Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71303 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Giggling, she says, “I will, but under one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“No more kissing.”
Hmm. Not what I was expecting her to say, but very interesting. I have no doubt she enjoyed kissing me, so I suspect her condition has to do with her not wanting to get carried away.
“Was Cam that bad of a kisser?” Wyatt quips.
“Like hell,” I mutter, offended even though I know he’s joking.
“Kissing you both made my head cloudy,” she says. “And it makes things complicated. You said this is about going out and having fun, so can we just do that?”
“Absolutely,” Wyatt says.
I nod, and give her a smile. “We won’t hold it against you if you change your mind.”
CHAPTER 24
STELLA
Marissa is, of course, more than happy to watch Jessie for me. “I’m so excited that you’re finally going out,” she says.
“I won’t stay out late.”
“Stay out as late as you want,” she says. “Just let me know if I need to take Jessie to school in the morning.”
“Very funny. I’m not going to spend the night with them!”
I’m trying to decide what to wear, but it’s impossible. I send a text to the men: “I need some idea of where we’re going so I know what to wear.”
“Just dress comfortably,” comes the reply from Cam, which isn’t much help.
I end up wearing casual pants, a nice blouse with buttons up the front, and flats. I curl my hair into soft waves, something different from the mom bun the guys usually see me in.
I take care with my makeup, and wear a pretty pink lipstick that I usually don’t bother with, though I remind myself that my lips won’t be getting any action tonight.
Despite deciding that I’m not going to kiss them again, when they come to pick me up, my stomach flutters with the same excitement it had that night.
Cam’s driving his sports car again, and tonight I’m escorted into the front seat. I know from our trip to the vet that the back seat is surprisingly spacious, but when Wyatt gets in, he makes the space look small.
“I can sit back there,” I offer.
He pats the seat next to him. “Sure, c’mon back.”
“I meant I’ll trade with you. There’s more leg room up here for you.”
“I’m fine here, but I’d be better if you were back here with me,” Wyatt says.
“She’s staying up here with me,” Cam tells him.
As he drives off, Cam asks, “Do you like teppanyaki?”
The word sounds familiar, but I can’t place it. “I don’t think I know what that is,” I tell him.
“It’s a Japanese style of cooking, where they cook food on a griddle at your table,” he says.
“Oh, right. I’ve seen that on TV, but I’ve never had it.”
“Are you up for trying it?”
“Sure, I’m up for anything.”
When Cam glances my way, there’s a little flare of heat flashing in his eyes.
At the restaurant, Wyatt opens the car door for me and offers his hand to help me out.
He keeps hold of my hand as we walk to the door, and it’s wild how much of a distraction this simple gesture is. Partly because I’m wondering if Cam notices and if he minds, but mostly because Wyatt’s touch is sending my body on alert. My skin is tingling, and my nipples feel sensitive.
Get a grip, I tell myself. It’s just hand holding.
After a short wait, we’re taken to a large rectangular table that has seating for eight people around a built-in cooking surface. Cam holds out a chair for me at a corner of the table, and he and Wyatt sit on either side of me.
A man and a woman are already seated at the other end of the table, and another couple is brought over to join us. I wonder if it seems odd to the other people that I’m here with two men.
I’m relieved that neither of the women seated with us seem to recognize Cam and Wyatt from their channel.
The men look especially good tonight. Cam’s wearing dark jeans with a light olive green button-down shirt, which is actually buttoned up for a change, and Wyatt has on a dark gray short-sleeve linen shirt with gray chinos. They both smell good, too.
Shortly after we place our food orders, a chef comes to the table and doesn’t just cook, but puts on a fun show, with impressive knife skills and some jokes. At one point, he flips a small piece of shrimp at Cam, and Cam manages to catch it in his mouth.
The food is delicious. Each of us ordered a different protein, and we sample each other’s food. I can’t decide what I like best, because it’s all so good.
“Do you think Jessie would like this restaurant?” Cam asks when we’re nearly done.
“She’d probably like the food, but the part where the chef created all the flames might be a little scary for her.”