Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Xavier’s deep voice rang out downstairs, and for some reason I felt suddenly nervous. Putting my big-girl panties on, I walked down the stairs and followed the voices into the kitchen, where I found Xavier and Connor, bottles of that disgusting low-carb, non-alcoholic beer in their hands, and a pile of meat on a tray in front of them.
Xavier brought the bottle to his mouth but paused when he spotted me. His eyes scanned me from head to toe, lingering on all the places Fiona wanted to accentuate. Though, I was fairly sure her intention wasn’t to draw Xavier’s interest toward them.
“Connor! The barbecue started blowing up smoke!” Fiona shouted from outside.
Connor’s gaze darted between Xavier and me, as if he was unsure if he should leave us alone, but at a glare from me he grabbed the tray and hurried outside.
“Hey,” I said awkwardly. Funnily enough, Xavier was wearing a similar outfit to me. Dark jeans and white shirt. “Didn’t know we agreed on matching outfits.”
His mouth tipped up, then his eyes did the quick scan again. “You look better in it than me.”
“Let’s agree to disagree.” A second too late I realized what I had blurted out so carelessly. My God. I hovered in the doorway, unsure of what to do with myself, and worse, how to act around Xavier, especially now that he was giving me such an intense look.
“Kind of strange to have my boss over for dinner,” I rambled, which wasn’t the reason for my sudden awkwardness but Xavier didn’t need to know that.
“I can ask you to make me a coffee if that would make you feel better,” Xavier said, taking a long sip from his beer.
I laughed. “No, thanks.”
He shrugged, grinning. “Let me know if you change your mind. I’ll boss you around whenever you need it.”
“I’m good, trust me,” I said with a grin of my own as I walked into the kitchen and toward the fridge. “Do you want a real beer? The two lovebirds don’t want to ruin their bodies, but maybe you’re up for it.”
“A real beer?”
“Yes, you know, the kind with too many carbs and calories and alcohol in it,” I said with a small shrug. “I don’t follow the same no-carbs routine like most girls.”
Xavier’s eyes slid over my curves, and I had to fight the urge to cover myself. I had chosen this new style, now I needed to own up to it.
“So what about that beer?” I asked, opening the fridge and glancing at Xavier over my shoulder. He was still watching me with a strange expression. It was making me increasingly self-conscious. Beer would definitely help.
“I eat and drink carbs if the occasion requires it, so hit me with your beer.”
“And this occasion requires it?”
“Definitely,” he murmured.
I hid my smile behind the open door as I grabbed two bottles.
My eyes were drawn to Evie’s butt, which she didn’t hide for once. It was round and bigger than that of any girl I’d ever been with, and I couldn’t stop wondering how it would feel to squeeze my cock between it.
“I hope you like craft beer. These are two Indian Pale Ales from a local microbrewery,” Evie’s voice tore me from my inappropriate thoughts. She turned back to me with the bottles. It took me another moment to register what exactly she had said, and then another to trust my ears.
My eyebrows climbed up my forehead. “Okay,” I said slowly. “Those were the sexiest sounds I’ve ever heard from a woman.” And I had heard every moan, groan, scream, screech and gasp imaginable.
I had never been around a woman who enjoyed drinking beer, much less knew what the hell a microbrewery was or an Indian Pale Ale. Evie was a surprise package all over.
She pursed her lips, her blonde brows pulling tight. “Are you mocking me?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I said, stifling laughter. Whenever she gave me that stern look, I felt the urge to grin. With her strawberry waves, freckles and cute little mouth, the stern expression just didn’t have the desired effect.
She opened one bottle by wedging the cap of the other bottle under its cap and twisting up, then handed the now open bottle to me. I was so stunned, I could feel my jaw dropping to the fucking floor.
Evie flushed and snorted. Two of her favorite pastimes. “What?” she muttered as she leaned against the counter, propping her ample hip up against it in a way that accentuated her curves even more—and I knew she wasn’t aware of it.
“Nothing.” I raised the bottle to my lips and took a long sip. The taste was amazing, and hit me with its fruity and bitter notes. “Wow. That tastes great.” I checked the bottle, but I didn’t recognize the name of the brewery. “Never heard of that brewery before, though I’ve visited a few local breweries.”