Total pages in book: 174
Estimated words: 172061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 574(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 172061 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 574(@300wpm)
He grinned, low laughter rumbling in his chest. “You excited to see me?”
Yes.
Absolutely yes.
He stepped back, pulled off his cap and ran his fingers through his hair, before he resituated it on his head.
“I was actually getting worried about you,” he muttered, glancing back at her as he walked to his desk.
It was barely after ten.
“I watched a movie with Ms. Lopez.”
“Oh, that’s cool. I was kinda thinking you might have ditched me.” He grinned at her from over his shoulder.
Like that was going to happen.
“What, haven’t you ever been ditched before?” She attempted the tease.
He released a quiet chuckle, and he went playfully cocky, gesturing at himself with a smirk. “Of course not, Daisy. Have you seen me?”
Um, yeah. She stared far too often, but she wasn’t about to admit to that.
He shook his head. “But you are a wildcard, my Little Wallflower, and I figure there is a first time for everything. Thought you were gonna go and break my heart. And after I was so nice and got you these.”
He tossed a box of Red Vines onto the end of his bed, along with two other boxes of candy. “Thought maybe we could watch a movie, too, unless you’ve had your fill?”
She lifted a shoulder to her ear. “Movies are kinda my thing.”
“That I know.”
She was pretty sure he was becoming the one person who really knew her. The one who could somehow breach the cracks and get into the places she didn’t allow other people to see.
“Are you sure you didn’t want to go out tonight?” she asked, uncertainty turning her back toward the open window.
Giving him a pass.
She heard there was a big party. Hadley was sneaking off to it and had actually asked her if she wanted to tag along, but her sister should know that was not in the cards, not that she’d choose that over Cash if she actually was the type to go to a party.
Daisy still hadn’t gathered the courage to tell her sister where she would be going.
Whatever this thing was that she had with Cash was her secret.
“Nah,” he mumbled as he moved around to the far side of the bed and casually plopped onto it, his back propped on the pillows and his legs crossed at the ankles in front of him. His bed was covered in a solid navy-blue comforter, and two long shelves hung above it that showcased a ton of his trophies and awards.
The boy lounged below them like a reigning prince.
Yeah, he was so far out of her league it wasn’t funny, not that she was interested in entertaining those kinds of things.
In a flash of anxiety, she shifted on her feet.
“Would rather hang out with you,” he added.
A frown curved her brow, and the single word was pouring out. “Why?”
Incredulous, he looked over at her with his brows knitted. “Uh, because you’re cool as shit, and I’m pretty sure I couldn’t physically drag you to that party, so here it is.”
He phrased it like it should be obvious.
Her chest squeezed tight.
Then something flickered through his face. Full seriousness taking over. “I just like being with you, Daisy. I don’t have to…” He blinked before he continued, “I don’t have to be anyone else than who I really am when I’m with you.”
Then all the seriousness drained and he smacked the spot next to him. “Now get over here so we can watch this movie.”
She dipped her gaze before she crawled onto the opposite side of the bed, snagging the box of Red Vines as she went.
She tore it open and took one out.
“You gonna give me one of those or what?” He swiveled his head on the pillow and peered over at her.
He was so close. His body heat searing into her.
She gave him one, and he bit off a big piece the way he always did, smiling around it as he chewed before he switched on the television.
He told her he snagged his mom’s favorite movie from downstairs because he thought Daisy would like it, and he’d already placed the DVD into the player.
She settled down into the comfort of his bed, trying to keep at least a foot of space separating them because with the lights dimmed and his breaths all around, she thought she might combust if they touched.
She tried to get comfortable as she watched the scenes play out.
Cash laid beside her chomping on Red Vines and M&Ms.
His presence big and overwhelming.
A rock if she didn’t feel herself drifting away.
Because the film was supposed to be heartwarming. Feel good. A young woman who went away to college before taking a job in a big city with intentions of never returning home since she had a falling out with her mother.
Only when she lost her job, she returned home to discover what she’d been missing all along.