Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 35957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
4
SERENA
All morning, we’ve worked. Really, he’s grilled me, challenging me in a way that makes my brain work overtime. It also didn’t help that his body heat, his scent, and his words were so close to me that thinking became harder. We made it through somehow. Excuse me, I made it through. My senses are on overload, the light touches did nothing to help, and my brain, well, it’s full of information, new knowledge, and some were from Crew and me challenging each other.
“Do you mind if I walk around for lunch?” I ask, standing up from the desk. My lower back aches from sitting all morning. There’s also the fact that I’m eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich today, and I really don’t want to be questioned to death about my food choice, which I will no doubt be, especially should my Uncle Todd happen upon us.
“Sure, after we eat. Mary ordered us some sandwiches and soup. The food should be here in the next few minutes.” Crew looks down at his phone for a moment, putting a crook in my plans.
“Crew.” I’m hesitant to say his name. The unnecessary attention sitting in the pit of my stomach that’s currently battling hunger pains doesn’t help this situation in the least.
A knock on the door makes me jump back, realizing that in the heat of the moment, we somehow gravitated toward one another. Again.
“Lunch is served,” Mary says, using her hip to open the door since her hands are full. “Oh, I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?” Her eyes go from Crew to me. I’m quick to shake my head and walk toward her.
“Not at all, thank you. Did you order yourself something, too?” Crew asks, moving a few plans out of the way on the coffee table he keeps to the left side of his office. I’m actually surprised we’re not taking this to one of the conference rooms. Then again, that could make for some potential gossip to make the rounds.
“I did. Mine is at my desk. I’m going to watch my soaps while I eat.” Mary mentioned earlier today that she has an unhealthy obsession with shows that like to drag on the drama for days, if not weeks. Soap operas will definitely do that. I remember my mom and aunt watching a person in the hospital dying for what seemed like two weeks during the summer.
“Here, let me help you with all of that. This is enough food to feed six of us.” My eyes bulge at the heaviness of one bag.
“Not really. There are drinks, too.” Crew takes the other bag from Mary.
“Thank you again. Enjoy your lunch. Don’t forget you have a two o’clock with Jagger today via a conference call,” she says as she rushes out the door.
“Shit, forgot about that. I’d like to say that the meeting will be completely business-oriented, but considering Jag is my friend, it won’t be. May as well apologize in advance now.” Crew moves beside me instead of across from me. Which I guess makes sense with the way the small couch is situated, though he could have moved the chairs from in front of his desk over here.
“I’m sure I can handle it. I used to work with a pretty wild bunch, plus my dad and uncle together. Well, they can get rowdy when the liquor comes out.”
“Can handle what?” I look from Crew to the door. I didn’t hear anyone knock, and given how close we are sitting, I’m feeling like the principal caught me making out behind the bleachers my sophomore year with how many times someone has walked in today.
“Hey, Todd.” Crew is able to recover way faster than I am. “We’re talking about Jagger when he calls later today. You know him, his mouth has a way with running, and you never know what he’s going to say.
“Ah, that will do it.” My uncle moves the chair away from Crew’s desk, sets it across from us, and settles in.
“I was about to tell him about the time when you and Dad decided it was a good idea to bring out a water slide at a family cookout. How they still had one in the garage from nearly a decade ago, I have no idea. Needless to say, both of them were hurting the next morning.” We go to reach for the same sandwich when our hands lightly brush each other’s. A zing skates across my skin, causing my core to tighten, and the only way I’m able to suppress a light moan is because my uncle has his eagle eyes narrowed on me.
“That was a lot of fun. Your aunt nearly put me on the couch for a week, though,” Uncle Todd says, grabbing a sandwich of his own.
“Wait, back up a minute. You’re her uncle?” Crew looks from Todd to me, and I shrug my shoulders. Uncle Todd can take point on this conversation.