Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98324 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
The wariness in those clear gray eyes only increases. “Look, I’m torn,” he says, cupping the non-injured side of my face. It feels so good, I want to close my eyes and lean into his hand.
But I don’t. “About what?”
He sighs. “I will never lie to you. But it’s really fucking tempting right now.”
“Why?” My heart rate doubles.
“He gave me a contract, and I turned it down. It wasn’t a good fit after all. I wasn’t comfortable.”
“Why?” I ask quietly. “And don’t sugarcoat it.”
He closes his eyes briefly, like the question is causing him pain. Then he wraps his arms a little more tightly around me. “I’m glad you’re getting along a little better with your dad these days. But he made a request that didn’t feel right to me.”
“And you really don’t want to tell me what it is,” I say dully. Then I lean my head against his shoulder because it’s right there.
“No,” he whispers. “I don’t.”
“Please,” I whisper back. “Just tell me what pissed you off. It can’t be anything stupider than he’s already said or done.”
He kisses my temple. “He said that since Tessa was working with him now, she’d be around a lot. And since the two of you don’t get along—his words—it was better if I didn’t bring you with me when I went to any of our Wayfair photo shoots.”
I take that in. And I was right—it isn’t anything worse than he’s already done. Just favoring Tessa’s feelings over mine. “You know what’s weird?”
“Um, everything about your family?”
I smile against his shoulder. “Well, yes. But I was going to say—I don’t think my father actually loves her best. I think he’s just used to tiptoeing around her explosive personality. Because when Tessa misbehaves, he has to reckon with his own bad parenting.”
He takes a breath. “That’s some high-level analysis, Kendrick. But I just couldn’t get past the part where he offered me a beach vacation in one breath and then followed it up by saying I couldn’t bring his own daughter with me.”
My heart clenches, and the sensation is awfully familiar by now. “We’re not actually dating, though.”
“He didn’t know that, and it shouldn’t matter. Besides—you say we’re not together, and yet you’re stuck to me like a sloth in a mango tree.”
“Really? I had no idea that a mango tree could kidnap a sloth and carry it across the rainforest to the sofa. I missed that on National Geographic. And I thought we discussed this—you were supposed to take the sponsorship even if my dad is an asshole. They’re just going to give all that money to a golfer now.”
I expect this idea to land hard on him, but it doesn’t. Instead, his gaze gets all soft and lazy, and his hand rubs a slow circle on my back. “The thing is, my priorities have changed. I thought a sponsorship would make me happy. That it would be, like, a capstone on my career. But then it didn’t. He literally handed me the contract of my dreams, and I couldn’t hand it back fast enough. I just wanted to race home and bribe Zoe into telling me when your exams were done, and your apartment number.”
“Huh. How much money did she take you for?”
“She gave me the info for free, because—and this is a direct quote—she wants us both to stop looking so miserable all the time.”
“You don’t look that miserable,” I insist. I’ve just spent a couple of weeks watching him slay at practice and smile for a million photos.
“The captain has to fake it. The truth is, I miss you so much that it’s killing me.”
My stomach does one of its flips. “Really?”
“Of course.” He runs his fingers through my hair. “Not sure how to prove it to you, though. You’re really good at assuming the worst of me—like I’m just interested because you said no, or whatever you’ve decided in this stubborn head of yours.”
I take a deep breath and try to sort through my feelings—it’s a spicy blend of terror, longing, and joy. “I believe that you mean what you say. But I’ve never seen you date anyone for more than a hot second.”
“Yeah, and I’m sick of that,” he insists.
My heart wobbles. “In my experience, people don’t change that much.”
“They change all the time,” he fires back. “My whole perspective on life changed after my brother died. You told me your mother changed a lot after she learned the truth about her marriage. I call bullshit.”
Stunned, I lift my chin and look straight into his clear eyes. “Point to you, Captain. It’s just…” I swallow hard. “I thought that when you finally settled down, it wouldn’t be with…” I can’t even say it.
“What?” He smiles. “A redhead?”
I give my head a slow shake. “The admin,” I whisper.
His forehead furrows. “Sorry? What difference does that make?”