Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
His lips were barely hovering above mine, and warmth spread through my body.
“You stop selling my favourite place, idiot.”
“Mm.” He lowered his lips to mine, and the heat of his kiss made me shiver. “Why don’t you convince me, princess?”
I knew it was a trap. I knew, deep down, that he would never change his mind.
But for this moment, in this little bubble of lies and pretend I’d wrapped around us, I wanted to fake it. I wanted to believe I could change his mind. That I could convince him.
That I wouldn’t be dragging the dagger deeper into my own heart.
So, I gave in to the insatiable man who simultaneously angered me yet made me feel like the most precious person in this world.
And took the path that I knew would shatter my heart beyond repair.
25
* * *
ROSE
The Weirdest Market Ever
“You’re an idiot,” Isa said, staring at me. “Why don’t you just accept that you’re head over heels in love with Oliver and swallow your pride?”
I grabbed another cushion from behind me and tucked it between my knees until I had a full-body pillow going on with her sofa cushions. “Absolutely not.”
“Your pride will be the death of you, Rose.”
“Better my pride than a broken heart.”
“You’re gonna get one of those either way, but you already know that.” She shook her head and sat down in the armchair opposite. “Then your only option is to stop seeing him.”
“I am. He’s going to London tomorrow for the weekend, and I’ll be occupied with the market-festival-rave thing.”
“Ah, yes.” She nodded. “It has kind of evolved from its original purpose, hasn’t it?”
I smiled sadly. “Yes, but I doubt it’ll make a difference. He’s not going to change his mind.”
Isa sighed, tucking her feet under her butt and resting her head on her hand. “As much as I’d love to argue with you, I can’t. I think you’re right. If he was going to, I think he’d have done it by now.”
“Agreed.” Shaun walked downstairs and appeared in the doorway, rubbing a towel across his wet hair. “You’re hardly strangers, Ro. If he truly wanted to, he could pull the plug on it today, but he hasn’t.”
Ouch.
“Hit me where it hurts, freeloader,” I muttered. “Go and fix your hot water instead of pestering me, would you?”
“My sentiments exactly,” Isadora echoed. “It’s like he’s deliberately flaunting his abs in the hope I’ll fall in love with him.”
“Shit, you caught me.” Shaun grinned cheekily. “I’ll have to come up with something else.”
Sadly, he wasn’t joking.
A faint pink rose on Isa’s cheeks, and I stared at her.
Oh.
Was it actually working?
I shot Shaun a covert thumbs up and quickly scratched my neck when Isa stared at me. “What? I was just scratching.”
“Mm,” she replied, then turned back to Mr Flaunt-It. “Are you working this weekend?”
“Nope. I’m at Rose’s beck and call,” Shaun replied, dropping into the other armchair.
I finally sat up and threw a cushion at him. “Nobody wants to see your balls, Shaun.”
He adjusted his towel and set the cushion on his lap obediently.
“Thank you.”
He nodded at me, then looked at Isa. “Why? Were you going to ask me out? Have my abs finally convinced you?”
She gave him a withering look. “No. I was merely wondering if you were around to help, that’s all. I’ll be at the petting zoo keeping an eye on the animals’ welfare, and I might need some muscle. Since you keep showing yours off, I thought you might be offering.”
“I’ll even wear my Superman Halloween costume from three years ago.”
I tilted my head to the side. “Superman helping with bunnies and guinea pigs. I’m not sure that’s going to bring the desired clientele to the petting zoo.”
“But will be some cracking Instagram posts,” Isa added. “Give me the login, and we can both go live at points during the day. Video is the best medium to reach people through, and since the audience knows about our plight, they’d probably love it.”
“Not to mention some up close and personal moments with Waffles the Slut himself.”
“I’ll leave the chickens to you, Dr Doolittle. I fear that your relationship with Waffles is too complex for even an expert such as myself to understand.”
Yeah, yeah.
I looked at Shaun. “Wear the Superman costume. The Internet loves nothing more than a handsome guy with fluffy animals.”
“At least someone here appreciates my good looks.” He sniffed. “As you command, Your Majesty.”
I sighed. “Finally, someone respecting my true station.”
“Your Majesty?” Isa drawled. “I thought we’d have to address you as Your Grace, since you can’t seem to drag yourself away from Oliver.”
I snapped my head towards her. “I am not in love with him.”
“You’re in love with him,” she replied. “Shaun, tell her she’s in love with him.”
He held up his hands. “Don’t drag me into this.”
“No more showers for you!”