Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I nod.
As they pass by, Mack takes my arm and leans in. “Get some rest tonight, because tomorrow? We’re getting the whole fucking story.”
13
MILA
“Hey. Mila, right?” a cute guy from my Video Storytelling class follows me out of the lecture hall.
“Yeah. Your name was… Chris?”
He grins. “Yep. I was wondering if you wanted to work together on the first project.”
“We could probably do that. What were you planning on—” I lose my train of thought when we come out of the building and I almost run straight into a group of girls who are staring at something across the way.
Mack.
It's Mack they're all looking at, who's leaning against a brick wall, his cut closed to hide the gun in his belt, and with one leg bent with the flat of his boot resting on the bricks. He's not looking my way right this moment, because he’s too busy talking to some bitch with candy pink hair and a protest sign. She’s broken away from the usual group of activists on the green, and is excitedly talking to him about who knows what. Somehow I doubt it’s related to her cause.
She’s gorgeous and I hate her on sight.
I can’t even blame her for being interested because he stands out like a man among boys, with his impressive arms bare and tattoos showing. The streak of jealousy that slashes through me catches me off guard. He might not be mine, but he sure as heck isn’t theirs. She puts a hand on his wrist and everything that isn’t him vanishes from my mind. Including Chris who is still standing right beside me.
“Mack,” I call out.
He looks up, and I swear every woman around us sighs in disappointment when he smiles and it isn’t at them. I smile right back, at least until his deep blue eyes cut to the side and I swear the temperature drops a few degrees. He kicks off from the wall and strides over. “Mila. Was starting to think I was in the wrong place.”
“Is this a friend of yours?” Chris asks, obviously annoyed.
Without a hint of warning or hesitation, Mack puts an arm around me, placing his palm right above my ass and then brushes my hair out of my face with the other, before cupping the back of my head and using both of them to pull me against him. My heart skips a beat when his full, soft lips slant over mine. I open to him, and our tongues slide together. He kisses me like I’m the only woman here, and we have all day. My knees go weak. Heck, every knee within two hundred feet probably does the same. Holy crap.
When he finally lets me up for air, he's looking very pleased with himself. “Yeah, I’m a good fucking friend, kid.”
“What are you doing here?” I don’t even notice when Chris and the pink haired girl leave. With Mack around, everyone else just seems unimportant.
The rumble of his laugh goes right through me like a wave of pleasure. “Looking for you, baby. C'mon, let me buy you lunch.”
It isn’t until now that I remember his warning last night about wanting the full story. I sigh and play with the strap on my laptop bag. I wasn’t really thinking straight last night, but in the light of day, I realize I owe them more of an explanation than just bad luck. “Where are the others?”
“They have other assignments, and I thought maybe you’d find it easier to talk if it wasn’t three against one. How’re you feeling?” He leads me towards a motorcycle parked on the edge of the lawn. It's black with a soft dark blue gradient along the edges. Stylish, elegant and powerful. “There's a burger place around the corner if that’s okay with you. They make a good fucking milkshake if you’re interested.”
“I’m a college student. You had me at free food, but I’ll definitely take a milkshake. And I’m good. A little sore but it’s not as bad as it felt last night.”
He gets on, and I climb on behind him. My side throbs a little when I throw my leg over the saddle, but it isn’t too bad. After getting a good grip around his waist, I look over my shoulder, finding what looks like every girl at the whole college watching me with acid green envy. I run a hand up the inside of his shirt, feeling the strong ripple of his abs.
Mine.
Then we're off with a roar. We go to McAlister’s, a place I’ve seen before but never been in because it’s a pain to get to without a car.
“Jake! Two burgers with everything, fries and onion rings.” Mack breaks off and looks at me. “Sorry, if you want something different that’s fine. I just assumed.”
“No, that’s fine. But you owe me a milkshake.”