Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
“That’s what I said.”
“Did you now?” Her smile widens, and her eyes drop to my mouth.
I don’t think. I just give in to the overwhelming urge to find out what her lips feel like, dipping to brush my mouth gently over hers.
The shot of desire that zips through my veins isn’t unexpected.
But the spark that flickers between us is.
If I’m not careful, it could ignite and burn us both.
CHAPTER 9
DRED
Our server drops off all seventeen of Flip’s appetizers. When we eat out, he basically orders one of everything, and I pick and choose what I want while he demolishes the rest.
It’s Monday afternoon—two days post engagement party—and Flip asked to take me for lunch. Mostly I think he wants to debrief, and maybe pry for information.
“So that was some engagement party,” he says once the server has left us.
“It sure was.” I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the way Connor’s mouth felt on mine. Or his comment about saving his bad behavior for the bedroom, and whether he honestly didn’t realize that’s what he’d said. Was he playing with me? Regardless, that innocent brush of lips has been living rent-free in my head for the past two days.
“His sisters told me you’re the first woman Grace has ever brought home.”
“They may have mentioned that.” Both of them. More than once.
“His parents are a little…stiff,” he hedges, feeling me out.
“They are definitely less easygoing than we are,” I agree.
He digs in to a plate of nachos. “His Meems is cool, though.”
“I adore her.” My smile is genuine.
“She adores you—and Grace.”
“He has a first name.”
“Yeah, right. Sorry.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Meeting his family sort of puts things in perspective.”
I nod my agreement. Until the engagement party, I’ve only ever seen the media-curated view of Connor’s family, but the real thing was eye-opening. I want Flip’s thoughts though. “In what sense?”
“He doesn’t fit with them.” Flip dunks a piece of skewered chicken into peanut sauce. “Like, he’s a Grace, but he’s not really a part of them.”
“No, he’s not.”
“He’s used to being an outsider,” Flip muses.
“Yeah. He is.” I dip a cold roll into the spicy chili sauce. “I was used to that, too, until you came along and brought the Terror into my life.”
He nods slowly. “You know, back at the Hockey Academy, I thought I knew who he was. I mean, the guy had a serious chip on his shoulder, and he hated me before I even breathed in his direction. But I believed his parents had bought his spot there, and I wasn’t the only one.”
“Imagine always being on the outside of everything—your family, your team, your social circle. Never fitting anywhere. How impossible would it be to believe you could belong?”
Flip tilts his head. “You empathize with him.”
“If you take away the financial piece—which I realize is substantial—he and I aren’t all that different,” I reply.
“Everyone loves you, though.”
“Just like everyone loves you,” I remind him.
He sighs. “Are you going to tell me why?”
“Eventually, yeah.”
“But not now,” he presses.
“Not now, no.”
“I hate being on the outside of things, especially with you, Dred.”
I smile and nod, but say nothing.
“Fuck.” He huffs and laughs. “I am Connor right now.”
“Except everyone still loves you, and he’s still hockey’s favorite villain.” I reach across the table and squeeze Flip’s hand. “Trust my decision-making. I don’t do things without a reason, and I don’t do things I don’t want to. If that wasn’t true, I would go out to the oonsing bars with you instead of regularly bailing.”
“Okay, that’s fair.”
“I promise I’m doing this for myself, and to safeguard the people I love the most, and I need that to be enough for you right now.”
Even in this short time, I realize I’ve come to feel…duty bound to see this through. Not just because of the money. It’s a huge factor, obviously, but I can’t stand the thought of stealing Lucy’s joy. And I want to show Connor what it’s like to be on the inside of something for once.
“Just keep having faith that I’m smart enough to make the right choices for me,” I add.
Flip nods. “I do. I guess I just don’t love that he’s the choice.”
“I think it’s less about who it is and more that it doesn’t align with your personal views on marriage.” I’m one of very few people who know Flip’s history and what he’s been through. The way he drowned himself in nameless, faceless bodies wasn’t about sex, or even feeling good, it was a coping mechanism for deep hurt.
“I just want you to be happy,” he says.
“I am happy.” Until I met Flip, my whole life was about survival. This little side project will enable me to keep on thriving.
“I mean happy and in love.” He blows out a breath. “Subject change. This is my wound talking, not yours. Tell me what’s going on at work. Any exciting new stories?”