Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Even though that’s not necessarily true.
I shove those disturbing thoughts away. “Ready?”
She nods before stifling a yawn.
With my arm wrapped around her shoulders, I steer her through the front door and down the porch steps to the cement walkway that cuts a path through the swath of lawn. My truck is parked a couple houses down the street. I click the locks before wrapping my fingers around the handle and popping it open. Juliette slides inside before burrowing into the jacket.
“It’s cold,” she whispers, teeth chattering.
“Yup.” It’s only one of the reasons she isn’t walking her ass home tonight.
I jog around the hood before settling next to her and starting up the engine. When she doesn’t make a move to click her seatbelt into place, I lean over and stretch the fabric strap across her chest. Her sleepy gaze fastens onto mine. I’m close enough to hear the hitch in her breathing. With our faces scant inches apart, it wouldn’t take much to close the distance and crush my mouth against hers.
For a second or two, I consider doing exactly that.
What would the slide of her plush lips feel like beneath mine?
An internal war erupts in my brain. Deep down, I know it’s a shit idea. I’ve secretly wanted this girl for years. Probably a decade, if I’m being completely honest with myself. It’s the reason I’ve always been so adamant about keeping my distance and not spending time around her.
No matter how much I craved it.
A couple months ago, I’d actually congratulated myself on making it this far without crumbling under the crushing need I feel for her. Now, we’re a little more than a semester away from graduating and going our separate ways.
Instead of closing the distance between us the way every instinct is demanding that I do, I force myself to retreat. Then, I turn away and stare out the windshield before pulling onto the dark, tree-lined street. My thoughts continue to churn as we head to her apartment.
I can’t believe I came so close to kissing her.
This is exactly what happens when I don’t throw up a wall between us. I can’t trust myself to be alone with this girl for five damn minutes.
Even though I tell myself to stare straight ahead, I can’t stop my gaze from flickering in her direction and soaking in the sight of her next to me. Especially now that her eyelids have feathered closed.
It doesn’t take long before I’m pulling into the lot and parking near the entrance. I cut the engine and swivel on the black leather seat, simply content to watch her sleep. Her head is tilted just a bit, and her mouth is slightly parted.
It’s funny…
Or maybe not.
Most of the time, when Juliette stares at me, there’s a scowl twisting her pretty lips. Tension will vibrate from her in suffocating waves. Right now, the lines of her face are smoothed as if she doesn’t have a care in the world.
The softness makes her look younger.
Heartbreakingly beautiful.
My hand rises to the curve of her cheek before stalling. It’s so damn tempting to stroke my fingers over her bare skin, but I’m afraid to wake her. Or worse, it’ll unleash the monster that lives deep inside me where she’s concerned. It’s taken effort on my part to battle it back all these years and pretend it doesn’t exist.
One touch and…
It would all go up in a burst of flames and smoke.
My hand trembles as I force it to her shoulder before giving her a gentle shake.
“Juliette.” My voice comes out sounding raspier than intended. Almost as if it’s been roughed up with sandpaper.
It takes a moment or two before her eyelids flutter open and her gaze locks on mine. A slight smile tips her lips upward and a softness fills her expression that I never imagined would be aimed in my direction.
“We’re at your apartment.”
She blinks away the sleepiness and breaks eye contact to stare at the building that looms in front of us.
“Oh. Thanks,” she mumbles, sounding as if she’s still half asleep.
My attention gets snagged by a couple of guys jostling one another as they head inside the front entrance. By their obnoxious laughter and slurred voices, it’s obvious they’ve been out partying.
There’s no way I can send her inside on her own.
She fumbles for the door handle, and I exit the vehicle before coming around to the passenger side and popping it open. When she stumbles, I scoop her up into my arms before pressing her against my chest.
Her eyes widen as she squeaks. “What are you doing?”
“Making sure you don’t break your damn neck,” I say with a grunt. The weight and warmth of her feels so damn good.
After her combativeness tonight, I expect nothing less than an argument. Instead, she cuddles against me.
“I’m tired,” she murmurs around a yawn.