Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91299 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91299 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
He pauses, his eyes searching my face. “Tonight then.”
25
I stare at my reflection in the rearview mirror after I turn off Lady Maxima. I’m pale. With a groan, I open my purse and apply blush to my cheeks then swipe on more lipstick. What else? I grab a bottle of peppermint mist and spritz my hair.
Stepping out of the car, I smooth down my black dress. Short with a plunging neckline, it hugs me like a second skin and screams see you at the club. My hair is in beach waves, flowing down the back of the open dress, and there’s a slit on the side that goes up to my bare upper thighs. Basically, I’m freezing my ass off.
I inhale.
I got this.
My nerves are pulled taut as I take the steps that lead up to his third-story dorm room.
I see a group of football players on the open-air landing ahead eyeballing me, and I pick up my pace in the three-inch heels.
A football player I don’t know, probably one of the underclassmen, lets out a whistle when I reach the top. “Hey, you looking for me? ’Cause I’m available.”
“Zip it,” I say. I don’t have time for testosterone-induced bullshit. My mission is Blaze. We’re going to talk. We’re going to…
I don’t know.
He walks up to me, a big smile on his face. “Aw, don’t be like that. Where you been all my life? My room is right down the hall—”
One of the other guys elbows him in the ribs and whispers something in his ear. I hear my name.
The flirty one’s eyes flare and he holds up his hands. “Ah, sorry, Miss Charisma. Didn’t know who you were or I never would have said that.”
Miss Charisma? WTH. He’s only a few years younger than me.
“No worries. Carry on.” I walk past him and head to Blaze’s door. There’s no sound from the other side, and I let out a sigh of relief. Part of me was worried they’d be having a party, and I’m not up for that.
Mustering up my courage, I knock and wait.
The door flies open and I blink.
Looking magnificent in a rumpled and mussed way, Blaze leans against the doorjamb. He holds a bowl of popcorn and pops a few kernels in his mouth as he takes me in, eyebrow arched.
“You’re late.”
“Ma called me. My brother Mattie is dating a Protestant and she’s spying on him, reading his text messages. I had to hear all about it. The usual.”
“She sounds really into her kids.”
“You have no idea.”
“Yeah.” A ghost of a smile crosses his face, and I bite my lip, realizing he probably never had a pain-in-the-ass mom constantly checking up on him.
I take in his soft T-shirt with a hole in the shoulder, faded jeans, and bare feet.
I want the ground to open up and swallow me. “Obviously, I overdressed.”
He invites me inside. “Nah, you’re fine.”
I take in the small area with a couch, two chairs, and a huge TV on the media center. I’ve been here before but only got a cursory look around. It appears to be clean for a guy’s place, and I think he straightened it up before I arrived.
“Dillon is out, and Ryker’s with Penelope.” He tosses a look at me over his shoulder. “It’s just you and me.”
“Okay.” I take a seat on the couch, and he sits in the chair across from me.
“You want some popcorn?” He tilts his head toward the bowl in his lap.
I shake my head.
This is weird. I way overdressed, and he’s…distant?
My shoulders tense, and I roll my neck.
“How’s Vampire Bill?”
“Great. Pen and I had to hold him down to give him the drops, but he’s fine.”
“Good.”
A few seconds tick by.
He jumps up. “Want to listen to some music?” He doesn’t even wait for me to reply before he’s connecting his phone to the speakers. Music blares in the room.
He turns around and goes into the kitchen, calling back at me. “I’ve got soda, beer, and vodka—what’s your poison?”
He lingers there, waiting for me to reply. His finger taps his leg, and his other hand is fisted, pressed tight against his lips.
He’s freaking nervous.
I am too.
I cross my legs and clasp my hands in my lap. “A shot of vodka would be…great.” I need the courage.
“Cool. I’ll just have water. Combine’s coming up and I want to stay tight.” He gives me a quick nod, pivots, and makes his way to the fridge.
And now I’m the only one drinking! KMN. Kill me now.
He stays in the kitchen forever, but I won’t look to see what he’s up to.
Oh, lord, stop. Relax.
Finally he’s back. Instead of putting the glass in my hands, he sets it on the coffee table in front of me. I toss it back faster than I should have and cough a little.