Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37636 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 188(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Slade was a good guy. She would've even gone as far as describing the cafe owner as the gentleman next door...until that one day she had been at the cafe and really saw the billionaire in action.
The way he had teased and tormented poor Kady...
The memory had Anah mentally dedicating a prayer for the older girl. She owed Kady a big one, after all. Thanks to Redwood Cafe's newest employee, most everyone in town no longer paid any attention to Anah and Ethan, and because of that very reason...
Bliss, Anah thought with a happy little sigh as she swung down from her horse.
Ethan smiled at the sight of Anah's shining eyes. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
Anah could only nod. She didn't trust herself to speak yet, with her heart still racing like mad. Ethan had borrowed a pair of horses from Raj's stable for tonight's ride, and they had made sure to slip out just as their friends were busy either cooking supper or having a meal at the cafe.
One of Hartland's best-kept secrets was a scenic trail at the back of the town, and lamp posts that automatically switched on at night ensured the path remained well-lit all the way to the top of a gently rolling hill.
The perfect picnic spot awaited them at their destination, and Anah's breath caught. From where she was standing, she could see the whole of Hartland, and it was the loveliest sight.
Anah knelt down and spread their picnic blanket on the soft, dewy grass while Ethan untied the picnic hamper from his horse.
"You didn't bring any book with you?" Ethan asked as he sat next to her.
Anah hesitated then asked impulsively, "Do you want to know the truth?"
Ethan frowned. "You don't like reading after all?"
A small laugh escaped her. "That's not what I lied about."
"Then?"
"Didn't you ever wonder why I never switched to ebooks?"
"You've always been a little old-fashioned," Ethan answered half-seriously.
Anah made a face but was unable to argue his point.
"What did you lie about?" Ethan asked finally.
"I was reading the books," Anah confessed, "but they were also for decoy."
"You had another book hidden behind it?"
"Nope." Anah could no longer stop grinning now, realizing just how good her books had been as a decoy.
Ethan's gaze narrowed contemplatively. What could Anah possibly need to hide so badly that...
Anah knew the moment Ethan realized the truth.
"Well, fuck."
"I know size doesn't always matter—-"
Ethan stared at her in disbelief.
"But in this case it did. I needed something really big—-"
Ethan choked.
"To cover my face," Anah finished primly.
A few seconds had to pass before Ethan was finally able to get past his shock, and the first thing he did was glare at her. "If I ever catch you making that kind of joke around any other guy—-"
Anah was a little taken aback. "Was the joke that bad?"
Ethan's teeth gnashed as he fought against the urge to give Anah a good hard shake. "That kind of joke is only going to give guys the wrong idea, you little idiot."
Anah's eyes widened. If that was what he was most worried about, then...didn't that mean Ethan was (finally) feeling just the tiniest bit jealous over her?
Seeing that Ethan was glaring at her, Anah couldn't resist pursing her lips, as if she were still thinking his words over. "I really don't think it's that big of a deal. I mean..." She glanced at him under her lashes. "You're the first one I've told that kind of joke to, and it hasn't given you the wrong idea. Has it?"
Ethan only looked at her.
"Then I don't see why—-" Anah broke off when Ethan suddenly leaned forward, and she found herself automatically bending backwards...until she had fallen flat on her back on the blanket, and the evening skies disappeared behind Ethan's gorgeous face.
"I'm only going to tell you this once."
The dangerously soft tone of Ethan's voice wasn't lost on her, and she found herself gulping even as her skin tingled in heightened awareness of his proximity.
"Don't even think of disobeying me on this."
Her heart jumped to her throat. "Why does it matter if I do or don't?"
"You really want to hear the truth?"
Yes. No. I think...I don't know.
Anah's heart thudded against her chest while butterflies spread their wings inside her stomach. But in the end, all she could do was shake her head. "Not yet."
And just like that, the spell broke.
Ethan leaned back as Anah slowly pushed herself back up to a sitting position. Her heart was still racing, and she found herself clasping her fingers together just to keep them from shaking. She knew there was a chance - a really good chance - that Ethan would've told her he was jealous. But even if he had said those words, it wouldn't have changed a thing.
"Anah?"
She glanced at him, startled, and then she saw what was in his hand, and a smile broke over her face as she took the bottle of lemon soda he was offering. "You remember what I like..."