Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121095 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
“Is this the only way you’ll agree to come?”
She nods. “You only got two sacks, Luca, so don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
She’s got a point. “Okay, I’ll fly commercial with you, then. That way, we can watch film together during the flight.”
“No, your big body will do much better on a fancy plane. Your comfort is too important for you to fly commercial when you’ve got the option to travel in style. Plus, I trust you to effectively watch film on your own now. You’ve gotten really good at it, Luca.”
I feel deflated. But then again, I’m fully aware it’s a blooming miracle Chelsea’s even agreeing to come to my brother’s shindig at all. “Okay,” I say on an exhale. “Sounds like I’ve got no choice in the matter.”
“You don’t.” She rolls off the bed and starts gathering her undergarments off the floor. As she slides on her panties, she says, “I’ll tell my father I’m visiting Daisy for her birthday. He’s got no idea Daisy’s birthday isn’t for months. And if I say I’m going to squeeze in a couple training sessions with you while you happen to be out in LA at the same time, I’m sure he’ll let us come back a touch later than the current schedule allows.”
“Where are you planning to stay in LA? Roman’s got a bunch of guest bedrooms.”
“I’ll stay with Daisy.” She’s got her undies and bra on now, and she’s moving on to her clothes. “So, don’t forget to text me the address.” She flashes me a heart-melting smile and slides on her shoes. “Sleep tight. Sweet dreams.”
“Wait, Chelsea.” When she meets my gaze, I say, “When it turns out you can’t resist fucking me at the party tomorrow—”
“Luca.”
“No, listen. When the urge strikes you, and you can’t contain it, tug on my sleeve and whisper the secret code.” I raise my eyebrows suggestively. “‘The limit does not exist.’ Say that, and I’ll drag you off like a caveman.”
Chelsea rolls her eyes. “Thanks, but that’s not going to happen. Not at the party and not ever again. Tonight was a total one-off.”
Everything about Chelsea’s body language betrays she’s trying to convince herself of that ridiculous proposition every bit as much as she’s trying to convince me. The glow in her cheeks. The flare of her nostrils. The telltale twitch at the corner of her mouth.
“Like hell it was a one-off, Chelsea. No, baby, that was just the beginning. Especially now that we know we’re a nuclear bomb together, we have to do this again and again, the next time being as soon as humanly possible.”
Her mouth twitches again. She’s obviously fighting not to return my smile, which I take as a very good sign.
“Good night,” she says, ignoring my prior statement. “Get some good sleep, and I’ll see you tomorrow in the pits of hell, otherwise known as the devil’s housewarming party.”
CHAPTER 25
Chelsea
“KEEP DRIVING, MISS Daisy!” I scream at top volume, even though my best friend is sitting mere inches away from me behind the wheel of her car.
With a jolt, Daisy guns it, whizzing straight past our destination—the cliffside Malibu mansion owned by none other than the Prince of Darkness himself.
“You’re insane,” Daisy mutters. “You almost burst my eardrum, Chelsea.”
“Sorry, I spotted two valet parkers at the top of the driveway, and I freaked out.”
“You have a valet parker phobia?”
I laugh. “When we’re trying to leave the party later, I don’t want to get trapped in conversation on Satan’s doorstep with God knows who. Valet parkers can take forever to fetch a car sometimes.”
“You need serious psychiatric help.”
“I know.”
“I’m wearing high heels. Valet parking would have been nice.”
“I’ll give you a piggyback ride anywhere you want to go.”
Daisy flashes me a look. That’s not going to be possible; she’s a full head taller than me.
After a moment, she takes the first right turn onto a random, quiet street and parks her car in the summer sunshine in front of yet another massive, multilevel home—this one with multiple decks and balconies positioned to take in the stunning ocean view.
When her car’s engine is turned off, Daisy flips down her sun visor and checks her makeup in the mirror. “I know it’s normal for you to be around hot NFL players all the time, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to become a WAG. Or at least, to experience my own personal ‘why choose?’ porno. So, pull yourself together and be my wing-woman today, or God help me, I’ll make you sleep on my bedroom floor tonight.”
“I’ll do my very best.”
“They’re not serial killers, Chelsea. Okay, so Roman won some football games against your father and brother’s team over a decade ago. Big whoop. When I went to that Illinois game with you during our freshman year, I fucked that cute Fighting Illini afterward, remember? Even though they’d kicked our asses only two hours before. If I can put football rivalries aside in favor of world peace, so can you.”