Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 80893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Aurora: I thought we agreed to four?
Me: I can’t wait that long.
Aurora: I’ll be waiting.
I have to force myself to shove my phone in my desk drawer to keep from texting her again. I need to get some work done, especially since I’m leaving early. I have a date that I refuse to be late for.
“You win the lottery or something?” Conrad says from my door.
“Nope. Just having a good day.”
“Does it have anything to do with these?” He holds up his half-eaten red velvet cupcake.
“Not so much the cupcake as the creator,” I admit.
“No, shit. You’re joining them on the other side?” he asks.
“By them, I assume you mean Royce and Owen? And on the other side, I assume you mean a relationship?”
“That,” he says, shoving the rest of the cupcake in his mouth.
“I hope so.”
He swallows and wipes at his mouth with a napkin. “Didn’t expect you to admit it.”
“Why? I have nothing to hide. She’s incredible.”
“You barely know her.”
“That’s why we’re dating to get to know one another. And what I do know, she’s incredible.”
He begins to sing “Another One Bites the Dust,” making me laugh. I grab a highlighter from my desk and toss it at him, hitting him in the chest.
“We’re all going to fall, Con. It’s just a matter of when and for who.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “But not for a while. I’ve got more wild oats to sow.”
“These are so good,” Marshall says, stopping to stand next to Conrad. “I think I might ask her to marry me. Can you imagine living with someone who can create these?” he asks. There is a light in his eyes that tells me he’s picking a fight, and he’s going to get one.
“Fuck off. She’s taken.”
“And then there were two,” Marshall says dramatically.
“Go.” I laugh, waving them out of my doorway. “I have work to do.”
“Hot date tonight?” Marshall asks.
“Yes, and you jokers need to leave me alone so I can get shit done and get to her.”
“Oh, it’s worse than I thought, Con,” Marshall quips.
“Fuck off.” I toss another highlighter. Their laughter follows them down the hall. They can give me all the shit they want. It’s not going to change a thing.
Not with her.
Never with her.
Chapter 10
Aurora
“Tell me, dear sister, what date is this?” Aspen asks from her spot on the side of the tub.
“I don’t know.” Lies. I know exactly how many dates this makes for us, but I’m not going to admit it.
“Liar,” she calls me out.
“Fine,” I sigh dramatically. “Eight.” I pretend to not notice her smile of victory.
“Eight.” She nods. “How long, like two weeks?”
“Three.”
“I like him.”
My shoulders relax. “Yeah, I like him too.” I really like him—more than I should. I was supposed to be focusing on me and my business, but Grant Riggins is hard to resist.
“Are you happy?”
“We’re just dating.” That’s what I keep telling myself, but I know my heart doesn’t understand. With every message, every phone call, and every date, I fall harder for him.
My sister throws her head back in laughter. “If you call the way Grant looks at you ‘just dating,’ then the rest of us are screwed. Quite literally screwed. That man is more than just dating you, Aurora.”
“I thought maybe that was in my imagination.”
“Nope.” She grins. “Whatcha gonna do about it?”
“Nothing. We’re taking things slow, getting to know one another.”
“Maybe tonight will be the night.” She wiggles her eyebrow.
“The night for what?”
“You know? Brown chicken, brown cow,” she singsongs.
“Stop. That’s not going to happen.” It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. I mean, Grant is sexy and charming, and it’s been way too long for me. I don’t have the experience that a man like Grant would want or need. It’s best not to go there. He’s going to realize I’m not the one for him, and all this will end. No use in adding in sex to make things more complicated. I’m already having a hard time keeping my heart in line with the “don’t fall for him” concept.
“Date night, the man is a saint. Has he tried anything?”
“Other than kissing or hand-holding? No.”
“Aw, sis, don’t sound so disappointed. I know he wants you. He’s just giving you time. He’s one of the good ones.”
“I don’t know what this is,” I finally admit. “Look at me. I’m not the kind of woman a guy like Grant goes for. He’s so nice. I’m having a hard time figuring out his angle.”
“Aurora, that’s because he doesn’t have an ulterior motive. He’s into you. And if I hear you say that shit again, you and I are going to have words. I hate Elijah and what he did to you. You’re beautiful and sexy. You have curves, curves that drive men wild, even men like Grant. Elijah was a dick who wanted to manipulate you. Don’t let him ruin this for you. He’s already stolen so many years of your life and left you—”