Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51193 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
I smile, and his expression quickly mirrors mine. “Yeah, I guess I’m not that into it,” I admit.
“Wanna dance?” Jamie offers his hand to me, which I gladly accept, and then his other hand falls to my hip, pulling me into his chiseled chest.
Jamie is tall and muscular, towering over me, though that’s not too hard to do when you’re only five feet tall. Almost everyone is taller than me. Even my younger brother, still in middle school, has an inch or two on me.
I run my fingers over his thick biceps, loving the feel of our skin touching. Over the years, I’ve witnessed firsthand why girls flock to Jamie, but my mental connection to him has far outweighed my sexual desire. At least, it did until now because being this close to him is killing me.
As he moves his hand from my hip to my back, I suck in a deep breath and peek up at him. His eyes meet mine, and my throat closes as I look into his perfect blue irises. He’s gorgeous with shaggy brown hair, which sweeps over his forehead. Jamie gives me a dreamy look that stirs need and desire inside me.
Does he feel it, too?
I’ve never seen him with a girlfriend. From what I can tell, Jamie doesn’t date. Hockey and school are more important to him.
“Thanks for saving me,” I say.
Jamie smirks. “I like saving damsels in distress.”
“My very own superhero,” I joke, squeezing his biceps. “You found me at just the right moment. I was thinking about leaving.”
“Good thing my spidey sense kicked in before you did.”
From what he’s told me, Jamie loves comic books. He has an obsession with Spider-Man, something he’s mentioned quite a few times. I smile so wide my cheeks hurt. He stares down at me, his lips parted, and my pulse quickens.
I want him to kiss me.
We dance to the techno beat, our bodies rubbing against each other. The tension between us builds, hitting its peak before he dips his head to my level.
Is this our moment? It sure as hell feels like it.
He digs his fingers into my side, both hands on my hips. Our lips are so close they almost touch. I lick my bottom lip to give him the go-ahead. But he stops inching his way to me. Instead, Jamie moves his head to the side, taking me by surprise. His lips are brushing against my ear as he speaks in his deep, manly voice.
“I need another beer. Come with me.”
Jamie leads me through the living room and into the kitchen with our fingers interlocked. One of the fraternity brothers stands behind the bar along the right side of the room, handing out drinks. We make a beeline toward the bar. Jamie raises his hand to grab the bartender’s attention.
Jamie hands me a beer. “Drink up.” He dips the red plastic cup against mine to toast. “Wanna go outside?”
I sip the foam from the top of my cup and some sticks to my lips. Jamie’s eyes fall to my mouth, and he’s mimicking me as I lick the foam away.
“Yeah, I guess. If it’s not too cold.”
He hooks his arm around my back and smiles. “I’ll keep you warm if it is.”
Jamie has never been so forward with me. He looks sober, or at least not wasted, like his friends. His teammates are in the backyard playing beer pong. A large group gathers around the long table where people throw ping-pong balls into plastic cups.
I avoid playing games with the frat bros. They always seem to win, no matter the challenge. I learned my lesson freshman year when my pledge class played them in strip poker.
We lost miserably.
In the middle of the yard, I spot a mix of naked and close-to-it people playing poker at a table under the giant oak tree. I’m relieved when Jamie dodges both crowds and heads toward the koi pond at the far edge of the property.
We have some privacy by the pond, enough space for a private conversation. Greek Row is lit up at this hour, one party after another spanning the entire block.
I sit on the bench beside Jamie, who leans forward to look at the fish swimming in the pond before us. He sips from his cup, his eyes fixed on the ground. An awkward silence fills the air between us. Now that we’re finally alone, my nerves suffocate me, crushing my chest.
“How’s hockey going?” I ask him.
He takes one more gulp of his beer and then glances at me. “Okay, I guess. Tuck and Trent got suspended for two games.” A beat passes between us before he adds, “But no one can know.”
I touch his hand and smile. “You can trust me.”
A smirk turns up the right corner of his mouth. “I know.”
“How so?” I challenge.