Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“It’s so hot. I feel like I’m burning up. Do you smell…lavender?”
My eyes jerked up from my winnings. “What?”
“Lavender. I smell lavender.”
“Dude, how many beers have you had to drink?” James asked Shawn.
Shawn wiped his forehead. “The same amount as you. Fuck, it’s so hot.”
“Why don’t we step out onto the back porch?” I suggested as I stood up.
“The back porch? It’s freaking below freezing out there now, Lucas,” Alex said as he stood and placed the back of his hand on Shawn’s forehead. “You don’t feel hot.”
Alex was a registered nurse, so I was confident he would be able to tell whether Shawn was running a fever.
“Do you smell the lavender?” Shawn asked. “It smells like…like her.”
James chuckled. “Like who?”
Shawn looked confused as he answered, “Kristin. It smells like her.”
“Oh, hell,” I mumbled.
James and Alex both looked at me and said at the same time, “What is he talking about?”
“Listen, guys, I think we should wrap up poker night. I think Shawn’s had a little more to drink than we thought.”
James nodded and pulled out some money for my winnings. Alex did the same but kept looking at Shawn who was now pacing.
Alex handed me some money and narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t cheat?”
I laughed. “I swear, I didn’t cheat.”
He pushed the money into my hand, then looked back at Shawn. “Is he okay?”
“Yeah,” I said as I started toward the door, hoping James and Alex would follow. “He just needs to get some sleep, I think.”
“Better give him some Advil before he goes to sleep if he drank too much.”
I squeezed Alex’s shoulder. “Will do. This was fun!”
Alex curled his lip up at me. “I would say beginner’s luck, but since we’ve been playing for ten years, I can’t.”
Laughing, I practically pushed them both out the door. “Night, guys! Talk soon and thanks for your money.”
They both shot me the finger as they walked down the steps as snow fell around them. Shutting the door, I spun around and quickly made my way back to the living room. I pulled out my phone and was about to call Hollie when I ran into Shawn. He had his jacket on and his keys in his hand.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“I need to get to Kristin. I need to see her.”
“Right now?” I asked with a humorless laugh. “Dude, it’s nearly one in the morning, and you’ve been drinking.”
He scrubbed his hands down his face. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I…I…I need to see her. I need to touch her. Feel her. Be with her.”
Holy hell, Hollie, what did you do?
“Listen to me, Shawn. You don’t need to do any of those things. I think this is all Hollie.”
He shook his head. “No, I’ve been fighting this attraction, and I can’t do it any longer. I need to see her, Lucas. Now.”
“Okay, listen. It’s the middle of the night, Shawn. Just sleep this off and see how you feel in the morning. Okay?”
He narrowed his eyes but finally nodded. “Fine. I’m feeling kind of exhausted suddenly.”
For a moment, I wondered if I also had powers because I had wished for him to pass the hell out.
“Sleep sounds great. You go get ready for bed, and I’ll clean up in here.” I paused for a moment. Why had I just sounded like my mother? I shivered and pushed the thought away.
He went to walk toward his bedroom, then turned to me. “Your money.”
I waved it off. “Pay me later. Go take a cold shower or something.”
Shawn nodded, then walked like a damn zombie to his bedroom. I pulled out my phone and called Hollie. It went to voicemail. She must have already been asleep.
When I heard the beep, I quietly said, “Hollie! What did you do? Shawn is acting weird. He keeps saying he’s hot and he needs to be with Kristin. He needs to touch her! What the heck is that?”
I heard a bang and quickly made my way to Shawn’s room. I could hear the shower going as I walked up to the door and was about to knock to see if he was okay when I heard moaning.
“No…no, no, no,” I whispered.
Then Shawn started to call out Kristin’s name.
I stumbled back, tripped on something, stumbled to get myself right, then fell right on my ass.
Still able to hear Shawn calling out and moaning, I jumped up.
“Oh, my God! My ears! My ears!” I cried out as I rushed out of the bedroom and back to the dining room. “Oh, my God. I think I just heard my best friend jacking off in the shower!”
I pulled the phone away from my ear. “I just left that on a voicemail!”
Hitting End, I grabbed my jacket, keys, and a piece of cold pizza before I called out, “I’m heading home, Shawn!”