Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 97724 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97724 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Beckett stops short and holds his hands up. “He’s trained after all.”
“Quite well,” I agree and hold my hand up, giving Riley the sign to stand down. Immediately, my boy stops growling and sits next to me. Maybe we’ll get some training tonight despite how the evening ended.
“I didn’t mean to startle you.” His eyes fall to where I’ve fisted my hand at my side, and I intentionally loosen those muscles before he pins me in his gaze again. “I wanted to ask for your phone number when my nosy-as-hell brothers aren’t listening in. I don’t want them watching while I try to charm a beautiful woman.”
My brows rise in surprise. Beckett is not simply handsome. That’s much too drab of a word for this man. He’s … powerful. His jawline is sharp beneath that beard, and his dark eyes look lighter, almost like whiskey out here in the soft glow of the car park lights.
And when he smiles at me, it moves through me like molasses, from my head to my toes. I want more of those smiles. Even if I know I won’t allow myself to indulge in that pleasure.
Beckett Blackwell is sadly a person I’ll need to avoid. I’m not entirely sure I’ll ever be willing to be vulnerable to a man again.
Not yet anyway.
“Thank you for asking,” I finally reply when he shoves his hands in his pockets, waiting and watching. “But I’ll have to decline.”
Those whiskey eyes narrow on me, and I almost want to take the words back.
“It’s nothing personal,” I rush on to assure him. If I were anyone else, if I didn’t have such a fecked-up past, I’d absolutely date Beckett Blackwell. “I’m sure you’re a lovely man.”
“Yeah.” He nods, then chuckles, running his hand through his hair. “That’s how I’ve been described often. Lovely.”
I laugh with him and shrug a shoulder. “I’m simply not on the market.”
All humor leaves his face. “I apologize. I didn’t realize that you had someone.”
“Oh, I don’t.” I shake my head and notice that his shoulders relax. Great, so he’s sexy as sin and a nice person. “And I’m not looking for a … someone.”
“Fair enough.” He takes a step back, and I breathe a little easier. “Have a nice evening.”
When he turns to walk back into the pub, I have a moment of regret.
Perhaps it would be nice to get to know someone like Beckett. There’s no denying that I’m attracted to him. A woman would have to have no pulse to ignore the charisma and sex appeal this man exudes.
But I was also attracted to the arsehole, and that ended in a nightmare.
Feeling slight melancholy and definite disappointment—I hate this so much—I watch Beckett go back inside and lead Riley to the car.
“This is for the best,” I say to both of us before I close the door and climb into the driver’s seat. After starting the vehicle and pulling out to head home, I eye the dog in the mirror. “Now, you do realize that you failed that training, right? I can’t believe you went with Blake. You know better than that.”
Riley lies down with a huff, and I shake my head.
“We’ll try that one again soon.”
Tonight is my favorite night of the month.
Spicy Girls Book Club.
Bee hosts it at her bookshop, and we’re up to about fifteen members now, which is a lot of fun. But I’ve grown closest to the original members.
Bee and Dani are my tightest friends. Dani’s twin sister, Alex, and Millie Wild, the owner of the coffee shop next door, are also wonderful.
But I enjoy all of the ladies who have joined. So many of them have known each other most of their lives, thanks to living in a small town, but that didn’t stop them from graciously welcoming me into their fold and making me feel right at home.
“I brought chocolate cupcakes,” Jackie, the owner of The Sugar Studio, announces as she walks through the door. “And I actually read the book this time.”
With a laugh, we all gather around to talk about this month’s book club read, Love, Utley by S.J. Tilly. We started reading a mafia series by the same author last winter and loved her so much that we decided to keep going. I’m so glad we did.
“This book was a masterpiece,” I tell the group. “It was so heart-wrenching and sexy, all at the same time. But my favorite bit was early in the book when she had the wee fender bender after lunch with her coworkers. She’s frightened and having a moment, and Maddox doesn’t even look her way. He simply puts his hand out for hers, and she slides her palm into his. My heart gave such a heavy sigh at that moment.”
“Hot as hell,” Bee agrees, as the others nod. “We love a man who takes charge. Who knows what he wants and doesn’t play any bullshit games.”