Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69621 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69621 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
I would like you to indulge me, and help me gain a taste of what it would have been like.
Truth or dare, spin the bottle, strip poker, and would-you-rather games. Dirty, and fun. Who will win some of those, Joshua? I hope you are still in competition mode.
Be my college buddies tonight, sweet curvas. Reveal your secrets, and share in mine.
Let’s crack open the wine and have some fun.
Proposal duration – 4 hours-ish!
Reward – a wine tasting experience at one of the region’s finest vineyards
I read the proposal through for a second time, grinning in disbelief, because it wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I was expecting some hardcore BDSM, or a game of who can take it? Not flirty, dirty games as we glug on wine.
An evening of college fun sounds amazing, and nothing I ever actually got the chance to indulge in either. I didn’t go to university. I was always too busy supporting Connor’s music dreams to plan out a career for myself. I was certain he’d make it – and yes, despite being an absolute asshole, he did make it. I was sure as fuck I’d be by his side when he did hit the limelight – but no, I wasn’t.
Too bad.
When I was holed up in my shitty bedsit, crying over my loss with barely twenty quid in my bank account, it felt as though my whole life was in ashes.
Oh, how I was wrong.
Funny how life works in mysterious ways.
I sure as fuck never thought I’d be here, with the true love of my life and Heath Mason, my onscreen idol, playing college games.
“Do you like the sound of that proposal?” Heath asks me. “Not quite up to the hardcorer level you’re used to, I imagine.”
“I love the sound of the proposal,” I tell him, and opt for honesty before we’ve even started on truth or dare. “I don’t really have the university scenario to draw on, but I’ll do my best. It was always me and my ex hanging out together, and sure, I got trashed a few times and had some filthy fun in threesomes and foursomes and stuff, but I never got the chance for this kind of thing.” I look at Josh, picturing him and his best friend Tiffany together, and the raucous laughter through the party games they must have shared over the years.
I want a taste of that, too…
With Heath, as well as my boyfriend.
“How about you, Josh?” Heath asks him. “Does the proposal tickle your fancy?”
“I’m definitely still in competition mode, so hell yeah, it tickles my fancy. I’m going to kick your ass at whatever games we play, Heathy baby, don’t worry about that.”
“We’ll see.”
“Yes, we will.”
I want to start with the truth or dares from the off, but the guys insist it’s time for dinner first. Wine will knock us out too early on an empty stomach, Heath assures me.
Josh is chef this evening and starts up making one of his mum’s hearty recipes. A delicious cottage pie with roasted veg. I love having it at her place, and I love Josh’s version, too.
“Smells incredible,” Heath says, but Josh holds up a hand when our client attempts to check it out in the kitchen area.
“Keep your nosey arse out of here, please. I want you to savour the full surprise when it hits your plate.”
“I’m going to be using my nosey arse all night, Josh. Better get used to it. And plenty of full surprises will be heading your way, as well as mine.”
I have a feeling there will indeed be plenty of surprises this evening. Something feels… strange.
Human.
Fuck it, I can’t help starting up with the questions. Truth or dare, and client confidentiality and all that stuff can get fucked for once.
“Do you ever have people cook for you? Chefs on call, that kind of thing?” I ask Heath as he takes a seat beside me at the breakfast bar.
“Not for years, besides the occasional takeaway delivery. I’m quite the lone wolf. Luckily, I’m a good enough chef to serve myself.”
“You’re a great chef. Your cooking rocks.”
Heath gives me such a beautiful smile. “It’s nice to be able to share my talents with other people’s plates.”
My blabbermouth opens before my brain kicks in.
“Maybe our proposals could be longer when we are back in London together? We could have proposal days as well as nights. Hang out like we do here…”
Heath nods, but looks towards the setting sun through the window, not at me. He seems, reserved? Distracted? I dunno.
“I’d like that,” he says. “I’d like that a lot.”
So would I. And Josh would. I know it.
I get a pang for Heath, which is bizarre given that he’s not the kind of man I’d ever figured I’d get a pang of sympathy for. He shouldn’t need to pay for any kind of company whatsoever. People would be flocking around him, all day and all night long, if he wanted them there.