Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 28
CALLIE
When I get back to the room, Max is the only one there. He’s on his phone, and the TV’s on, tuned to a sports channel at a low volume.
“Where’s Miles?” I ask.
Max looks up, his thumbs still typing. “He just went out looking for you. I guess he missed you.”
I want to ask him why Miles left yoga, but I decide to save that question for the man himself. Instead, I say, “Aren’t you bored sitting around here?”
Max shakes his head, a pleasant expression on his face. “No.” When I give him a skeptical look, he adds, “Maybe I’d rather be on the beach or at the pool, but I can’t complain about relaxing in this nice room.”
“Are you going to come to the roller rink with me?”
He shakes his head again. “Miles said he wanted to go.”
My brows lift at that, and I frown. “I can’t imagine Miles wanting to go roller skating. I don’t even want to go skating.”
Max shrugs in response, and that bothersome little flutter makes a reappearance. Is Miles going to come with me because he wants to spend time with me?
“I’ll go with you to the pool party tonight,” Max says, sending my mind spinning off once more. Pool party means there’s a good probability I’ll be seeing him with his shirt off again, and suddenly it feels hot in here.
“I’m going to go rinse off.”
Max grins like he can read my thoughts, and the flutter in my chest dives deep down into my belly.
When I come out of the bathroom, Miles is back, and is now wearing jeans and a retro rock band t-shirt that skims over his flat abs like my hand wishes it could. The black cotton is faded to a dark gray, and I’ll bet it’s impossibly soft to the touch, while other parts of him …
“Are you ready to go?” he asks, his eyes dancing like they have a secret, while his mouth remains a straight line.
When I nod, Max says, “Have fun, you two,” as if he’s a sitcom dad sending us off on a date, and as soon as Miles and I step out into the hallway where we’re alone, it feels like a date.
“I like this look.” Miles gestures to my cut-off shorts and pink tank top, and my hair, which I twisted up in two messy side buns for a playful vibe.
“Thanks.” That energy field between us is back in full force. I swear I can physically feel the weight of his eyes on my skin as he looks at me.
“Is your Aunt Iris going to be at the roller rink?” He sounds leery, but also possibly … hopeful?
“Why? Do you want to kiss me again?”
I mean it as a joke, and I expect him to laugh, but his mouth remains serious as his eyes sear into my lips.
“Why did you leave yoga?” I ask, aiming to move past the awkwardness. “Was she bothering you?”
Instead of answering, he captures my hand and squeezes it in his, catching me completely off guard, making my heart skip a beat. Then I see two of my sister’s friends approaching, and realize what motivated him to hold my hand.
“Hey, Callie,” one of them says, giving me a smile before eyeing Miles. “Are you going to the roller rink?”
“We’re on our way. How about you?”
Both of them nod, promising they’ll see us there.
I wait for Miles to drop my hand after they pass, but he keeps hold of it all the way to the car.
“Sorry about leaving yoga,” he says when he finally speaks again. “My stomach didn’t feel good.”
“Oh. Are you feeling better?”
He opens my car door and stands by as I get in. “All better. Ready to tear up the rink.”
This remark sounds more like something Max would say, and I peer at him, wanting to make sure I have the brothers straight. The absence of a birthmark near his collar confirms that this is indeed Miles being playful.
“That makes one of us,” I say.
“You don’t like to skate?” After making sure I’m settled, he closes my door and circles around to the driver’s seat.
“I haven’t done it in years, and I wasn’t good at it as a kid. I’m not expecting to be any better today. How about you? What makes you so eager?”
He puts the car in reverse and backs out, the muscles in his neck flexing. “I haven’t been roller skating since I was about nine, but I used to play in a hockey league up until last year.”
And now I’m picturing him darting across the ice, body checking opponents, getting all sweaty under his helmet, his hair matted down, gloved hand wrapped around a big stick … Just what I needed, more daydream material.
I swallow the excess saliva in my mouth and force myself back into the present. “Answering your earlier question, even though she’s in great shape for her age, I don’t expect Aunt Iris to be at the roller rink.”