Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
For the first time since we’ve left the park, her lips lift into a smile. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For the picnic,” she says softly. “It’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.”
“I’m glad you liked it.” A rush of pleasure zips through me and explodes like a firework. Maybe I’m not to the point of telling her exactly how I feel, but that doesn’t mean the emotions aren’t there growing uncomfortably in my chest.
A blush warms her cheeks. “Well, up to a certain point, I did.”
I shrug and release an exaggerated breath. “I can’t help it if you find me so irresistible that you tried jumping my bones in public.”
Her face crumples. “We are never discussing this again,” she groans and points a finger in my direction. “I’m serious, Carter. Don’t ever bring it up! As far as I’m concerned, it never happened.”
“Oh, it happened, baby,” I chuckle. “You should have seen the look on your face when that guy yelled. Those pretty titties were bouncing all over the place.”
She hits me again and I laugh harder. My phone dings with another text and I ignore it. When it goes off for a third time, my heart sinks.
She tenses and her eyes narrow. “Seems like someone is trying to get a hold of you.”
It sucks that Daisy doesn’t trust me.
“Whatever it is can wait.” I just want a little more time with her.
It takes a few minutes for the doubt clouding her face to fade.
After a beat of silence, she asks, “Are you serious about telling Noah? Because we don’t have to say anything if you’re not ready.”
I glance at her, but she’s turned away, staring out the passenger side window. Longing and desire rush through me, filling me unexpectedly to the brim. What I feel for Daisy isn’t just physical. There are so many unexpected layers. Ones that beg to be explored. I’ve spent years trying to keep this girl at a firm distance. It didn’t work, and I can’t do it any longer. I want her. And I refuse to hide this relationship as if I’m ashamed of it. I want everyone to know that Daisy Thompson is with me.
“I want this out in the open,” I say. “You deserve better than us sneaking around.”
Her lips curve as she sucks in a shaky breath and pushes it out again. “Okay.”
A comfortable silence settles over us. I keep her fingers ensconced in mine, never wanting to let them go. That feeling, it’s new as well. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
My cell rings, jolting me out of my thoughts. A couple of texts I can ignore. A phone call, I can’t. I’m almost afraid to look at the screen.
One glance confirms my suspicions and sends my heart plummeting.
I answer the call. “Hey.”
Even though I’m doing everything in my power to keep my voice casual, it comes out sounding whipcord tight. Anxiety bubbles beneath the surface, ready to break through at any moment. My eyes stay locked on the stretch of country road.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Mom cries on the other end. I can’t make out the specific words because they’re all jumbled together. But deciphering them isn’t necessary. I know what the problem is.
“Calm down and tell me what happened.” I shoot Daisy an uneasy glance, unable to pretend that she isn’t sitting next to me, listening to every word.
Her gaze is locked on mine. The heat of her eyes burns a hole in my flesh. My shoulders fall. There’s no avoiding the inevitable.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I sigh and disconnect the call.
I gnaw my lower lip and contemplate my options. I need to get home ASAP, but I don’t want to take Daisy with me. The thought of her being anywhere near my dad makes me sick to my stomach. I want to drop her off at campus and then head to my parent’s house but that will tack on more than an hour and a half.
Fuck!
What am I supposed to do?
I chance another look in her direction. Daisy has fallen silent. I expected to be bombarded with questions, but she hasn’t fired off one. I shift uneasily knowing that I need to say something. Not the truth, but something that will explain what she heard from my end of the conversation. I’m relieved that she isn’t giving me the fifth degree, but her silence is unnerving.
“Sorry about the interruption,” I force myself to say.
“It’s fine, Carter. But it sounds like there’s an issue.” Her voice rises at the end of the sentence, making it more of a question.
I blow out a breath, latching onto her generic statement like a lifeline. “Yes,” I parrot in relief, “an issue.” My father is nothing if not a problem.
My grip tightens around the steering wheel until my knuckles turn bone white.