Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
“I like both of those but more when we’re going out with friends.” He stretches his arm across the back of my seat. “And tonight, I just want to spend time with you.”
I’m about to melt into the seat.
“But wherever we end up tonight, this isn’t our first date, Tally.”
“Oh. Okay. Just friends having dinner,” I mutter.
“Friends don’t almost kiss friends in closets, kitten.” He tucks a finger under my chin and urges me to look at him. “What I mean, is that when I take you on a first date, it will be one to remember, and not because of unlimited salad and bread.”
Flip doesn’t take me to East Side’s. Instead, we end up at an Italian restaurant that looks like a hole in the wall from the outside, but soft lighting and private booths make the interior intimate and cozy.
“This is still not our first date,” Flip tells me as he spreads his napkin over his lap.
“It’s a pretty nice not-first-date.”
“Well, I feel like I have some making up to do, so we can call it apology step one dinner out.” He stretches his arm across the back of my chair. “Have you ever had a limoncello spritz?”
I shake my head. God, I’m overwhelmed.
“Do you want to try one?”
His fingers slide under my hair and his thumb strokes absently up and down. It’s instantly soothing. “Yes, please.”
“God, you’re fucking beautiful.” He kisses the edge of my jaw.
I could literally die happy now.
Before I can return the compliment, the server appears. Flip tucks me tighter into his side. “I’ll take a Peroni and she’ll have the limoncello spritz.”
The server glances nervously between us. “Um, I’ll need to check your ID.”
I’m used to being carded, so I immediately reach for my purse.
“She’s twenty-one, she’ll be twenty-two on August eleventh,” Flip says with a practiced smile.
I thrill a little that he knows my birthday so easily. I pat his thigh under the table. “It’s okay. It’s his job to check.” I pass over my license.
The poor server fumbles and nearly drops it. “Thank you, Miss Vander Zee. I’ll be right back with your drinks.”
“Thanks, buddy.” Flip gives him a chin tip.
I wait until he’s gone before I turn my attention to Flip, eyes wide with my sort of disapproval. “You can turn your alpha-pack leader down a notch.”
He gazes down at me with dark eyes, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Do you think I don’t know what that means?”
My eyes flare. I have not shared my love of omegaverse with him.
“Kitten, you are ungodly gorgeous, and I am not the only person who notices this. There are enough boys falling all over themselves to get to you, I won’t have our server being one of them.”
“He just carded me. It’s not like he’s flirting with me.”
“Not in front of me if he wants to keep all his limbs.”
“Oh my God, who are you?”
“The man who can’t stop thinking about you.” He kisses the inside of my wrist, eyebrows slanting. “I bet he’s looking you up on social media.”
“He is not.” I try to pull my hand away.
“I would if I were him.” He gently bites the side of my hand and winks as our poor mortified server drops off our drinks. I’m so flustered.
“Would you like more time with the menus or are you ready to order?” our server asks the candle in the middle of the table.
“How do you feel about an appetizer, kitten?” He’s still holding my hand.
“Yeah. Yes. Sure. That would be nice.”
“Do you like arancini?”
“I do.”
“Me, too.” He kisses my knuckle.
“An order of arancini to start. Anything else?” Our server’s eyes dart around.
“How about calamari?” Flip’s thumb sweeps back and forth along my pulse point.
“I also like calamari.”
“Perfect.” Flip’s gaze stays firmly fixed on me. “We’ll take an order of that as well.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Anything else you’d like, Tallulah?”
I’m pretty sure my panties are trying to grow legs so they can walk off my body and into his pocket. “No, thank you.”
“That will be all for now, thank you.”
“Of course, sir.” The server bows and rushes off.
I turn my attention back to Flip. “You know you don’t have to treat every guy like they’re a threat.”
His eyebrows rise. “What if they are?”
“Like Quinn?” I needle.
He has the decency to look momentarily apologetic, but his expression smooths out. “You’ve met Lovey Butterson.”
“They’re like childhood friends,” I argue.
“Tristan and my sister have known each other their whole lives, so have Dallas and Hemi,” he points out. “And you and Lovey share some physical attributes.”
“Like our hair color,” I scoff.
“You’re both lean and athletic. You’re beautiful, and fun, and easy to be around. Quinn was very friendly with you, and while most of the time I believe he would stay on the right side of the line with you, under the right circumstances, or the wrong ones, he might crack under the pressure.”