Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
“My sister was mistaken,” I said, my voice tight. “I’m busy tonight, and while I’m flattered that you’d ask me out, I’m only in town a few days and there’s no way I could make the time. It was nice seeing you.”
With that, I turned away and started down the aisle after Lexi. I made it about two steps before he blocked me, arms crossed over his chest. I looked back to find middle aged women pushing carts side by side turn toward us, effectively ruling out escape in the other direction.
“Let’s start over,” Rome said. “I shouldn’t have said that and I’m sorry.”
I stared at his chest, trying to decide if I should accept the apology. On the one hand, what he’d said was hateful. On the other, it was true. I’d been thinking it myself. Not that it was fair or right that people might look down on Lexi for the way she dressed and carried herself… That was straight-up misogynist bullshit. But he was right—there were people who would take advantage of the fact that despite her tough act, she was just a kid.
“I accept your apology,” I said, still staring at his chest. He reached out, putting a finger under my chin and slowly pushing it up until our eyes met. His had grown serious but there was still that hint of kindness, mixed with a little heat.
“Then I’ll pick you up at seven, okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed, feeling a small smile steal across my face. I tried to hide it but it was too late. Triumph flared in his eyes, mixed with more heat. My cheeks flushed again. Then he put one big hand on each of my shoulders, leaning down toward me. Was he going to kiss me? I remembered what it felt like to kiss him, and without thinking I licked my lips.
Rome didn’t go for the mouth, though. Instead, his lips brushed my ear as he whispered, “Let’s go get dinner tonight, maybe ride over Loup Loup Pass to Okanogan. I’ll pick you up on my bike, so wear something comfortable.”
His breath tickled my skin as he pulled back. Then he tapped my nose before turning and walking away with a swagger not even a nun could ignore.
Not gonna lie—watching his ass in those jeans was the highlight of my morning. And I’d be riding behind that ass on his bike in just eight hours.
Now all I had to do was figure out how to convince my sister that sometimes, less is more when it comes to skin exposure…
“You look fantastic!” Lexi said that evening, then frowned. “I think my bra looks better on you than it does on me.”
I leaned over and adjusted my boobs, then glanced back at the mirror, which was attached to a vanity table I’d found for her at a garage sale. She was right—it really did look better on me, because my figure was fuller than hers.
Probably because I wasn’t a teenage kid.
It’d been a real stroke of luck when she offered to loan it, because that gave me an excuse to make it disappear. We still hadn’t had The Talk, and I wasn’t sure how it would go when we did, but I knew one thing for sure—at the end of the night, she wouldn’t be getting her push-up bra back.
If I got lucky, I could claim it died when Rome ripped it off my willing body before carrying me off into the sunset to have his way with me… Except I wasn’t really sure that I wanted that. I mean, he was hot and I’d had my share of fantasies about him, but I hadn’t actually talked to him for eight years.
For all I knew, the guy was a total douche.
But even if Rome was a douche, he was a totally fuckable douche, and I was only human. It wasn’t like I had to marry him to have a good time.
“What’s that?” Lexi asked, her voice suddenly suspicious. I looked at her, confused.
“What?”
“You’ve got this dirty, smug look on your face. You’re thinking about getting laid, aren’t you?”
Damn, but this kid saw way too much. “I don’t have to answer that.”
“I put six condoms in your purse,” she responded thoughtfully. “Do you need more?”
“Are you sure you’re only sixteen?”
She raised a brow. “I was born forty years old, Randi. Just like you. We just express it in different ways. Taking care of Mom was a lot of work for you, and now it’s a lot of work for me. Let me have some fun for once, all right? My big sister has a sexy biker on the hook. I want to enjoy the moment vicariously.”
I stilled, the words catching me off guard. Lexi had been so silly and happy since I’d gotten home, but that pain in her eyes was real. Shit. This wasn’t okay. It wasn’t okay at all.