Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 110(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
“Sure," he replies and follows me around the tiny apartment.
When we walk down the narrow hallway, our shoulders accidentally brush against each other, and I barely resist the urge to jump as if I just touched a hot plate. The unexpected contact and my stupid reaction spark a moment of awkwardness between us.
We pause at the door nestled between our bedrooms. "We have to share the bathroom." I gesture toward the modest room, glad I straightened up and made room for his stuff.
“That won’t be a problem.” The look he gives me turns my insides to mush. I’m in so much trouble here.
After the tour, Atlas asks if I want to watch a little TV, but I refuse, knowing I need a little extra sleep tonight. “Tomorrow is my last day at school, so it’s going to be extra busy,” I tell him a while later. “I’m going to bed a little early.”
“Good night,” he tells me as I rush down the hall like my hair’s on fire.
When my alarm jolts me awake, the urge to hurl it against the wall is almost irresistible. I’m a groggy, muddle-headed, sleep-deprived grouch, shrouded in a fog of confusion. Half the night was spent staring at the ceiling, my mind spiraling into endless questions about what Atlas was up to, while the remaining hours were consumed by trying to banish the steamy fantasies that tormented my restless thoughts.
With sheer determination, I drag myself out of the warm cocoon of my bed, managing to get ready in record time since I hit the snooze button far too many times. My movements are hurried and mechanical, driven by the ticking clock.
As I step into the hallway, it takes mere seconds for the realization to dawn on me that I am hopelessly out of my depth. My heart skips a beat when I see Atlas dancing around the kitchen, clad only in low-slung sweatpants while singing to the earbuds stuck in his ears.
My feet are glued to the floor, immobilized by the sight. His broad, muscular shoulders taper down to a narrow waist, each muscle defined and chiseled with precision. He looks like a sculpture brought to life, exuding a heat that seems to radiate throughout the room. Holy cow. I’m in so much trouble here.
My heart does enough thumping and pounding to drown out the whole world as I force my feet to move. I can’t believe I didn’t consider the possibility of running into him nearly naked when I agreed to let him move in.
I watch him fumbling with the coffee maker, blissfully unaware of me and the crisis he’s causing to my nervous system. My cheeks flush hot. My mouth goes dry. I take a deep breath and stroll over to him. “Good morning.”
He pulls out an earbud and gives me a bright smile. “Morning,” he mumbles, and that’s all it takes. I’m an embarrassed bundle of nerves. “Want some coffee?”
"No, thank you," I squeak out, suddenly aware of how utterly screwed I am. “I’m running late,” I call over my shoulder as I rush out the door. That was a close one.
The elementary school is a welcome sight. I stop by Sage’s classroom on my way to my room.
“Hey, Weezy.” She smiles at me. “How did moving night go?”
Where do I even start? “Great.” It would take more than the entire school day to explain everything. “I’ll tell you all about it later.” I give her a wave before heading down to my classroom.
The official school year is over, but I still have to finish inputting final grades and pack up my classroom for the summer. I dive into grading and organizing, pushing away everything except survival.
I’m knee-deep in semester tests when I realize I haven’t accomplished anything besides daydreaming about Atlas. How will I make it through this without losing my heart to him? It’s going to take a small miracle for me to survive unscathed. I attack my grading with renewed fervor, letting the boring work drown out the hum of confusion and burn of desire.
No matter how much I focus on work, my thoughts always return to Atlas. It doesn’t help that my day started with him practically naked, all muscled and perfect. I must be insane to think I can share an apartment with a man who can melt my mind and sanity in one fell swoop.
I organize bookshelves, throw out broken crayons, and clean out the art closet, trying to push the image of him and his six-pack abs from my mind. Instead, it sticks, replaying over and over with increasing intensity.
My brain skips back and forth between possibilities, lingering on every glance and word, running in circles. I sit down at my desk, the classroom suddenly feeling too small.
I attack the final report cards, scribbling grades with newfound focus, ignoring all thoughts of my hot new roommate.