Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
“Thanks.”
“I think you should take two.” She gets me a glass of water and sets it down for me. I pop the bottle open and toss two pills in my mouth before chasing them with water. She hands me the ice pack again in a silent command. “How are you feeling?”
Chuckling, I reply, “I’ve been better.” I return the ice to my head again. “You don’t have to take care of me. It’s late, and I’m sure you’re tired.”
“It is late.” She leans against the counter and tilts her head. “I’m not even sure what time it is, but I kind of do need to play nurse since I’m responsible for this mess.” The images that evoke . . .
“You were released from blame when I broke into the place.” She laughs. It’s sweet but a bit shy as she looks down. I lower my voice. “Hey.” When she looks up again, I say, “I’m sorry for scaring you. I didn’t think you’d be here. Christine didn’t know you’d be here.”
“I haven’t told her I’ve been staying here.”
I lower the ice again. “Sounds like there’s a story to tell.”
She gives a quick shrug before coming around the island again. “Not tonight, there’s not. I have to get up in three hours.” She glances toward the window where the lightning is fighting outside to get in. “The storm sounds worse than ever. You can’t drive in that.” Heading for the bedroom, she stops in the doorway and looks back. “So you can sleep on the couch out here or take half the bed for yourself. What will it be?”
I’m not one to pass up an invitation from a beautiful woman, even if she is my sister’s friend and a former annoying kid to my friends and me. I set the ice bag in the sink before hightailing it to follow her back to the bedroom. “The bed. Definitely the bed.” But when she turns, the halt of her forward steps has me running into the back of her and grabbing her waist before I can run her over. “What?” I look over her shoulder and into the room to see something pink on the bed.
I’m not sure why a wry grin slides over my face. I guess this is the first time I’ve allowed myself to consider that Lauralee is not that annoying little kid anymore. And now, she’s definitely making me feel things I shouldn’t consider. But if she wants to have some fun on her own, I’m all for it.
She slips from my grip, diving for the mattress. With the breeze of her escape pushing past me, I look up. She is, in fact, not wearing anything under her T-shirt.
Fuck me.
She’s definitely not the same girl I once knew . . . Nope. Lauralee Knot is all grown up and more gorgeous than I have a right to notice.
CHAPTER 2
Lauralee Knot
“Don’t look, okay?” I request in a panic. Besides the plastic painfully burrowing into my stomach, the cool air of the room blows over my ass, causing goose bumps to populate across my skin. I reach around my back and lower the hem of my T-shirt down to cover my bare butt. I don’t think he can see anything else, but I have a feeling I’ll never live this down.
“I’m not looking, Lauralee.” Baylor Greene is back—in town, in my bed mostly naked, and now probably ogling my ass.
Now I’m left reeling that I’ve exposed even more due to the Olympic-worthy hurtling of my body across the room. I might have been successful in hiding the vibrator, but it makes it worse that I was busted and didn’t even get off earlier.
I’ve lost inspiration. And I was too tired from the long day to chase it. I drop my forehead to the mattress and close my eyes, unsure how long I’ll need to remain in this position. “Are you looking?” He chuckles. “This isn’t funny, Baylor.”
“It’s kind of funny.”
I slide my head to the side to see if he’s looking. He’s facing away from me, showing off the definition of his broad shoulders and back, and muscular ass and legs familiar with working out. He’s a freaking Adonis standing there like it’s no big deal that I, a mere mortal in his presence, am being granted permission to stare at a Roman god on earth.
I drop my head down again, needing to collect myself. The front never did disappoint. That rugged, hard jawline of his, and a perfect nose that still holds one of the things that makes him even more attractive—the slightest of dents near the bridge from a rodeo accident at thirteen. But it’s the blue eyes that run in his family, competing with the Texas summer sky and always vying for attention.
I’d almost forgotten how potent even a glance from him could be. I foolishly thought we’d made the faintest connection at Chris’s reception a few years back. Guess we didn’t since nothing came of it afterward.