Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 91065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
So sexy . . .
My arms loop around his neck, pulling him closer, fingers digging into his shoulders.
The car door stabs into my back, but I don’t care—all I can focus on is him. His hands are so big and strong and confident, holding me up as if I weigh nothing. His lips, urgent and demanding, claiming mine with a passion that leaves me breathless.
Yes, Dex, yes . . .
As we make out like teenagers, the little seed of doubt slips further to the back of my brain, and my hands—the ones that were on his shoulders—slide into his hair.
Fingers crossed.
Chapter 17
Dex
“What the hell did you just say?”
I hate kissing and telling, so the last thing I want to do is repeat myself. But this is Landon and he’s my BFF, and I need someone to talk to besides Trent, for real.
“You heard me.” I don’t have the guts to repeat myself, which is the reason I’m being deliberately coy.
“What I thought I heard you say was that you jerked your date off at the movies and now you’re going to date her?” Landon chuckles into the phone, multitasking in his kitchen. “But that can’t be right because this is the woman with the kid.”
“I said what I said.” The look on Landon’s face when I say those words makes me laugh.
It’s one kid, not seven. I can handle that.
“You said you didn’t want to date someone with kids.”
I know what I said! Everyone keeps reminding me! Do I have to get it stamped across my forehead, jeez!
“Am I not entitled to change my mind?” I grind out the words, agitated, not wanting to explain myself. Again. It was bad enough rambling on like a fucking idiot in the movie-theater parking lot. Never have I ever spewed such nonsense.
No, I said. It’s been on my mind a few times and today, well. Today, I just . . . couldn’t ignore it anymore. I couldn’t keep pretending that what we have is casual when it’s anything but, and I honestly don’t want to be friends.
Jesus Christ.
I sounded like a moron and can’t believe she bought it.
Not that I don’t like Margot, but it goes against the boundaries I set for myself and told her on replay, and now I look fucking wishy-washy changing my mind.
Thanks to Trent.
In the camera’s view, I can see Landon hesitating and his dog, Kevin—a cowboy corgi—in the background, sniffing the floor beneath one of their pristine white cabinets, looking for crumbs.
Honestly, I’m a bit shocked by the fact that Landon hasn’t yet bought a bigger house since he signed to play for this new team, in a new city, but instead moved in with his girlfriend.
I guess time will tell.
Maybe bigger, better houses aren’t his thing.
My eyes go to the ceiling of my own kitchen, and I eyeball the shiny, glistening monster of a modern chandelier hanging above the round table.
“Are you entitled to change your mind? Of course you are.” He pauses. “But did you actually? You’re cool with kids, now?”
I mean . . .
“Eh.”
“Eh? What the hell does that mean?”
And here we are at a crossroads. I can either go left and tell him the truth, or I can go right—and lie.
It’s now or never.
“Dude. What I’m about to say you cannot repeat.”
The tone of my voice has Landon stopping what he’s doing to give me his full attention.
“Oh shit.” He’s staring at me now, a carrot in his hand. “What?”
Let’s see, how do I say this without sounding like a world-class asshole?
“It was an accident.”
Shoot. Not what I meant to say.
I try again as I watch Landon take a bite of carrot. “What I meant was—my intention wasn’t to date her at all. But then I was having a chat, and the subject came up about how dating a single mom might actually be good for my reputation? Not that I’m a complete shithead, you know? Just that teams like someone family friendly, and I date models.”
My buddy stops chewing. “Dude, no.”
I nod. Yes.
“Dude, stop fucking around, this isn’t funny.”
“In my defense, I tried bringing it up to her first to see how she’d feel about it.”
He narrows his eyes. “Did you?”
Not really. I wanted to but didn’t have the balls.
There’s a long pause before Landon curses. “You really are a dumbass, do you know that? A real fucking dumbass.”
Like I need him reminding me?
“She knows we’re just friends,” I lie. “We’ve been hanging out anyway, which is basically like dating—why not let the public think it’s more than that?”
“Because. She has a kid, that’s why.”
“I know. But we don’t have to hang out with it.”
It.
I feel instant guilt in the pit of my stomach, speaking about Wyatt that way.
I sound like a fucking jerk.
“Are you listening to yourself?” Landon is shooting veritable daggers at me through the phone, and it’s a look he hasn’t given me before. “Whose dumb idea was this? It couldn’t have been yours—you’re not that coldhearted.”