Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“I didn’t think that.”
“Bullshit.”
“I’m serious. Mates are destined. To be completely honest, that was the last thing on my mind.”
“What was the first?”
“Damn, she’s mouthy.”
Reese tipped her head back and laughed. For a moment, I was stunned. It seemed insane to me that I’d ever found her lacking. She was fucking gorgeous when she laughed. She was pretty all the time, but she was a damn showstopper when she laughed.
“Well, that’s true,” she replied, still grinning. “Maybe the universe thought you needed someone to keep you from being so stuffy.”
“I’m not stuffy.”
“You’re the epitome of stuffy. Poor Beau. Has that stick been up your ass since you were born, or was it a gradual thing?”
The bark of laughter that fell out of my mouth surprised us both.
“You need me to help remove it?” she asked, leaning up until she was straddling my hips. “I mean, I’m not into ass play, but—”
“Mouthy,” I shot back, poking her in the sides until she squirmed.
“Stuffy,” she gasped as she tried not to laugh, shoving at my hands.
She’d just toppled back toward me, and I’d barely gotten my hands into her hair, remembering how good it had been on that couch the first time when her front door swung open.
“What the fuck?” Reese yelped, jerking back upward.
“You must be the flu,” her best friend Rena said to me, staring at us from the doorway.
I’d heard people walking up and down the breezeway all day, so I hadn’t paid any particular attention when I heard someone outside the apartment. Gripping Reese’s hips, I sat up and turned so my feet were on the floor.
“What are you doing here?” Reese asked, scrambling off me. “And how the hell did you get in?”
“I used the emergency key,” Rena replied, lifting the key.
“That was for emergencies.”
“Well, when my best friend, who I talk to every day, tells me she’s sick and then doesn’t answer my calls, I get a little worried.”
“I’m clearly fine.”
“You’re clearly lying your ass off.” She looked me over. “Who’s that?”
“Beau Boucher,” I replied, getting to my feet so I could shake her hand.
“Rena,” she greeted suspiciously. “Where the hell did you come from?”
“Knock it off,” Reese ground out. “Don’t be an ass.”
“Oh, I’m the ass?” Rena asked, throwing her hands in the air. “What the hell?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time.”
Reese lifted both hands to her face and pressed her fingers against her forehead.
“What is the big deal?” Rena asked in exasperation. “You couldn’t just tell me you were getting banged by Adonis?”
“He’s my mate,” Reese mumbled, glancing at me.
“Say what, now?” Rena asked, looking back and forth between us.
“We’re mates.”
“Get the fuck outta here,” Rena blustered, her mouth dropping open.
“I know,” Reese groaned.
“And you gave me so much shit!” Rena crowed. “None of that shit is true, Rena. Those magazines are garbage, Rena.”
“They’re still garbage.”
Rena widened her eyes and pointed at Reese and then at me. “You sneaky bitch. You’ve just been trying to throw me off the scent. How long has this been going on? Why the hell am I just meeting him?” She looked at me. “I’m Reese’s best friend, and I will end you, Vampire or not.”
“Noted,” I muttered.
“It just happened,” Reese said, glaring at her best friend. “I thought I’d give it a few days—”
“A few days?” Rena blurted, glancing down at my sock-covered feet. “When the hell did you two meet?”
“Day before yesterday,” Reese mumbled quietly.
Rena’s back snapped straight.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Reese said quickly. “It’s been a crazy couple of days, and I’ll tell you everything. It’s just that things have been kind of intense and—”
“Did you already seal it?” Rena asked flatly.
“I don’t know what you—” Reese hedged.
“Yes,” I replied at the same time.
“Not helping,” Reese snapped at me. As if I was the one losing my shit.
“You’ve known this dude two days, and you’ve already sealed the bond?”
“What exactly do you think it is?” I asked curiously. She was speaking like she knew all about Vampire mating bonds, but I wasn’t sure how that could be possible. There were plenty of news articles floating around, but I’d never seen one that came close to being accurate.
“We need a minute,” Rena said, not even bothering to look at me. She shooed Reese toward her bedroom. The door slammed behind them.
As if going into a different room in the tiny apartment gave them some kind of privacy.
“Are you out of your mind?” Rena hissed. “This isn’t getting drunk and eloping in Vegas!”
“I know that!”
“You’re stuck with that guy. Stuck. There is no escape.”
“I’m aware!”
“What could you possibly be thinking? Even if you wanted to leave, you couldn’t. They’d never let you. Jesus, Reese.”
“If you’d give him a chance, he’d grow on you.”
“Do you hear yourself? Not, you’d like him, but he’ll grow on you? What’s wrong with him?”