuck, Alex.” I swallowed roughly, remembering that night. “I want to devour you right now.”
He smirked even as his eyes glittered with need. “Then maybe we should get out of here.”
“Good idea.” I stood to go find Derek and give him the signal that I was leaving. By the time I made it to the exit, Alex was already behind me.
When he reached for my hand on our trek back to my place, it felt like a lightning bolt passing through me and firing up all my nerve endings. What in the hell was happening to me? Maybe it was the conversation at the bar, but one thing was for certain, I wanted my hands on him and my tongue in his mouth as soon as possible.