Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
I glance at the screen where Brad Pitt is now talking to a dapper George Clooney. I’m comfortable enough in my manhood to admit that Clooney can work the hell out of a suit. I frown. “I think we should pick another movie. Let’s put on The Magnificent Seven.”
“Mmm . . . More man candy.”
“You are killing movies for me, Chester.”
She grins wide and then reaches to kiss me. “You’re cute when grumpy.”
I grunt, but it’s all show. I am putty in her hands.
Chess runs a hand over my chest. We keep touching each other. I do it because I can’t seem to stop. Idly, I wonder if it’s the same for her.
“Why do you keep calling me Chester?” she asks, watching her hand glide over my skin.
“Why do you keep letting me?” I counter.
“I honestly don’t know. I hate my name.”
She has good reason; I can’t think any woman would want to be named Chester.
But it bothers me that she hates a part of herself.
Chess’s gaze narrows. “Answer the question.”
“All right, bossy-boots.” I turn toward her, resting my head in my hand. “I call you Chester because the second I learned that was actually your name, I started falling for you.”
A soft light fills her green eyes, but her expression remains dubious. My girl needs brutal honesty to believe anything is true. So I give it to her.
“There you were, this gorgeous, fierce Amazonian warrior, glaring hate-fire at me. And you had the most ridiculous, unappealing name—”
Her mouth falls open. “Asshat!”
Laughing, I evade her pinching fingers. “Unappealing, yet endearing name.”
Chess launches herself at me, poking my ribs because she knows I’m ticklish.
Curses and dire threats leave her mouth. I catch her hands in mine and easily tumble her back onto the bed.
She huffs and glares as I straddle her hips and cage her in.
“Dickhead,” she mutters, but there’s no anger to it. Her lips quirk and then she lets out a laugh, as if she can’t help it. And I love that about her, this gruff girl with the fierce armor, who can’t help but laugh at my teasing.
She smiles up at me, and my chest suddenly hurts. Ink-black hair spread out like a fan on the sheets, bottle-green eyes glinting with happiness, pretty pink mouth smiling wide, she’s the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.
“Oh, fuck, Chester Copper, I’m so gone on you. There’s no coming back from it.”
I kiss those candy lips. “Haven’t you figured it out?” I say against them. “Every time I call you Chester, I’m saying I adore you. I fucking adore every part of you.”
She makes a soft noise in her throat, her gaze running over me like warm honey. “Finn . . . You don’t fight fair.”
“I never will when it comes to you, Chess. You’re my girl, and I’m your guy. Fate knows it. I know it. Now get with the program.”
I move to kiss her again when the doorbell rings. I’m tempted to ignore it, but Chess knows me too well.
“Go get our pizza,” she says. “I’m starving.”
My stomach growls, agreeing with her. I give her a quick kiss, and then jump off the bed to find something to put on. I grab a pair of pajama pants and hop into them. The doorbell rings again.
“Fuck, I’m coming already,” I say, not bothering with a shirt since the pizza guy is clearly impatient as all hell.
It rings a third time as I’m opening the door. “Man, it’s a good thing I’m hungry or—”
I freeze, my mouth hanging open. Britt stands in the hall, swathed in some fuzzy cape thing and a cloud of expensive perfume. “Britt?”
She moves right past me, her long legs striding with purpose. “Did you forget about our meeting up?”
In a fog, I close the door and follow her into the hall. “Meeting?”
Britt turns and steps into my personal space. “Finn, I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
I hold my hands up. “What are you talking about?”
Britt halts, but then stands tall. “About us. I think we should try to be together.”
“Britt, we were never—”
“But we could be,” she says, her gaze searching my face. “Fate brought us together.”
“And it broke us apart,” I snap without thinking, then grimace when I see her flinch. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”
“You did. And I understand.” Her hand lifts as if beseeching me. “That’s why I think we could be good for each other.”
“I’m not getting what you mean.” Sweat breaks out on my skin. I glance toward the bedroom where Chess is waiting for me. I should warn her that Britt is here, but I don’t want to make this any worse.
Britt stands in front of me. Too close. “Maybe we could heal, if we . . .” She lifts her hand again in a helpless gesture. “Had another one . . .”