Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Only someone like Teague Jensen could make such sweetly spoken words sound like a threat.
It was enough that Teague got hired, interfering with Liam’s relaxing summer job. Now the guy has infiltrated his time off. It’s all he can think about tonight, long after the sun has set. Teague’s annoying voice. His cute, maple brown eyes. That funny thing his mouth does every time he grins like an idiot.
And as if it couldn’t get worse, Teague had the nerve to revive the nickname that drove Liam near to insanity his teenage years.
Peanut.
Fucking Peanut.
Liam slaps his book shut on his desk and rubs his eyes. He needs to find a way to let it all bother him less. Even during dinner a few hours ago, his parents kept asking him why he had such a sour face. “Job gettin’ to ya?” asked his sassy mother as she sipped on a glass of wine. “Help yourself to some more potatoes. It’ll get your mind off of whatever’s on it,” suggested his softhearted father as he cut off another tiny bite of steak.
Neither of them helped. Neither of them would understand or be able to fix the problem.
Especially not with another serving of mashed potatoes.
Deciding to give up studying for the night, Liam sets his books aside and moves to his bed. He’s already showered and in his PJs, and the starry sky that shines over his bed through the window calls to him. He listens to the pair of trees outside as their leaves hiss and sway in the gentle night breeze.
Then his phone dings from the nightstand. He fishes it out from underneath his folded-up apron and takes a look.
Hate2LoveU
Was I too direct to say you had a hard-on for science? Did I scare you off?
Liam cracks a smile and bites his lip.
He’s been so consumed with thoughts of the annoying new hire at the store ever since coming home, he barely gave another thought to the unexpected conversation he started on his break.
It’s exactly the relief he needs.
TongueTiedInKnots
Nope. I am unapologetically aroused by discussions of science and mythology.
Liam leans back on his bed, feet wagging from side to side as he watches the dots dance while Hate2LoveU types his reply. This is already the long-awaited reward for his trying day.
The phone dings—Liam’s new favorite sound.
Hate2LoveU
You didn’t talk to me all day. Thought I hit a nerve. I prepared a whole apology and everything, but kept second-guessing whether I should send it. I deleted it.
Liam fights off a grin. For a guy with electrically-farting butt cheeks for a profile pic, he seems surprisingly sensitive. Liam finds that to be a refreshing quality to find in someone else.
TongueTiedInKnots
Boring summer job. I couldn’t get away to reply to your last message. Then I got home and forgot.
Hate2LoveU
Oh? You forgot all about me, huh?
Liam laughs and blushes, feverishly typing his reply.
TongueTiedInKnots
No! It’s just been a hard day. Actually, I’m very excited you messaged me. You finally put a smile on my face.
Hate2LoveU
Oh yeah? For a sec, I thought someone with a cleverer question caught your eye. But what’s cleverer than a three-headed Hell dog?
TongueTiedInKnots
Nope. You’re the only one I’m talking to on this thing.
Hate2LoveU
That so? Not a big dating app guy?
TongueTiedInKnots
This is the first time I ever used one.
Hate2LoveU
Really??? Wow. And here I thought you couldn’t get any sexier.
Liam rolls his eyes, but can’t seem to stop blushing. He turns onto his stomach with his feet drawing figure eights in the air as he types away.
TongueTiedInKnots
So your type is an awkward science dork with a knack for mythology and exactly zero dating app swagger?
Hate2LoveU
Tell me you have braces and a stubborn cowlick you can’t tame and I’m in love.
Liam lets out a laugh, then covers his mouth—and his braces—and glances at his bedroom door. It’s a bit late, and the last thing he wants to do is attract the unwanted attention of his parents, who may or may not still be awake, and his wine-chugging mom is always on the hunt for something funny to entertain her.
For some reason, he can’t bring himself to tell the whole truth to Hate2LoveU. The vision Liam has of himself the day he finally meets the guy will be when his teeth are perfect and his braces long gone.
So he quickly types his reply:
TongueTiedInKnots
No braces, but definitely a cowlick.
For a moment, there’s no response, only the notification that the message was read.
Liam frowns as he waits, unsure what’s causing the hesitation.
Minutes later, he’s sitting on the edge of his bed, troubled, as he stares down at his phone. Not even the three dots appear.
Really? Is it that important that he has braces? Is this some kind of weirdo with a braces fetish? Well, maybe Liam doesn’t have any room to judge; he gets weak in the knees for any guy who can do a headstand. It’s weird, and maybe there’s some kind of association in Liam’s head he can’t place, but the second a guy turns upside-down, Liam’s heart flutters happily.