Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 151333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 605(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 605(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
“So, does that mean you think I’m cute and sexy?” she suddenly asks while playing with the seat control buttons. “Wait—will this one make my butt warm?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, you think I’m cute and sexy, or yes, this heated seat thing will make my butt warm?”
I swerve past a car taking too long to make a turn. My brain is doing the same—trying to swerve away from the conversation. Sure, she’s cute and sexy as hell, but that doesn’t mean I want to verbally admit it.
“Yes, it’ll make your ass warm.”
Swerve.
“Why would someone want their ass warm? Why doesn’t this headrest heat up? That’s something I might like.”
Closing my eyes briefly, I shake my head and stifle a laugh.
“Do I scare you, Lucky?” she asks in her playful voice. “With my confidence and messy hair?”
“Yes. I’m terrified,” I tease back before taking a sip of my coffee.
“I think you are.” Her voice lowers, and she side-eyes me with a crooked grin. A notification on her phone distracts her, and she pulls it out of her pocket to read a message.
Saved by the bell.
“Don’t you want to know if I think you’re cute and sexy?” she asks, laying her phone on her lap.
I glance in the rearview mirror and resist the urge to say yes. “Nope.”
“Why not?”
“I mean, look at me. Of course you think I’m sexy.” I flash her a sly grin. “There’s nothing cute about me.”
“You’re hotter than this seat warmer is,” she says, switching the button for the seat to off. “I hope you didn’t pay extra for that feature. It’s a fail.”
“Agreed.”
“And for the record, I think you’re kinda cute. Especially when you smile. Not you’re signature slick, sexy smile, though. But this other little smile you do, when you’re tired. It’s super cute.”
Ugh. Cute. When did that happen?
I glance at her and feign innocence. “What slick, sexy smile?”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t act dumb. You know the one I mean. And you know damn well it makes women all crazy.”
“Really?” I say coyly, turning onto the street my aunt and uncle live on. “Tell me more.”
I shouldn’t flirt with her, but I can’t stop myself. Banter is a wicked turn-on for me.
“You smiled that way at Rebecca. That day in the store.”
I scoff. “I did not.”
“Yes, you did.”
“It musta been an accident. Do I smile that way at you?”
“What? You don’t have control over your own face?” she asks with teasing sarcasm.
I shrug. “Depends on the day.”
Laughing, she says affectionately, “You’re an ass. And yeah, you’ve smiled at me with the slick smile a couple of times.”
I pull into my aunt and uncle’s driveway and kill the engine. “Well, it wasn’t intentional. I wouldn’t want to make you all crazy, as you put it,” I say, purposely flashing her the smile in question.
Her cheeks blush as she grins and shakes her head. “Don’t worry. I don’t mind being a little crazy,” she says, opening her door and jumping out of the truck.
I chomp on that tidbit like a hungry dog, even though I know I shouldn’t. In my mind she’s got a huge, glowing, neon sign over her head flashing WARNING - KEEP BACK. But somehow, I keep edging closer.
Chapter 22
Skylar
“Should we have brought something?” I ask softly as we walk up the front steps of the brick ranch together. Why didn’t I think of this earlier? I should have brought a cake, or flowers to meet his family in their home. I don’t want them to think I’m rude.
“Nah.” Jude takes one more drag off his cigarette before putting it out in a stone planter near the door. It appears to be serving as a huge ashtray with a fake flower arrangement stuck in the middle of it. “They might go into shock if I show up with gifts.”
“But we’re here together.”
“Don’t worry. It’s just a quick visit to say hi, not Thanksgiving dinner.”
“I know, but—”
The front door swings open, and an adorable, petite woman with shoulder-length gray hair and wire-rimmed glasses stands before us, her mouth hanging open in shock.
“Oh, my Lord,” she says as a big smile spreads across her face. “It’s true!” She turns her head to yell into the house. “Al! Lucky and his wife are here! She’s real! You owe me twenty bucks!”
Jude pushes past her, stopping for a second to kiss her cheek. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he grumbles, even though he’s smiling. “You two are a riot.”
I follow him inside, and his aunt closes the door behind us. “Aren’t you the cutest thing,” she says, beaming at me. I can feel my cheeks reddening.
“She’s not a thing,” Jude says. “Aunt Suzy, this is Skylar. Skylar, this is my Aunt Suzy, and that over there,” he nods behind us, where an older man is sitting in the living room, “is Uncle Al.”
“It’s so nice to meet you,” I say, leaning in to kiss her cheek.