Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 114775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
I give him a sad smile. “Not as well as I had hoped. But thank you again for letting me have the time off. I do appreciate it.”
Hand still on the door, Kas lifts a shoulder, shrugging off my comment.
We stare at each other for a long second. I feel a tension start to rise in the air between us. His eyes darken and flicker to life. I see his hand tighten around the door. My own breathing is coming in faster. My skin prickles to life under his intense gaze.
Then, as if coming back to his senses, he steps back, holding the door open wider. I walk through it.
“I’m sorry things didn’t work out for you.” Kas’s soft words touch my back.
I glance back at him. “Yeah, me, too.”
Then, he’s just staring at me again. There’s no warmth in his eyes this time, but there is definitely something. Almost like an invisible thread attaching us.
Then, I watch as his face shuts down. He gives me a sharp nod and releases the door, letting it close.
I stand, staring at the closed door.
Who is this guy?
Letting out a sigh, I turn to walk away, but one of the cleaning sprays slips from my hand.
“For eff’s sake,” I mutter.
I bend down to pick it up, and that’s when I hear my name being said from behind the door.
Of course, I have to listen in.
“So, that’s Daisy.”
“Mmhmm,” Kas answers.
“She seems nice. Hot, too. You didn’t mention that.”
“Why would I?”
Hang on…was that Kas saying he thinks I’m hot in a roundabout way?
“So, you actually admit you think she’s hot?” Jude sounds really surprised by this admission.
Kas sighs. “Of course I think she’s hot. A man would have to be fucking blind not to see that she is.”
Wow. He thinks I’m hot.
I steadfastly ignore the thrill that runs through me at the knowledge.
“And?”
“And what?”
“And what are you gonna do about it?”
“I’m going to do absolutely nothing about it.”
“Come on, Kas.” Jude’s tone is teasing, coaxing.
“She works for me. End of story.”
There’s a long pause.
Then, I hear Jude say, “Well, if you’re not gonna ask her out…then I will.”
“Jude…” Kas’s tone is like a warning.
Interesting.
Um, hold up…I’m not bothered that Kas is pissed off at the thought of Jude asking me out.
Am I?
“What? You’re not gonna ask her out,” Jude counters. “She’s hot as fuck, and she seems like a really cool girl.”
“You don’t know her.” His tone is really harsh and blunt.
Wow. Okay. That hurt.
“That’s the point of asking her out, dickface. You know, so I can get to know her.”
“Not happening. Daisy is off-limits to you.” Kas’s voice sounds like a growl.
Um, what?
Jude laughs. “Off-limits? To just me or everyone?”
There’s a pause, and then Jude laughs again. “You so wanna bang her.”
“Jesus Christ! Will you just shut the fuck up about Daisy?” Kas bites.
“Hey, no need to get all testy, man. But be real for a sec. This is the first time in all the years I’ve known you that I’ve seen you get all bent out of shape over a chick. That’s gotta mean something.”
“It means nothing.”
“Come on…”
“Seriously, Jude,” Kas snaps. “Just fucking drop it, will you?”
There’s a long silence.
Then, I hear Jude say, “Consider it dropped. We sparring again?”
“Yeah.”
Jude chuckles. “Come on then, pretty boy. Give me your best shot.”
Knowing their conversation about me is over, I move away from the door.
I walk down the hallway in a daze, not really sure what to do with what I just heard.
Kas likes me. Well, he thinks I’m hot.
So does Jude, but that’s neither here nor there.
But Kas…he’s such a prick to me, like all the time. If I fancy someone, then I tend to be nice to them.
I’m so bloody confused right now.
“Daisy?”
My eyes snap up, my insides jumping like I’ve just been caught doing something wrong.
It’s Cooper.
“Hey.” I paste on a smile.
“Hey. Everything okay?”
I nod my head.
“I was just coming to grab some milk. We ran out, and I’m dying for a cuppa.”
“Sure. You want me to grab it for you?”
“Looks like you’ve got your hands full.” He nods at the stuff I’m carrying. “How about I help you with this stuff, and then we can get the milk together?”
“Sure,” I say, smiling, as I hand over the bucket to him, my thoughts about Kas momentarily forgotten.
Thirteen
I’m nervous.
Scared and beyond terrified of how Jesse is going to be when I see him.
God, I wonder what he looks like now. I haven’t seen him in so long, not since the day I was sentenced in court.
“You ready?” Cece’s soft voice comes from beside me.
We’re sitting in Cece’s car, across the street from where Jesse lives. She offered to drop me off before she heads to work.
“No.” I shake my head. “I don’t know if I can do this, Ce.”
I’ve wanted to see Jesse so badly since my release, but now that I’m so close to it happening, I’m sick with nerves.