Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 126589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
“Which meant that likable, sweet, nice-to-everyone Gideon, turned himself into someone you couldn’t easily ignore. I never could understand why he’s the way he is around you, when he’s usually such a great guy.”
“What are you saying?”
“You know what I’m saying, Beth.”
Beth considered her friend’s words and when she finally grasped Cat’s point, she shook her head. “No, come on. That’s childish.”
“What? Like you and Gideon have been so damned mature around each other over the years?”
“That’s the equivalent of a kid teasing a girl on the playground because he likes her but doesn’t want her to know it.”
“Your point being?”
“My point being that it’s ridiculous.”
“Is it, though?”
“Yes, it is. So please let it go.”
Cat watched her with narrowed eyes and pursed lips, before delicately lifting her narrow shoulders. “Soooo…did he rock your world?”
“What?”
“Gideon.”
“Nope. That’s not up for discussion. Not even a little.”
“Was it awful?” Cat infused her voice with sympathy, while her eyes brimmed with laughter. “Was he selfish? Too fast? Too slow? Too kinky? Not kinky enough?”
“Oh my God, stop. He was fine. It was fine. We had fun. And now it’s over. And I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You’re such a spoilsport.” Cat pouted. “Remember when I first met Cam? I told you everything.”
“I was right there when you met him,” Beth reminded. Cat had been at Beth’s house the day Cam had first moved into the house Gideon now rented. After that, Cat had practically lived at Beth’s place. In fact, Cam later confessed that he’d thought the women were roommates because Cat had been there so often. “And an unwitting accomplice to your every plot to capture his attention.”
That was day Beth had seen Gideon for the first time as well, he’d been helping Cam move in. The solidly-built beautiful man, wearing board shorts, a tank top, and a cocky grin had stolen Beth’s breath and then he’d crushed her when he’d looked straight through her while Cam and Cat were exchanging shy introductions. He’d made her so nervous she had tripped over her own feet and she’d seen his scornful grin in reaction to her nervous clumsiness.
“I was such a child,” Cat recalled with a reminiscent grin. “All I had to do was talk to him.”
“Because he liked you too.”
“Yep.” Cat’s smile softened and she shook her head. “Anyway…we digress. This is about you and Gideon.”
“There is nothing to discuss. Gideon and I are barely friends. We made a fun mistake, but that’s all it was.” She refused to dwell on the last time they’d had sex. How meaningful it had felt, how sweet and raunchy it had been. The intimacy of allowing his naked flesh to press into hers.
Her breathing increased slightly and her heartbeat elevated.
And worse…“Beth, you’re blushing!”
That.
Beth grimaced, cursing her fair skin for once again betraying her.
“Of course I am,” she said dismissively. “This is an uncomfortable topic of conversation. And I’d very much like to stop talking about it now.”
Cat’s gaze softened and she sighed.
“Okay, Beth, but I’m here if you need to talk, okay? As long as he hasn’t hurt you. Because, while I love Gideon like a brother, I will rip off his scrotum if he hurts my best friend.”
Beth smiled at her friend. “Gideon and I have been hurting each other for years. All in the guise of this ridiculous attempt to best each other. And neither of us realized that our barbs were landing harder than we’d intended. We’re trying to fix that now. The sex was probably the only time we weren’t trying to wound each other in some way.”
Cat looked contrite. “I didn’t realize that he’d hurt you.”
“I hurt him as well. It wasn’t great. We were both dicks.”
“But that’s over now?”
“I mean, you saw what happened earlier. There will be relapses.”
“He did apologize immediately.”
“Whereas, in the past, we would’ve allowed it to fester until it merged with the rest of the oozing pus that had formed from the previous wounds we’d inflicted on each other.”
“What a gross analogy.”
Beth grinned. “But apt.”
“So, what do you think about Adam?” Cat asked, finally dropping the subject, and looping her arm through Beth’s as they walked back to the patio together.
“He’s nice.”
“He is. And definitely interested in you.”
Beth responded with a guarded hmm and Cat tilted her head to watch her assessingly.
“Are you interested in him?”
“I barely know him, but I’d be happy to go out with him and see where it takes us.”
Cat seemed pleased with her response. “I’m glad you and Gideon are trying to find a happy middle ground on which to co-exist, Beth. But I’m also happy that you both realize that it’s probably better not to pursue the sex thing.”
Her words caused Beth to stumble a little before finding her footing. She stopped walking to stare at Cat.
“What makes you say that?”