Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Well, that was just another thing I needed answers about.
I spotted Lily’s usual ponytail at a booth near the corner at the diner. I gave her a nod, walking through the crowded, narrow walkway between tables.
“Best spot in the house,” I told her as I sat down, popping off my baseball cap and setting it down.
“I’m glad I finally had a minute,” she said. “Casey’s been nuts. She made a joke about Bridezillas the other day but I don’t think she knows she’s two freakouts away from being one herself.”
“That bad, huh?”
Lily was in town for an old high school friend’s wedding. They had never been particularly close, but had many mutual friends, and Lily had been surprised when she’d been asked to be one of seven bridesmaids.
She’d been busy with bachelorette activities all week. Finally, we were getting a minute to hang out one-on-one.
She told me about some of Casey’s Bridezilla moments—saying that the flowers might end up being cream white instead of off-white and an ongoing war with another bridesmaid about the height of her heels.
After Lily and I had ordered iced coffees and had dug into our sandwiches, she sighed, leaning back on the booth.
“The stuff with Draven isn’t making it easier.”
I swallowed a gulp of my iced coffee, glancing up at her. “You mean the fight?”
She furrowed her brow. “No, we aren’t fighting.”
“No. I meant our fight.”
“Me and you?”
I set down my glass. “No. The fight I got into with him.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Oh, no. Don’t tell me he started something with you.”
“He didn’t mention it? The first night you guys got into town, I thought he was breaking into my barn. I came at him with my hockey stick. We ended up on the ground.”
“He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
A flare of pride flooded me, and I sat up straighter, balking at the way she’d said it. “I almost hurt him,” I said.
Lily chewed on her bottom lip. “He’s pretty intense. I know.”
“Lil, I know I shouldn’t butt in on your dating life. But Draven seems like a prick.”
She looked down at the speckled table between us, waving a hand and shaking her head. “He’s not a prick.”
“Sure seemed like one when he nearly choked me.”
She grimaced a little. “Well, to be honest, I’m not dating him anymore. We broke up pretty soon after we got to town.”
Pieces rearranged themselves in my mind like sorting out a puzzle.
“You actually did break up,” I said.
“Well, our breakup was a long time coming,” Lily finally said.
So he hadn’t been lying.
He still drove me insane at the bar the other night. He was so obvious about being on the prowl, looking for a fuck. Talking about wanting me to clean his cock with my tongue?
I shifted on the booth seat.
“Going to go run to the restroom, then grab another water,” Lily said. “Be right back.”
As she went up to the counter, I felt for my phone, pulling it out and compulsively checking it.
There was another text from Draven.
Draven
What are you doing right now?
Max
Why do all your texts feel like an interrogation?
You’re the one who asked me where I was hiding earlier.
Because I feel like you’re probably up to something.
I’m just checking in on you. In a friendly way.
You think we’re friends now?
We can start. I’ll go first. I’m Draven, and I like riding horses, drinking whiskey, and fucking people until they can barely walk afterward. Your turn.
I’m Max, and I’m not telling you jack shit.
You’re so cute.
I hated that I blushed as I read that text.
I looked all around the diner, as if I was worried that everyone in here could see it all over my face.
But no one was looking.
I turned back to my phone.
I’m Max. I like making cocktails, playing sports, and every Harrison Ford movie ever made.
Indiana Jones fan?
Big time. And Han Solo is the best part of the original Star Wars movies, without a doubt.
Now that’s just rude to Carrie Fisher. She’s a bombshell.
You can fight me over that one.
Next time we hang out, I’ll put on Blade Runner.
Yeah, because we hang out. Like friends. All the time. Are you delusional?
No. I’m just attracted to you, and you want more info on me. Pretty simple, Baby Blue. You’ll get more of me. Promise.
I want less of you.
Say that again, without lying.
Fine. I want to see you again, but only for revenge.
Forgot your version of revenge is making me suck your cock.
It’s still revenge, even if you like it.
Fucking hot when you try to pretend you wouldn’t like it, too. Hard for me again?
I shoved my phone in my pocket as I saw Lily coming back to the table. I ignored my cock, which had been getting hard, against my wishes. Last thing I needed right now was to be thinking about that while talking to Lily.