Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Baby, you’ve got a gift for food, and you’re wasting it by…” I silenced myself before I let the conversation head into a bad territory. A territory that would put distance between us, that would lead to another argument I didn’t want to have. “Never mind.”
She let it slide and ate her food in silence.
“Thank you for this.”
“You’re welcome, babe.”
I stilled when I heard her call me that again. It was nice, like sunshine on a spring day, a hot pie out of the oven on Christmas. My father said I was no son of his, and she basically called me hers. “Babe?”
“What?” she asked, immediately defensive. “You call me baby…among other things.”
“I’m definitely not complaining,” I said with a grin. “I like it.”
Her eyes moved down to her food, but there was a smile in her stare.
“I really like it.”
The smile on her lips widened, but she kept her gaze averted.
“You cook for me, call me babe…pretty sexy.”
“I’m glad you don’t think I’m clingy.” She lifted her chin and looked at me before she grabbed a croissant from the dish between us.
“You are clingy,” I said. “But I like it.”
10
SCARLETT
“I really don’t want to do this.” I looked at myself in the mirror, seeing the black dress fit me so tight it was like a second skin.
Axel was propped up in my bed, naked. “It’ll be over before you know it.”
“No, it’ll probably be the longest night of my life.”
“The longest night of your life will start when you come home.” He grinned.
“I’m about to go on a date with another guy, and you’re totally fine with it.” I turned around to look at him head on instead of using the reflection.
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal?” I asked incredulously. “I’d lose my shit if you were going on a date with someone else.”
He smirked. “Oh, I know.”
I scoffed. “Asshole.” I grabbed my heels and slid them on.
He got out of bed and came up behind me. “You know why this doesn’t bother me?”
I clasped the bracelet on my wrist.
“Because I’m not threatened. The guy will be hard for you all night, but then he’ll go home and jerk off while I get to fuck you until you cry. Everyone wins.”
“Everyone?” I asked. “What about the guy? I’m wasting his time.”
“He should feel lucky he gets to take you out for dinner.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I’m serious.”
“I’m not letting him pay for my food. I’ll pay my half.”
“Good luck with that.” He chuckled.
“This is such bullshit.” I grabbed my clutch and walked into the main room.
He followed me, his boxers on. “Baby.”
I ignored him.
“I’m sorry, but this is how it has to be—”
I turned back around and faced him. “I’m only doing this once.”
“Once is all we need. Your father will see that you’re dating, and he’ll stop having me followed. We can fuck in peace.”
“Fine.”
“Have fun.” He kissed me and grabbed one of my ass cheeks.
“Shut up.” I pulled away and walked out the door, his chuckle following me.
I met the guy at the restaurant. He was some guy I’d met on a dating app. I’d picked him because he seemed the least like a douche out of all the candidates. Before I’d started fucking Axel, I’d had no problem exploring possibilities, getting dressed up for dates, meeting a guy at a bar and seeing where it went.
But now, it seemed so pointless.
Every guy I’d been with felt like a loser. Ryan was the biggest loser of all, and I wasn’t sure what I’d seen in him in the first place. His spine was made of jelly, and he didn’t speak his mind. He chose to keep his cards to his chest, always, only admitting the truth at the last possible minute.
This guy told me about his job as a real estate agent, selling apartments in the city. He talked a lot, so that made the night easy, because I just had to sit there and pretend to be listening when I honestly couldn’t care less.
All I had to do was get through the dinner then go home to Axel.
Axel said he would make it up to me, and I thought I knew what that meant.
“Enough about me,” he said. “What about you?”
I had no desire to make a good impression. “I work for my father. He’s a drug dealer.”
The guy laughed before he took a drink. “Funny.”
“I’m being serious.”
He continued to smirk, but once he studied my eyes for a moment, the laughter stopped. “You—you’re being serious.”
“Yes.”
“I just told you my father’s a cop.”
I hadn’t been paying attention. “Go ahead and tell him. I don’t care.”
Now the guy went quiet, focusing on his drink and hardly looking at me.
The date was officially ruined. The guy was ready to bail.
Fine by me.
He got the waiter’s attention. “Check, please.”