Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43536 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
“Great, go try it on.”
“This is a four and I’m a six,” she protested.
“Good, I’ll be able to see some boob and some ass,” I said.
“You may see the seam rip up the side if I try to shake my ass,” she shot back with a laugh.
She came out in the dress and the sky-high sparkly heels. I ogled her shamelessly while Rafe wolf whistled.
“Damn, woman,” he said, “I won’t be able to keep it in my pants at this rate.”
“We’re dancing first,” she reminded him. “And I don’t know anything about salsa moves so someone will have to teach me.”
“I’m a natural,” I boasted.
“Yeah, and when he sprains his ass, I can teach you something worth learning,” Rafe said.
“I don’t think asses can be sprained,” I told him, “and you insult my moves. I’m an excellent dancer.”
“You’ll have to prove it,” Lexi said with a grin.
“Leave in half an hour? I have to go find my leather pants and ruffled shirt so I can dress the part,” Rafe joked.
“You can’t salsa in leather. You have to move the hips more than they’ll allow. You need something with stretchy material,” I said seriously and Rafe burst out laughing.
“He’s gonna come out wearing my yoga pants now,” Lexi accused.
After some more joking around, we went to the club. I taught her a few moves, did some showing off on the dance floor because I did, in fact, salsa like a beast. Rafe tried to learn a few steps, but for an athletic guy, he couldn’t dance worth shit and I told him so.
“You got no rhythm,” I said with an eye roll.
“Oh, I have rhythm, it just belongs in the bedroom, not on the dance floor. They can’t handle my rhythm,” Rafe said.
“I’m pretty sure that kind of rhythm would get you arrested here. So keep it to yourself,” I told him, spinning Lexi back out onto the floor.
We danced until we were sweaty and tired, and she took off her shoes and set them on the table.
“They were beautiful, and they were fun, but they hurt like hell. I don’t know whether to donate them back to Goodwill for some other poor idiot to buy and suffer in or if I should just give them a decent burial in the bathroom trash,” she said.
“Oh, you should keep those,” Rafe said, “They’re dead sexy. Here’s a deal: You keep those shoes, wear them once in a while, and I’ll carry you anywhere you want to go while you have them on.”
“I’ll agree on one condition. You have to carry me to the car now. Because I’m not putting those back on tonight!” she said.
Rafe rounded the table and scooped her up right off the chair. She laughed, kicking her bare feet. I picked up her shoes and paid the tab. Once we were in the car, I joked that I got the shitty end of that deal.
“You got the girl, and I got the bill.”
“Yeah, but you got to dance with her all night and I had to drink water and be your designated driver,” Rafe said.
“Fine, fair enough,” I said, “but I want to talk to you both when we get home.”
“Is this a serious talk?” Lexi said, “Cause those make me nervous.”
“You have nothing to worry about. It’s nothing bad. I just want everyone’s full attention when we discuss it.”
“Okay, not making me less nervous here, pal,” she said a little shakily. I took her hand and kissed it.
Once we were in the house, I sat them down on the couch to talk.
“Here’s the thing,” I said.
“Uh oh, he’s announcing the thing. There’s going to be a thing,” Rafe said.
“Guys, this is serious,” I said.
They both snapped to attention, sat quietly and listened.
“Thank you. Now, Lexi, Rafe and I have been like brothers for most of our lives. We both make enough money that we don’t have to share a house if we didn’t want to. We chose to live together, split the bills, because we like hanging out. And that friendship, that brotherhood is strong. He knows I’m not going to bail on him and vice versa. There’s no way he could ever piss me off enough that I’d give up on him, and he’s put up with me for years. We know we have each other’s backs. And we grew up with families, I mean, we’ve had that kind of support growing up and now from each other, too. You didn’t have that. So this is like your first real family.”
“Yeah,” Lexi said softly, nodding. “And I never want to be something that comes between you two.”
“We know that, baby,” Rafe said. “And I think that may be what he’s getting around to. The connection we have, that we all have with each other, is a lot more durable than what you’re used to. It’s permanent.”