Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
The temperature in the room drops into the negatives, or at least it feels that way to me, but Mom still bustles over and wraps me in her arms, oblivious to the tension. "Laurie, honey, be careful, okay? And don't worry, Adam will look after the house and you."
I should be more taken aback, but at this point, I've come to terms with Adam staying, as much as I hate it. "Mom, again, I'm a grown woman."
Mom sighs. "I know, honey. But you're still my little girl, and I'm still allowed to worry."
Adam makes a small noise of disbelief behind me, and I spin around, narrowing my eyes at him. "Something you wanna say?"
He opens his mouth to answer, but Craig steps between us, clearing his throat loudly. "Well, we'd better be going. The pilot's waiting."
"Goodbye, honey. We love you," Mom calls, pulling me in for one last hug.
"Love you too," I murmur, hugging her back, then turning to Craig and giving him a somewhat awkward hug as well.
Satisfied, Craig nods, and they head out the door, leaving me alone with Adam. For a minute, we just stand there, not saying anything, not moving. For one second—one tiny, traitorous second—I imagine closing the distance between us and kissing him again. Just because I could. Our parents would be gone. No one would ever know. The thought feels like a bolt of lightning through my system, shocking and almost stupid in how real it is.
I have to close my eyes to dispel the idea. The enormous old house suddenly feels a whole lot smaller now that it's just the two of us.
“Well,” Adam says after a beat, dropping his bag near the stairs, “this is—”
“Don’t,” I cut him off, spinning to face him. “Don’t say ‘this is weird’ or ‘this is awkward’ or whatever polite thing you were about to say. I don’t want to hear it.”
His lips twitch, like he’s fighting a smile. “Noted.”
Neither of us says anything more for a long moment, but I can feel his eyes on me as I fill my mug and grab an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter. I hate how aware I am of him, how nice his muscled arms looked crossed over his chest, the dark stubble on his jaw, his impossibly green eyes.
The mug shakes in my hand. I need to get away from him. Now.
"This has been great," I snap, turning on my heel and heading for the stairs. "I'll be in my room. Don't burn my house down."
"Didn't plan on it!" he calls after me, amused.
I'm almost running with how fast I want to put distance between us, but it's like his warm, spicy scent follows me. The second I'm in my bedroom, I slam the door harder than I mean to, and the sounds echo through the house.
But at least I'm alone, away from Adam.
I lean back against the door and let out a shaky breath, pressing a hand to my chest. My heart is pounding, way faster than it should be. There’s some thought forming in my mind, some idea I know is nothing but trouble. Still, I can’t shake it completely.
I keep thinking about how I could do the opposite of what Adam expects. I could flirt, come onto him, press every button he has. It’s so wrong, but I feel cheated. I never got the chance to explore the thing between us, and even if it’s my fault, I still can’t stop wanting to turn back time. Or, since that’s impossible, use this time we have alone to see just how our connection really goes.
Your connection as lovers? Too bad he’s your stepbrother.
But there is zero blood between us, and we’re just two single people with real chemistry and a perfect opportunity to act on it. Feeling better and determined to see if he feels the same, I’m already counting the hours until I see him again.
4
ADAM
Living under the same roof as Laurie Cartwright is a special kind of hell.
It's been three days, and I already feel like I'm losing my mind. I haven't shared space with anyone in years, and now all of a sudden I'm supposed to coexist with her. The woman I was so sure I connected with on some otherworldly level before she bolted from my hotel room. The same woman who has been haunting me ever since.
And let me tell you, Laurie is everywhere. I'm positive there has never been a more radiant, alluring creature, and it's just my fucking luck that she's totally off-limits to me now.
Yesterday, for example, I went out back to check the pool filter and there she was—stretched out on one of the lounge chairs in a tiny white bikini that should be illegal.
Then she spotted me, one brow quirking like she knew exactly what I’d been staring at. “Didn’t know the pool guy made house calls this early,” she teased, her voice all sweet and smug.