Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“You’re not dressed?” His eyes drop to my tank top and sleep pants.
“I told you that I’m not going out.”
“You need to get out of the house.”
“I don’t.” I cross my arms over my chest when the cold air from outside soaks through my thin shirt, making me realize that I do not have a bra on.
“Get dressed, Jade.”
“No, Maverick.” I turn on my heel and head back into my apartment, where it’s much warmer. “You wasted your time coming over here.”
“All right, then I’ll hang here with you,” he says, following me across the room to the couch, and I swear my stomach drops to my toes. “What are we watching?” he asks, then picks up Pebbles when he comes over to say hi.
“We are not watching anything; you’re leaving and going out with your friends, and I’m hanging here by myself watching TV, then going to bed.”
“Are you always so stubborn?”
“I don’t know. Are you always so annoying?” I snap, and he laughs like I’m being funny when I’m not.
“Come on, I know how it is to be new to a place and not really have anyone. Hell, when I was in the military, if I didn’t have Tanner and Blake with me, I don’t know what I would have done.”
“I have Cybil.”
“You do.” He takes a seat on the couch next to me. “But she’s married and has a baby. Her life and yours are not the same right now.”
“Thanks for pointing that out.” I glare at him before I grab my bag of popcorn off the coffee table and place it in my lap.
“I’m just saying you don’t have to sit at home alone on a Friday night; you can go out and meet new people.” He leans back, resting his ankle on top of his knee.
“And I appreciate your offer to take me out, and maybe another time I will take you up on your offer, but I’m not up to going anywhere tonight.” Also I really am not interested in going out with him and watching women fall all over themselves to get his attention, which I’m sure is what would happen.
“Fair enough.” He reaches for the bag in my lap and takes it without even asking and grabs a handful.
“Sure, I’ll share my popcorn with you,” I sass, watching him grin before he focuses on the TV.
“So what the hell is this that we are watching?”
“It’s a documentary.” I take the popcorn back from him. “And if you are going to insist on being here, please don’t talk during my show.” I get comfortable as close to the arm of the couch as I can get, trying with all my might to ignore the fact that he’s here and that I like it. That ridiculous feeling in the pit of my stomach is back with a vengeance, and I know he’s the one who’s caused it. Stupid, I’m so stupid. I shouldn’t have a crush on someone who doesn’t like me as anything more than a friend. And I really hate feeling like I’m back in high school, crushing on the guy who doesn’t even know I exist.
“Are you actually enjoying this?” His question cuts off my internal monologue, and I focus on him.
“Yes.”
“It’s boring.”
“It’s interesting. I love history.”
“Why don’t we put on a movie?”
“Don’t you have some other woman you could be bothering right now?”
“Nope.” He shrugs, then reaches for the remote.
“Do not change the channel.”
“I think there’s a new superhero movie out on demand.” He ignores me and points the remote at the TV, so like any mature person I lunge for it. Of course he’s fast and sees me coming, so I end up pressed chest to chest with him while he raises the remote up over his head just out of my reach.
“Give it to me,” I demand, crawling on top of him trying to get it, but his arms are abnormally long—either that or mine are just short. With a huff of frustration and a whole lot of awareness, I press my hand against his chest and push back so that I’m kneeling on the couch next to him. “You’re a jerk,” I point out, breathing heavily as I pull the hair tie out of my hair, which is now hanging off the side of my head.
When he doesn’t respond, I focus on him and find that he’s looking at me like he hasn’t before. My stomach turns over on itself, and I lick my lips, liking it a little too much when his gaze drops to my mouth for the briefest of moments before shooting to mine.
My muscles lock, and I brace myself for what I’m sure is to come, but the moment is broken when his cell phone starts to ring in his pocket.
“Shit.” He shakes his head and pulls it out to glance at the screen before he looks at me once more. “I’m gonna head out.”