Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 111732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
“And you claim to be bad at flirting!” the brunette in red says to Grayson. Her tone is flirtatious. Warm. Enthusiastic. Nothing like it was with me earlier.
“I am,” Grayson bellows happily, his face beet-red and lit up like a sky full of fireworks.
“He is,” I deadpan under my breath. I’m talking to no one. This pair only has eyes for each other. But why not let the redhead see my mouth moving? Why not let her think I’m engaged in conversation over here, rather than feeling knocked onto my ass at the mere sight of her?
After a short while, I can’t resist peeking at the redhead again, even though I know I should let her simmer a bit longer. Shit. She’s not simmering. She’s laughing breezily with her friend again. Well, fuck me. Is she playing it cool, like me, or did I misread the situation?
Either way, it’s fine. This place is packed, so I’ve got plenty of other options. I glance around the bar and scan the crowd. But there’s nobody who even vaguely interests me. Now that I’ve seen my walking fantasy, I’m ruined for anyone else. At least, for tonight.
Grayson and the brunette laugh together, drawing my attention back to them.
“Will you introduce me, Gray?” I ask, figuring I’ll finagle an introduction to the redhead through her friend. For a split-second, Grayson and the brunette both look at me blankly, like they’d forgotten I’m still sitting here. With a smile, I say, “I take it you two already know each other?”
The brunette flashes a lovely smile at Grayson. “Yes, Grayson and I met online earlier today. He invited me for a drink, and I found him way too charming and handsome to refuse, even though I don’t usually date men his age.”
With an eyebrow quirked, I turn to Grayson. Well, damn, boy. Looks like someone has a fighting chance this time. If so, it couldn’t happen to a sweeter guy.
Blushing, Grayson clears his throat and says, “Selena, this is Max.”
“Hello, Max,” the brunette says, before returning to Grayson. “Would you boys like to join our table? There’s plenty of room.”
The process of dragging chairs and grabbing Grayson’s remaining drinks begins. Of course, I squeeze my chair next to the redhead, while Grayson sits next to the brunette. Introductions follow, with each woman supplying her first name, one at a time. The brunette in red is Selena. The middle three are Jasmine, Victoria, and Lucy. And the stunning redhead sitting next to me, the woman who’s so fucking gorgeous she’s making my skin feel physically hot is Marnie. I’ve never met a Marnie before. And I know, just this fast, I’ll never not think of this gorgeous woman, at least fleetingly, any time I hear the name in the future.
“Hello there, Marnie,” I say, shaking her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“You, too, Max. Wow, that’s quite a grip. Big hands.”
“Big hands. Big feet.” I leave it at that. Surely, she knows the rest.
“What size shoe do you wear?”
“Thirteen.”
“How tall are you?”
“Six-four. You?”
“Five-ten.” She motions toward her feet. “Six foot in heels.”
“I’m a sucker for a tall woman. The taller the better.”
“That’s rare. Most men like itty-bitty women.”
“How would you know that? I’m sure you’ve never been turned down in your life.”
Marnie blushes but doesn’t deny it.
“Yeah, I figured,” I say, chuckling. “I’m a lawyer, Marnie. My bullshit detector is pretty well honed.”
She sips her drink to hide her smile. “What are your thoughts on redheads?”
I wink suggestively. “I’m a big fan.”
“Now it’s my bullshit detector going off.”
“As of today. After seeing you.”
She smirks. “Nice save. Very smooth.”
“Perhaps. But it’s true, nonetheless.”
Marnie flashes me a skeptical look, but I’m not going to take the bait. If she wants me to compliment her further, to regale her with all the ways she’s making my tongue drag on the floor, then she’s out of luck. Surely, that’s what every man does in her presence. They chase. They seduce. They beg. Well, that’s simply not me, no matter how alluring I find her.
Marnie takes another sip of her drink. “Is Max short for Maxwell?”
“Maximillian.”
“That’s quite a name.”
“My father and mother both share names with famous rulers from history, so they went with Holy Roman emperors for my brother and me. He’s Augustus.”
“Damn. In kindergarten, you two had to learn to spell Maximillian and Augustus, while the other kids were writing Kai and Leo? That hardly seems fair.”
I chuckle. “We go by Max and Auggie. A lot less letters to learn that way. Plus, we both figured out pretty young it’s better to under-promise and over-perform. Nobody expects all that much from a pair of guys named Max and Auggie. But when Maximillian and Augustus walk into a room, everyone assumes they’ve come to conquer the world.”
Marnie giggles, making my heart rate increase. I’m not planning to see her beyond tonight, so if our senses of humor didn’t mesh, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world. But still, it’s infinitely more fun to hook up with someone who laughs at your jokes. Not to mention, someone you can laugh with between rounds.