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 estate is enormous and old, but the good kind of old. Mom had put plenty of modern touches on the inside, but outside it looked just as classical as ever, with the perfectly manicured front lawn and huge pool in the back. Inside, all of the polished wood and brass fixtures are gleaming, and from the top of the stairs, I can see the tiny rainbows being cast from the crystal chandelier hanging above the main floor.
It’s all so familiar that it helps relax me some. This is my home, and I’m an adult, damn it. I don’t need to worry about what anyone thinks of me or my misguided career.
I take one step, and then another. I can hear the party in full swing, a cocktail hour before dinner, and I’m already imagining what sort of drink I’m going to have. This won’t be so bad. I’m a professional at these kinds of things.
Nothing can shake me, nothing can trip me up, until—oh, fuck. There’s no way in hell that’s him.
The broad-shouldered, trim-waisted man turns around slowly. Oh I remembered so well hating that way he holds himself. Standing across the room, looking impossibly out of place yet perfectly at ease, is Adam Lawson.
Adam Lawson, with whom I had my first and only one-night stand ever. Adam Lawson, whom I left high and dry afterwards.
My eyes lock onto him before I even register the shock that has my heart racing, my stomach twisting. He’s wearing a tailored navy suit, the kind that makes a man look like he belongs on the cover of GQ. Dark, messy hair just the way I remember it. I swear I can still feel his lips on mine, his hands pressing me closer, pulling me into him like he couldn’t get enough. That night, the one I can’t stop thinking about. The one we never spoke about again.
Hell, we never spoke again at all, let alone about the time we shared in bed. I made sure of it.
I freeze. He’s here. In my parents’ house. After a year of pretending that night never happened, here he is, staring at me like he hasn’t been living rent-free in my head for the last twelve months.
I don’t know what to do, so I just keep moving, keep moving. If I can get to the bottom of the stairs, I can flee out the back door before he gets to me. But I misstep, my heel catching on the edge of the last step.
And I almost fall.
I let out a quick gasp, panic surging through me as I lurch forward, arms flailing for balance. The world tilts. But just as I’m sure I’m about to eat shit in front of everyone, a small but surprisingly strong hand catches my arm, pulling me upright. I look over to see my mother, her familiar grin snapping me out of my panic.
“Careful there, sweetie. You’re not as young as you used to be,” she teases, steadying me.
I blink, still dazed from the shock of nearly falling and the impact of Adam’s presence in the room. “I’m fine, Mom, just—” I can feel her humor turning to concern, but my mind is still scrambled from what I just saw. “I’m fine,” I repeat, more firmly this time.
“You sure? Don’t want to make a scene before dinner, do we?” She’s still smiling, but it’s brittle.
“I’m good,” I promise her, giving her a grin that I hope is convincing. I’m the spitting image of my mom, except she’s two inches shorter and her bright blond hair has a few streaks of gray that she meticulously has covered at the salon. I start to step away, leaving her behind, desperate to know if I really saw Adam.
For a second, I can’t find him in the crowd. But then I catch sight of him, and I quickly avert my eyes, trying not to be too obvious. Of course, he’s staring right at me, and my efforts of trying to be discreet are pointless. His eyes, forest green and calculating, narrow slightly as if he can read my thoughts from across the room.
Trying not to do my best deer-in-the-headlights impression, I duck my head and try to fade back into the crowd. I know I can’t avoid him for the entire night, but I just need a damn second to catch my breath and collect my thoughts.
Unfortunately, my mother has other plans. Before I can bolt, I feel her hand on my elbow, Craig beside her. “Not so fast, sweetie. We need to introduce you to Adam!”
“I–wait, what?” My eyes snap back to Adam Lawson. “Why?”
Craig laughs. Tall with a lined but handsome face and salt-and-pepper hair, Craig has been good to my mother so far. He was also wealthy and from old money, so we knew he wasn’t trying to use her, but I could count on one hand how many times I’d spoken to the man. “We figured you’d want to meet your stepbrother finally.”