Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 125852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Her smile is gentle. “So you’re saying it’s a necessary torture?”
“Only if you want it to be.” I hold her gaze, a strange bitterness coating my tongue as I force my next words to leave my mouth. “You can go find him right now and tell him we were fucking with his head the way he did yours, or you can let him sit on it for a night and tell him tomorrow.”
“Why do you sound like you think something’s going to happen tomorrow?”
My grin is slow, and there’s a weight behind it I can’t explain. “Why are you pretending like it’s not? The dude is coming for you. And now he’s going to come harder than before.”
Her eyes narrow, but it’s playful. “I can’t tell if you’re intentionally being dirty or if it’s a natural part of who you are.”
“Silly girl.” I hop down and tug her to her feet. Taking her right hand in mine, I grip her waist with my other hand like some old-school waltz or some shit, swaying her a little. “You know damn well it’s in my DNA. Now hush it and let me dance with my thirty-minute girlfriend a little.”
She laughs, dropping her head back with a grin, and then she lets me twirl her around the grass a bit.
“Hey, Brady,” she whispers, her head falling to my chest when the song ends.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for rescuing me again tonight.”
“Always, Cammie Baby. Always.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Cameron
I spot Alister the moment he walks in the door, blond hair shining like a damn Pantene commercial. Of course he chooses that moment to run his fingers through it, eyes snapping up and skimming the aisles before he even makes it to the first step.
He finds me almost instantly, and a slow smile pulls at his lips. With each tiny tip higher, my heart pounds a little harder in my chest.
Okay, so he’s not mad. That’s a good sign, but I’m not sure I like this particular sparkle in his damn eye.
My phone vibrates in my hand, and I look down to see a message from Ari, who’s stuck in that random row closer to the door beside her new partner, thanks to Alister and his little game of musical chairs.
Bestie: Someone looks a little cocky.
Me: Little and COCK-y don’t belong in the same sentence where he’s concerned.
I look up, smiling at the back of Ari’s head when she hides her laugh behind her hand.
Bestie: Is that why we took a little secret trip downtown this weekend for your revenge jewelry?
Me: Not revenge jewelry. Ravaging jewelry in case the next is working with a worm and not a snake.
This time, I hear her laughter and set my phone down with a smirk.
A second later, Alister’s voice warms my ear. “Hi, beautiful. You look stunning, as always.”
I tip my head to the side, meeting his gaze, mine narrowed. “Thank you, Alister. Can you sit down now?”
“Why, is having me this close making you nervous?” he teases, bending so we’re eye level. “Or maybe it’s because your ‘boyfriend’ won’t like it?” His tone is mocking, amusement written across every inch of him as he calls me out on the lie without calling me out.
God, Brady was right—we only encouraged him more.
I run my tongue along my teeth, trying to find something else to focus on other than the heat of his nearness, and finally, the professor walks in. Alister straightens and takes his seat just as our professor begins going over the focus for the remainder of the semester, and a little buzz of excitement zings through me. I sit up straighter in my chair, Alister’s presence forgotten as I lock on to every word Professor Gilroy has to say.
Finally, I’m getting to the good stuff.
My first two years here, I focused on the basics: math, English, history, and all the other standard prerequisites only. Meaning I saved all the good stuff for my last two years.
This is the class I had been most looking forward to, and it’s exactly what I was hoping it would be: I get to build my very first lesson plan and not just any old lesson plan but one that is engaging and meets the needs of diverse learners.
I’ve known since I was young that I wanted to work with kids in some capacity, and the plan only grew more concrete as I got older and learned more about myself, but listening to Professor Gilroy speak, I can’t stop smiling. This is the first time I’ve felt like my dreams are within reach. My best friend glances over her shoulder then, a softness in her eyes and a smile on her face as she looks at me because she knew this is what I was waiting for—a way for me to learn how to truly connect with kids when I may or may not have any of my own.