Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 132892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132892 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
TWO WEEKS LATER
MARGARITA: Im coming home this weekend to see the old people. Moms birthday. We need to go out Friday night or I’ll lose my mind.
CARRIE: Works for me!!! You know how much I hate going out ;) Tinker you on board?
ME: hell yes. It’s been too long! I can tell you all the latest shit with brandon
CARRIE: OMG he’s such a cocktwat! You won’t believe what he did Margee!
MARGARITA: What?!?
ME: Ugh. Not only is he ducking around on the financial stuff he’s being super weird. I think he’s obsessed with my new handyman.
MARGARITA: Huh?
CARRIE: Tinker has a hot new guy to take care of the building and Brandon’s all jealous. He thinks they’re sleeping together
MARGARITA: Oooo . . . And are you?
ME: NO
CARRIE: NO NO NO. Hes hot but he’s got a batshit crazy girlfriend. We can talk this weekend. So glad ur coming home!!!!!
MARGARITA: See you soon! Xx
“This is my song!” Carrie shouted, grabbing my hand and pulling me onto the dance floor. Margarita was right behind us. Jack’s Roadhouse wasn’t exactly a happening nightclub or anything, but it was the closest we had to nightlife in Hallies Falls. The beer was cheap, the music was loud, and nobody checked ID too closely. Not that I wouldn’t mind being mistaken for underage. On the weekends they pushed the tables to the side, creating a dance floor. Usually there was a DJ, but tonight they’d actually brought in a live band.
“Oh my God, is that Joel Riley?” Carrie shouted in my ear during the first set, clutching my shoulders for support. I swayed, blinking at the small stage. There were three guys, a drummer and two guitarists, and sure enough one of them was Joel Riley.
“Wow,” I said. “He looks even better than he did in high school.”
This was truth.
Joel had been a year ahead of us, and I’d spent two full years deeply in love with him. So had Margarita, although her infatuation had faded after he’d invited her to prom our junior year. Specifically, things had fallen apart at the after party, where he’d chugged a bottle of tequila then barfed on the side of his car.
Still, the man looked good now. Damned good.
“Joel!” Margarita shrieked, jumping up and down and waving wildly. His head turned to us, a broad smile crossing his face. Carrie screeched and jumped up next to her, crashing into me and knocking me over. Big hands caught my waist, pulling me to my feet as the people around us pushed us together.
Cooper.
He stared down at me, eyes dark and hungry. My body recognized him, responding instantly, my common sense safely anesthetized by the vodka I’d been drinking all night. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me into his body as my legs clenched. I wondered what it’d feel like, that hard body pushing deep inside. Then he leaned forward, speaking directly into my ear, his voice rough and sexy. I didn’t even register what he said. I was too busy imagining him catching my earlobe between his teeth and sucking on it for a while.
His hold on me tightened. Someone bumped into us, and then he was pulling me off the dance floor in the darkness next to the stage, right behind one of the big speakers.
“Are you all right?” he asked. I nodded, staring at his mouth. For such a big, scary guy he had gorgeous lips. They looked soft, but they’d been hard and strong when he’d kissed me. Hard and strong and demanding, just like I imagined they’d be if he fucked me up against the wall right next to the stage. I leaned forward without thinking, mesmerized. Cooper’s hand slid up my spine and then—
“Tinker Garrett?” I looked up to find Joel standing next to us, grinning like a crazy man. Apparently the band had stopped playing somewhere along the line but I hadn’t even noticed. I’d been too busy . . . Holy crap, you nearly kissed Cooper!
Jerking away from him, I turned to Joel, thankful that he couldn’t see me flushing in the dim light. Thank God he’d interrupted us before I’d done something really, really stupid.
“Hey, I haven’t seen you in years,” I said brightly. “Love the music.”
“Thanks,” he replied, grinning. “I heard you were back in town. Who’s your friend?”
“Cooper Romero,” I said. “Cooper, this is Joel Riley. We went to high school together.”
“Nice to meet you,” Cooper growled, dropping a heavy arm over my shoulders. Joel raised his brows and grinned before holding his hands up in surrender.
“Peace, bro,” he said. “I’m not trying to steal your girl. Just hadn’t seen her since high school.”
“I’m not his girl,” I said forcefully, shoving Cooper’s hand off my shoulder. Joel raised a brow.
“Cooper, what are you doing?” Talia demanded, pushing between us. She slid her hand through his arm possessively, and I wondered how something as simple as a night out dancing could get so complicated so fast.