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 pushes to his feet, and I instantly miss holding him. “How are you going to repay me?” I tease.
“Beer?” he asks, before trying to take a drink from his Solo cup. “Oops. Empty.”
“It was empty before you fell, I think.”
“I didn’t fall because my knight in shining armor caught me.” He laughs. I’m not sure what’s funny, but I chuckle too because it’s impossible not to when he laughs.
“You should call me that from now on.”
“Since I don’t know your name, it’s hard to call you anything else. Come on, Knight. Let’s get a drink.”
He wraps his hand around my wrist and begins tugging me through the crowd. It’s clear Hot Dancing Guy is feeling a pretty good buzz right now. He high-fives nearly every person who makes eye contact with him as we make our way to the kitchen.
“Beep, beep. Coming through. I have a beer-mergency.” He cuts everyone in line on his way to the keg. “Sorry, bro. I’m drunk, and he saved my life, so…yeah, we gotta go first.”
He plucks the tap out of the dude’s hand. Luckily, he just laughs. “You’re an idiot, Theo.”
“Shh. Don’t tell my new friend.” He turns to look at me.
“Perry. But I thought you were calling me your knight in shining armor?”
“Yes, but I should know your name too.” He looks back at the beer guy. “This is my new friend Perry! He caught me when I fell off the table. I’m getting him beer.” The guy tries to grab the tap, but Hot Dancing Guy says, “Hey, wait your turn.”
I can’t help but laugh, considering we did, in fact, not wait our turn.
He fills the cup, grabs my wrist, and starts to pull me toward the living room again. I don’t know why I’m letting myself be dragged around, but he makes me smile, and I like things that make me feel good.
He tries to get onto the table again, but I don’t let him. “How about we stay down here?”
“But it’s more fun up there.”
I’d like to have some fun with him, but it’s increasingly obvious that Hot Dancing Guy is drunker than I thought…which means no sex. But if he’s interested, maybe we can take a rain check.
“Yes, but it’s safer down here, and I like you too much to risk you getting hurt.” I wink, maybe laying it on a little thick with the flirting, but he doesn’t seem to care. The smile takes over his face again.
“Aw, you’re the best, Perry.”
“Your knight in shining armor, remember? And I know. I’m awesome at most things.”
“Can you dance?”
“Is that really a question?”
“I bet I’m better,” he says.
“Challenge accepted.”
If I can’t share orgasms with him tonight, at least we have this.
CHAPTER THREE
Theo
Perry is awesome!
I’m having so much fun with him tonight.
I somehow drink most of the beer I got for him, and then we start to dance. Every once in a while, he puts his hands on my hips, which I have to admit is a little strange. None of my friends dance with me like this, but I’m a touchy-feely guy too, so whatever.
I’m pretty sure we’re at it for close to an hour, my legs starting to feel numb and the alcohol making me giggly, when Perry says something to me.
“What?” I ask, unable to hear him.
Perry is taller than me. He leans in, face close to mine, chocolate-brown hair brushing against my temple, breath against my ear when he says, “I need some fresh air.”
Goose bumps run the length of my arms for no reason I can make sense of, but why would I want to make sense of anything right now? I just want to have fun. This party is exactly what I need after the disaster that was my date with Whit yesterday—getting broken up with and the truth bombs she dropped on me that I’m trying to pretend don’t exist.
Yes. I could use some fresh air too.
“Come on. Let’s go.” I take his wrist, but then somehow we end up with Perry’s hand in mine. I can’t really tell if I did it or if he did, but what’s the difference between a wrist and a hand? We’re just trying not to lose each other in the crowd. I’d do the same with Avery, Casey, or Jack.
Speaking of…why haven’t I seen my friends all night? Avery likely found a hookup, but I’m not sure about Jack or Casey. Maybe they’re giving me space because I’ve been a grumpy asshole to them since last night. I’ve yet to tell them that Whitney dumped my ass…
The thing is, I’m not as sad as I probably should be, not at losing my girlfriend, at least. I’m just annoyed about the circumstances and frustrated because of the things she said.
But I’m hanging out with my new friend Perry tonight, so I’m not going to worry about it. He doesn’t know me, doesn’t know I’m supposed to have a girlfriend or that I suck at school and that I’m scared I’m not good enough for college, that if I manage to graduate, I’ll suck at business and never make my parents proud.