Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Something flickers across his face, and I get the same feeling I did last night. Like there’s something Blade wants to tell me. Whatever it is, he changes his mind. “Just text the guy and tell him you want to meet him. If he’s not an idiot, he’ll respond.”
I can’t tell him that I don’t have Landon’s number or that I’m terrified he’ll think I’m a crazy stalker. “Let’s try your way first. I don’t want to come off as desperate.”
This is the part where he should tell me that the ship has already sailed, but Blade doesn’t. He doesn’t call me a stalker. He doesn’t let me know how ridiculous this whole thing has been. Instead, he just nods. “Then let’s get breakfast.”
8
GWEN
The little dessert shop greets us with a blast of cool air. The inside has a retro feel with the checkerboard flooring and cheerful, red stools lined up along the ice cream counter. Tucked away in a corner booth are five women, animatedly discussing something. From the way their heads are tucked together and the raucous laughter, they’re discussing something naughty.
“This is Cadence and her friends,” he whispers in my ear, his breath hot against my skin. He puts his hand on my back, the touch electrifying through the thin material of my tank top. “Come on. I’ll introduce you.”
He guides me to the table, dropping his hand once we’re standing in front of the group. “Hey, Cadence, think your book club has room for one more? This is—”
“Gwen Hughes!” Cadence exclaims and stands up to greet me. She’s bubbly and curvy with a huge smile. She points at the booth. “This is Laura and Molly. They’re my neighbors on the mountain, and Ivy works here.”
“Can I get you a treat?” Ivy asks pushing from the booth and lightly dusting at her pink apron. With her long hair and fair features, she looks like a princess that just escaped from a fairytale book.
“We’ll take a couple of honey buns,” Blade tells her and follows her to the register. She tries to engage him in conversation, but he just grunts. She doesn’t seem to worry too much about it because she’s still happily chatting to him.
“And this is Gabby,” Cadence finishes, nodding at the last woman at the table.
Gabby gifts me with another one of her blinding smiles, explaining, “We met yesterday. It didn’t even click for me when you signed your name. You write those wolf books!”
The girls invite me into the booth and quickly pull me into a discussion on their book of the week while I sneak glances at Blade and Ivy. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as she talks and gives him a smile. Is it a flirty one? Is she flirting with him? Why does that thought make acid burn in my gut?
Laura follows the direction of my gaze. The other three are animatedly discussing the sexy scene where the alpha wolf gave his fated mate a firm spanking after they met for the first time.
“She’s not interested in him,” Laura murmurs quietly. “She’s into Hale. He owns the gym next door, but the guy is kind of dense. I don’t think he’d ever take the hint.”
“Is Blade into her?” My stupid heart is pounding as I ask the question. I want to march up to him right now and kiss him. I want to show every woman here that he’s my man. Except he’s not. The thought makes my stomach hurt.
“I’ve never seen him with anybody,” Laura says.
Watching them, I can’t help but wonder if maybe Blade is the reason I’m here. What if my soulmate isn’t Landon at all? What if he’s just the man that brought me to this grumpy mountain man?
Blade
While the women go back to their book club discussions, I sit several tables away and pretend to answer emails on my phone. Really, I’m listening into their conversation and zeroing in on Gwen’s every move.
Cadence, Laura, and Molly are all married to my friends on the mountain. My friends know that I’m a romance book narrator, but I’ve never mentioned it in front of their women. Unless that came up in casual conversation, the women probably don’t know my true identity. If they did, they’d be nothing but supportive. The romance community is incredibly kind and accepting. It’s the place where everyone is welcome, regardless of their tastes or kinks.
She laughs at something one of the women says, her tits shaking with the motion. Ever since I saw her this morning, she’s taunted me. I know from the way the pink lacy strap keeps peeking out, that she has something sexy on underneath.
When I went to get dressed this morning, I jerked myself off to fantasies of pulling her tank top down and ripping off her bra. I’d expose those juicy tits of hers to my view. Then I’d lick, suck, and nip at them. I’d drive her wild until she was pulling my hair and begging me to give her more.