Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 24983 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24983 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 125(@200wpm)___ 100(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
I quickly shook his hand before dropping my arm to my side. “And you’re here because…why exactly?”
“Your dad called to see if I had any plans today.” He gestured toward the table. “Since I was in town and had some free time, he suggested that I meet you for lunch.”
“Oh.” Of course, he did. I should have known that my parents would find a way to ruin my date with Silas without even knowing about it.
“Yeah, our parents pushing us together is kind of awkward.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “But there are much worse things I could be doing with my time than sharing a meal with a beautiful woman.”
“What the fuck did you just say?” a familiar deep voice growled from behind me.
Whirling around, I found my date glaring at James. “Silas.”
His focus shifted to me, and the fury in his bright blue orbs was replaced by masculine appreciation. “Sorry I’m late.”
“You’re not.” My cheeks heated as I admitted, “I was just early.”
A muscle jumped in his jaw as he quirked a brow. “Early enough to replace me with another guy?”
“Never,” I whispered, shaking my head.
“Good.” He moved to my side and slid his arm around my back, shifting his attention back to James. “You should get lost so I can enjoy my lunch with Juniper.”
“Sorry, man. I didn’t mean to horn in on your date. No harm, no foul?” James held his hand out to Silas.
Instead of doing what I expected—avoiding touching the guy my dad wanted me to impress—Silas slid his palm against James’s. Seeing the thick leather gloves he was wearing, I assumed the risk of him giving James a shock was low…but I was wrong.
It felt as though time slowed down as energy arched from Silas’s hand and into James’s body. James shuddered, the color draining from his face. Stunned by what was happening, it took me a moment to react. Pressing against Silas’s side, I wrapped my fingers around his wrist and tugged his hand away from James.
Silas turned to me as the poor chump my dad tried to fix me up with slumped into a nearby seat. His blue eyes were filled with fear, and the tension in his large frame was palpable. I realized he was as surprised by what he’d just done as I was…and worried about how I would react.
7
Silas
What the fuck just happened?
I stared at Juniper, terrified that she was about to scream and take off running. Instead, she quickly kissed my cheek and whispered, “Are you okay?”
I didn’t have any words yet, so I just nodded.
“What’s going on here?” The snotty little hostess who’d tried to keep me from my girl—attempting to convince me that Juniper was on a date with someone else—rushed up to us.
“He passed out,” I gritted out, finally speaking. “I’m sure he’ll be fine, but I need to get my girl checked out.” Then without another word, I scooped Juniper into my arms and stalked to the entrance and out into the sunshine.
She was quiet and still until we were a few blocks down the road, then she patted my chest. “Stop for a second, Silas,” she encouraged, pointing toward the mouth of an alley. “Let’s talk.”
She didn’t sound angry, her tone was actually quite soothing, so I did as she asked. After I turned the corner, I set her on her feet but kept my arms locked around her. “I didn’t mean for that to happen,” I grunted. One second, I thought that perhaps giving him a little shock wouldn’t be so bad, and the next, I was electrocuting the punk. I felt bad, but I couldn’t bring myself to completely regret it.
“Does that happen often?”
Shaking my head, I mumbled, “It’s never happened before.” A theory was beginning to take shape, though.
“Do you think your power is getting stronger?” She looked worried, but from the gentle way she was watching me and the soft rubbing of her hand on my bicep, I knew her concern was more for me than anyone I might have shocked. And that sent warmth flooding through my chest as my heart swelled.
“I suppose that’s one way to look at it,” I answered thoughtfully. “But I think it has more to do with you.”
“Me?” she squeaked in surprise.
My hands at her lower back clutched the fabric, and I pressed her body flush against mine. I stared right into her beautiful brown eyes as I admitted, “I haven’t felt much in the last twenty years. And I’ve never experienced the kind of deep emotions that you inspire. Maybe my power was heightened by the adrenaline coursing through me. I was…” I looked away for a second, horrified that my cheeks were heating. After a second, I sucked it up and returned my gaze to her face. “I was pretty fucking jealous.”