Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 102719 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102719 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Our eyes lock. The light catches on hers, turning the brown to a shade darker than honey. She grins, her nose crinkling.
My stomach drops. Heart skips a beat.
I wanna lay her down so bad it hurts.
“I’m fuckin’ sick of this,” I murmur. “Always having to run. Sneak around.”
Her grin fades. “I know. But it won’t be forever. We won’t have to sneak around when you come visit me at college. I’m leaving to get ready for Wake in two freaking days, Riley. And when you get on your feet, you hopefully won’t have to work as much . . .”
But how long’s that gonna take?
I’d like to think I’ll be making enough money soon so Mom won’t have to sweat her job. Maybe she’ll even be able to work at an antique shop like she’s always wanted. My ultimate goal is to be able to support her.
But even though I’m working two jobs, plus any other odd ones I can pick up, I still can’t support both of us alone right now. I don’t have plans to go to college, so I won’t be lining myself up to get any high-paying, 9-to-5 white-collar job. And to make the kind of money I hope to have, I know I’m going to have to work really hard for a really long time.
Could be years before I can date Lu Wade out in the open. Her family would never let her go out with a guy like me right now: poor, from a broken family, with no foreseeable prospects in terms of education or stable, much less lucrative, employment.
The idea’s frustrating. Depressing too.
Lu must read my thoughts, because she plucks a few cheese straws off the baking sheet. “This’ll make you feel better. Open.”
I glance over her shoulder at the hall. Still no sign of anyone.
I do as she tells me. Lu pops a straw into my mouth. The savory, buttery flavor melts on my tongue. The texture is crumbly, a little chewy, a cross between Cheeze-It and a biscuit.
Closing my eyes, I groan. “Damn, Legs, that’s good.”
“How good?”
Cracking open an eye, I smirk. “You askin’ if I think it tastes better than you?”
“I know how much you like tasting me.” She wags her eyebrows.
I grab her waist. I love what a perv she is.
How open she is to try new things. In and out of the bedroom.
“Almost as much as you like tasting me,” I reply.
A pink flush works its way up her chest and neck to her cheeks. “I am going to be a disgrace at my lesson because I’ll be thinking about it. About you.”
“I’ll get off as soon as I can.” Pun not intended. I lean in and kiss her lips. They’re soft and warm. When I lick inside her mouth, her tongue dances eagerly with mine. I drink deeply, pulling, then pressing.
“God, you’re”—she’s panting between strokes—“a good kisser.”
I smirk. Then I move my hand to her throat and give it a quick, hard squeeze.
Her knee buckles. Eyes flash with heat. “You’re good at that too.”
“I kno—”
“Hellloooo!”
Lu and I jump apart at the sound of Mrs. Wade’s voice in the hall. I cut Lu a panicked glance. Fuck, that was close.
“Smells delicious in here.” Mr. Gibbes strides into the kitchen, hands in the pockets of his khaki shorts. “Ah! It’s Louise working her magic. Cheese straws? Just what I was in the mood for.”
She smiles and quickly crosses the kitchen to kiss her granddaddy’s cheek. I notice she doesn’t correct him on her name. “Hey, Pa. I knew y’all might want a snack later.”
“You’re sweet to think of us.” Mr. Gibbes’s gaze lingers a beat too long on Lu’s face. He puts a hand on her cheek. “You’re red, sugar.”
“It’s the oven. Gets hot in here when I cook.”
He smiles. “I like that you’re groovin’ to Dolly.”
“Only because you’re the one who introduced me to her.”
“Just passing along my excellent taste in music. How about we listen to some Joni Mitchell tonight during dinner?”
Lu beams. “Can’t wait.”
She’s not kidding. Lu and her granddaddy have a serious bond over their love of music. You’d never guess a high-powered lawyer like him would be a connoisseur of rock ’n roll. But he knows his shit.
“Riley! What luck that we get to see you, son.” Mrs. Gibbes, Lu’s grandmother, breezes in behind her husband. I notice she’s got a dark stain on the front of her otherwise pristine dress. “I feel like you’re never around.”
“Yes ma’am, I’m usually out working. Nice to see you as well.” I turn to Mr. Gibbes. “Hello, sir. Hope y’all enjoyed your cocktails.”
His eyes flick in my direction. “Making yourself right at home in my kitchen, I see.”
My heart skips again. For an entirely different reason this time. “Sir, I was just—”
“Handsome as all get out.” Aunt Lady appears at my elbow. She’s got a big old smile on her face. “Seriously, have you considered modeling? I think you’d do very well.”