Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
He joins me against the building, his arm touching mine. “Are you gonna?”
“Nah, he’s hot, but I’m not interested.”
“You think he’s hot?”
I wink. “Simmer down, Puppy. He’s not a nine.”
“I wasn’t… I don’t… It doesn’t matter to me if you think he’s a nine.”
I don’t believe him, and besides, I’m trying to figure out why he cares. Is it just because it makes him feel good? And for whatever reason, I don’t think he’s let enough things make him feel good in his life. I don’t think a lot of people have told him he’s sexy, and if they have, he didn’t believe them. He seems to believe me, though.
“What about you and Autumn?”
He does that adorable thing where he wrinkles his nose and forehead, all confused. “What about her?”
“Oh my God! Theo! Please tell me you realize she’s been flirting with you! I could see it from across the room.”
He hesitates for a moment, then slowly says, “No, um…I noticed.”
“No, you totally didn’t, you dumbass,” I say teasingly. “But now I guess I don’t have to feel bad about my flirting skills. I’d been thinking I suddenly sucked at it since you couldn’t tell what I was doing. Now I know it’s not me—it’s you.”
“I knew she was flirting with me!” He crosses his arms, and for the first time, I see him pout. His bottom lip pushes out a little and everything.
Chuckling, I wrap an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t feel bad. It’s adorable.”
“That I’m an idiot?”
I frown. “You’re not an idiot. I don’t ever want to make you feel that way. You’re just…humble. Not full of yourself. I don’t think you see how irresistible you are.”
“What the fuck ever. I’m totally not irresistible.” He tries to walk away, but I grab ahold of him and tug him back. It puts Theo in front of me, boxing me in against the building, and close…so close I can smell the slight hint of sweat mixed with his cologne.
“You don’t see yourself clearly. Nine. You’re a nine, Theo.”
It takes me a moment to realize my hands are on his hips. The heat of his body makes my fingertips tingle, even through his T-shirt. What’s even more surprising is the warmth from his skin against me too, his hands holding on to my hips the same way I’m doing with his.
“Say it,” I add, though I’m not sure why I’m pushing this.
“Say what?”
“You’re a nine.”
“You’re a nine.” He cocks a brow.
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
He shakes his head. “I’m not gonna say it.”
“You’ve said it before.”
“That was different. Now it feels weird.”
I can see what he means, but still, I don’t let it go. Theo makes me act all sorts of different from how I usually act. “Please? For me? Your knight in shining armor. I did save your life, after all…and I’m your new best friend.”
He rolls his eyes. “I said friend. You added the best.”
“Please?” I grin and tighten my hold just a little bit.
He looks at me and…wait…are we closer? I can feel the heat of him against my stomach now, feel his body against mine, see flecks of gold in the green of his eyes.
“I’m a nine,” Theo says softly, almost a whisper, his breath against my face.
And damned if I don’t want to lean in, if my heart’s not suddenly beating faster, which is totally not supposed to happen. I don’t get…whatever this is. An almost kiss.
I brush my finger across his hip bone, and Theo sucks a breath through his teeth, but his hold on me tightens. Neither of us moves, we don’t part, just breathe each other’s air and stare in each other’s eyes and—
The back door of Shenanigans pushes open. “Perry!” Theo jolts away from me like I electrocuted him as Ty says, “Oh shit. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You didn’t. We weren’t… I’m not… It was just…” Theo rambles, and I chuckle.
“We were just talking. I’ll be right in.”
“Okay. Sorry for interrupting nothing. I know how shitty it can be to have someone interrupt nothing.”
I shake my head. My brother is a fucking idiot. “Go away, Ty.”
“Having a brother is fun!” he says before closing the door.
“I should…go…” Theo doesn’t look at me when he speaks.
Shit. Did I do something wrong? I wasn’t going to kiss him…I don’t think. There really shouldn’t be any question because Theo told me who he is, and I need to respect that. “Sure. I need to get back to work anyway. Are we good, though? I wouldn’t have—”
“Yeah!” he interrupts with a little too much energy. “We’re great! Bye… I… Bye.” Then he ducks around the corner and walks away. With a sigh, I go back inside, hoping that whatever that nothing was, it didn’t fuck up our friendship.
I get up the next morning and check my phone for a text from Theo. He’s an everyday messager, which I have to admit would bug me with most people, but it doesn’t with him. There’s nothing there, but that’s not too out of the ordinary. Maybe he’s sleeping. Maybe he ended up going home with Autumn and stayed up all night, getting laid.