Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
We hit the lobby, and I can feel my heart pounding in anticipation. Salty drags me out front like he knows exactly what’s about to happen, and I don’t even bother pretending this is just a normal dog walk. We both know the truth—I’m hunting for her.
CHAPTER THREE
NADIA
When you’re a third-grade teacher, you learn to cherish the small things. Like, say, getting a full cup of coffee before the bell rings, or remembering your lunch on the same day you remember your ID badge. Or, in today’s case, surviving without any bodily fluids getting on your person.
All I want is to make it up the front walk, through the fancy glass doors, and into my pajamas before I completely unravel. That and, possibly, to “accidentally” run into the hot neighbor I have a crush on and his psychotic Frenchie, but I’m definitely not admitting that out loud, even to myself.
My heart is beating a little too fast as I round the corner to the entrance of #1 Love Place. I don’t spot them right away, but as soon as I reach the entrance to the dog park, I see Jay in a black T-shirt and gray sweatpants and Salty in what can only be described as a designer doggie hoodie, chewing on a pink rubber pig toy with murderous intent.
My pulse skyrockets.
I try to play it cool and wait for him to notice me. When Salty makes a beeline straight for me, Jay glances up, spotting me. My insides turn to mush as he breaks into a slow, heated smile. That causes me to lose the ability to walk like a normal person. My tennis shoe snags on the edge of the sidewalk, I overcorrect, and my tote bag does a nosedive right onto the sidewalk. At least I zipped it before I left school today, so the contents stay safely inside it, but I’m not so lucky. I see the sidewalk rushing up to me and brace for the impact.
At the last minute, a pair of hands grabs me and yanks me upright. Somehow, I end up against a wall of muscle with my face pressed into Jay’s chest. I catch a whiff of him, clean skin and something expensive. My brain short-circuits in a literal blue screen of death.
“This seems to be a habit for you,” he says, still grinning as he sets me back on my feet and leans down to retrieve my white tote bag.
“You have no freaking idea,” I deadpan, pretending like my cheeks aren’t on fire. Salty, for his part, waddles over and sniffs my tote bag.
The little Frenchie isn’t subtle. Salty shoves his whole snorty nose into the bag’s side pocket, probably hunting for the emergency granola bar I keep for classroom blood sugar emergencies. His little tongue darts out, and he snuffles at the zipper with a noise that can only be described as “indignant piggy rooting.”
I bend over and yank my bag away at the last second and laugh. “Sorry, little guy. You’re not getting my snack stash. I need it more than you.”
Jay is watching this like it’s the most entertaining thing he’s seen all week. He tilts his head and leans in just a little, voice low and smooth. “What are you doing for dinner tonight?”
I blink. And then I do it again, like maybe my vision will reset if I double-check myself. Dinner? I haven’t even thought that far ahead. “Uh, probably whatever I have in my freezer that microwaves in five minutes or less.”
He snorts, not even bothering to hide the I-called-it smile in his voice. “As appetizing as that sounds, you could have dinner with Salty and me instead. We’re having pizza tonight.”
Dinner. With Jay. My heart does cartwheels, telling me to jump at this chance. But I can’t. “Pizza is my favorite meal.” That’s an understatement. I could eat pizza for lunch and dinner every single day and never get tired of it. “And I’d love to have dinner with you guys, but I can’t do it tonight.” He goes still. The smile dips, just for a second, and I instantly want to take it back. I scramble for words. “Tomorrow is the last day before break, and I have to finish up my grading and input report cards or the principal will murder me.”
Jay’s gaze pins me. His eyes are molten, hot enough to melt through every last excuse. My knees almost buckle.
He takes a step closer, so close I have to tilt my head up.
“Tomorrow, then,” he rumbles. His voice is so deep I feel it between my legs. “We can celebrate your week-long escape from the munchkin crew.”
I nod so fast I probably look deranged. “Tomorrow sounds great.”
Jay’s eyes go molten. He steps back just enough to keep me upright, but keeps a hand on my lower back, like he’s not letting me get away even if I try. I’m trapped against his body with my heartbeat jackhammering against my ribs.