Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 94903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
But Chase still has more sex appeal. Why? Why does he have to be so ridiculously appealing?
My stomach tightens, and my heart begins to pound again. I could lose myself by staring at him, dreaming up situations and realities far from the truth.
“You see, Calista,” I say, my eyes still locked with Chase’s. “Chase and I have a deal.”
“What’s that?” she asks.
His lips twitch.
My brain races, trying to find the best way to handle her question. Obviously, he’s wildly attractive. Sexy. A catch. But none of that matters at present because he’s made his priority clear: Kennedy.
“She’s my priority,” he says. “If I’m open to messing around with you, that leaves room for mistakes.”
I force a swallow and turn toward the phone. Calista has her phone on her makeup table as she brushes her hair. She winks at me before going back to the mirror.
“It doesn’t matter how we feel. Our priority is Kennedy,” I say.
My statement is met with silence. Calista remains quiet while Chase shifts his weight beside me.
“Can I call you tomorrow?” I ask, feeling the heftiness of Chase’s gaze on the side of my face.
“Yeah. Sure. Call me tomorrow, toots. Love you.”
“Love you. Bye.”
“Bye. Bye, Chase. Nice to meet you and your great teeth.”
I roll my eyes.
“Nice to meet you,” he says.
I end the call swiftly.
My body is hot. The temperature in the room rises every second that it takes me to get the nerve to look at Chase. That doesn’t stop a surge of chills from snaking down my spine.
“That wasn’t awkward at all,” he says.
I force myself to turn to him. “Not at all.”
His shield is back, but a twinkle remains. “So you like my teeth, huh?”
His simple question breaks the tension. I burst out laughing and pick up my food. I carry it to the island, needing some space from him.
“You know, I’ve never had someone compliment my teeth before,” he says. “Odd but satisfying. My parents have a lot of money in my teeth, so I’m glad that paid off.”
“You know what’s satisfying?”
He grins.
I roll my eyes. “The fact that you had teeth that needed braces.”
“That’s cold.”
“That’s … just. You can’t have everything, Chase. It’s not fair to the world.”
He moseys toward the refrigerator. “Did you leave any leftovers?”
“Yeah. There’s some left.”
He takes out the containers to make himself a plate of food.
“Just so you know,” he says, pressing the buttons on the microwave. “I don’t have everything.”
“Huh. That’s good to know.”
“I mean, my teeth are great.” He turns and smiles. “And my … what did you say? Oh, my bone structure.” He lifts his chin and tilts his head side to side. “I think I got that from my dad.”
“It’s not nice to sneak up on people, you asshole.”
“What are you mad about?” He takes his dish out of the microwave. “I could’ve caught you talking shit. At least you were being complimentary.”
“Oh, I was talking shit. You just missed that part.”
He shakes his head and carries his plate to the table. I grab mine and follow him, sitting to his right. Instead of sitting, he goes to the refrigerator and brings back two water bottles.
“Thanks,” I say, taking one from him.
“What kind of shit were you talking?” he asks, dropping into the chair.
I sit back and yawn, stretching my arms overhead. “I was just telling her what a dick you are.”
“Oh.” He scoops a forkful of rice into his mouth. “That’s reasonable.”
“And how I think that your real problem is that you want to be my friend, and you’re mad that Gavin got to me first.”
“I got to you first. You met Gavin later.”
“Yeah, but Gavin established himself in my life well before you.”
He twists the top of his bottle, narrowing his eyes.
Something about that gives me immense pleasure.
“Speaking of the devil,” I say. “Does he come around here a lot? Or was me running into him a complete fluke?”
Chase takes a long drink. “I see him all the time. I helped him build that fence yesterday. He went fishing with us. I probably see him and Luke a few times a week.”
“Don’t you have another brother?”
“Yeah. Mallet.” He takes another bite. “He lives out West. He fights for a living, so we don’t see him much. He comes home now and then.”
“Oh.”
“What about you? Do you have siblings?”
I pull a leg up and wrap my arms around it. “Nope. It’s just me. Well, me and my mom. That’s the only family I have.”
“I’m sorry. That sounds … lonely, I guess.”
“It’s okay.” I shrug. “It’s probably better like that. Mom has quite the history of sordid love affairs.”
Chase grins. “Oh, really.”
“Not in a romance novel kind of way. In a she’s been married multiple times and none of them last more than two years kind of way. And I can’t think of one of them that I wish would walk back into her life, either. They wanted her to pet their ego, wash their laundry, or, in the case of Rick—they wanted her pain pills after she had back surgery. He was a fun one.”