Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Yeah. Our secret.”
“Like Alexander and Edgar?”
He snorts. “Except we’re the opposite sex.”
“But we’re totally like them, right? Hiding our feelings from those around us.”
“Yup.”
“I know you want to hate me, Two, but I’m glad you can’t.”
His breath rattles through the phone. “Me too, Golden. Me too.”
“Tell me a story about you.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to know more about you.”
“I annoy most girls.”
“You annoy me,” I remind him with a smile. “But I keep sticking around for some reason. You’ve grown on me. Like a fungus. Now tell me a story.”
“Perfect little Gemma Park is tainted by Two.”
“Story time.”
He grunts at my persistence but then proceeds to tell me a dramatic tale about how one time he and Dax nearly drowned in the creek behind his house when they tried to ice skate on it. I listen with rapt attention, enjoying the animated way he tells how they were able to escape the chilly waters. When he finishes, the air between us feels lighter.
“Your turn. Tell me about your brothers. I always wanted a brother. Dax is the closest thing to one I have.”
We spend the next several hours on the phone, talking about everything and nothing. With each passing moment, I fall deeper and deeper into the abyss that is Two Sheridan. Learning silly things like his favorite song or foods he can’t stand intrigues me. Sharing real details about myself with him is something rare for me to do. It’s refreshing. Needless to say, I’m enjoying the man whose guts I hated a week ago.
“The sun’s coming up,” Two says with a yawn.
“Guess we better go to sleep.” I pause and then ask, “I’ll see you Monday in class?”
“Nah, Golden,” he murmurs. “I don’t think I can wait that long.”
My heart does a somersault.
Keeping Two a secret is going to be really, really hard.
Two
It’s dark by the time she can escape her family dinner. She’d told me via text today that it’s a weekly thing for them and there’s no way of avoiding it. It’s been torture waiting all day for this moment to see her.
She slips out the front door and runs to my idling vehicle. Chilly air nips at me when she opens the car door. I’m already backing out of her driveway before she can get the door closed or her belt on, eager to be alone with her.
“Hey,” I say, gassing it down her road, barely able to keep my gaze fixated ahead of me.
“Hey.”
When I reach the end of the road, I put the vehicle in park, unable to resist for a moment longer. Like two magnets drawn to each other, we both meet for a frantic, desperate kiss.
I’m so fucked over this girl.
She whimpers and tugs at my jacket as she tries to pull me closer to her. I could kiss her all fucking night.
Her phone starts buzzing and she curses. Once she pulls away, she answers.
“Hi, Mom.” She chews on her bottom lip and shoots me a small smile. “What? Oh, yeah, we’re leaving. Nothing’s wrong. Okay, bye.”
“What?” I demand as soon as she ends the call.
“She clearly followed me onto the porch, trying to catch a peek, and then noticed we stopped at the end of our road. Hurry, let’s get out of here.”
I don’t have to be told twice. Gunning it, I take off onto the main road. Both my dads are home, so we can’t go there. I end up driving us to a lookout point on Park Mountain. Since it’s dark, most of the bikers or trail walkers have gone home. As soon as I put the vehicle in park, Gemma unbuckles and climbs over the console.
My hands find her hips, guiding her into my lap so that she straddles me. She’s wearing thin, stretchy leggings that give me access to the shape and feel of each curve of her body. There’s not much room between her back and the steering wheel, so she’s forced to press her chest against mine.
“Hey,” she murmurs, hot breath tickling over my lips.
“You already said that.” I squeeze her ass, drawing her closer to me. “Why do you smell so good?”
“I smell good?”
“Fucking delectable.”
She grins and brings her lips to mine. I kiss her hungrily. Now that I know how she tastes and I’ve stepped over the invisible line of “I really shouldn’t fucking do this with her,” I’m eager to have more.
“We were supposed to think this shit over,” I grunt between kisses. “Not dive right back in.”
“I thought about it. I want it.”
It’s a terrible idea, but I can’t find it in me to argue with her for once. I’m also down to make out without a care in the world.
“What did you tell your parents?” I ask, pulling away slightly so I can see her pretty eyes in the dimly lit vehicle. “How did you escape?”