Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
When I slide into the driver's seat, the dome light is on, and I see Kindred's bare knee and part of her thigh, the coat having slipped open. She’s honestly trying to kill me. How the heck am I going to last all night knowing she’s roaming around dressed like this? Don’t get me wrong; she looks absolutely stunning, but it should be for my eyes only.
“What do you have on under there?” I bark before I can check myself. She snaps her head toward me, narrowing her eyes.
“Don’t go all big brother on me. It’s a dress.”
“I’m not your brother, so get that shit out of your head.” I throw my cruiser into drive harder than I should.
“Don’t be a jerkoff.” No, that’s what I need to do. I need to get away from her and jerk off so I can straighten my head back out so I’m not barking at her. “I’m always wearing dresses. You know that.”
She does, and I enjoy the fuck out of it. Though a pair of skin-tight jeans on her isn’t bad either. All of those delectable curves on display. One day soon, I’ll trace every inch of them with my mouth.
I remain silent for a few streets. “To Candy’s place?”
“No, she’s meeting me at Nevicare, so you can drop me there.” That’s the Italian place in town. It’s one of the nicer restaurants. We fall into silence until we pull up outside the restaurant. “Thanks.”
Kindred reaches for the handle, but I bring my hand down on that bare thigh of hers, right above the knee. She freezes.
“I didn’t mean to snap at you.” She nods. “Cupcake, I—”
“It’s just the things you say sometimes, Hudson. I don’t—”
“Hudson.” My fingers ever so subtly stroke the inside of her thigh. Fuck, she’s soft everywhere. “Call me Cash.” I don’t know why, but suddenly I want to hear my first name from her lips. Everyone calls me Hudson. They have since I entered the Army, but Kindred’s different.
“You want me to call you Cash?” I touch her softly, and she relaxes, letting her hand drop from the door handle.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Not really sure.” I’m still trying to fully understand it myself, and I likely never will. That’s the thing when it comes to Kindred—I don’t understand all the things going on inside of me.
She stares at me for a long moment. “All right, Cash.” A soft smile plays on her lips. “It’s not the snapping that bothers me. It’s what you say.”
“I don’t want to do either. The snapping or words that hurt you.” Kindred turns slightly to face me more.
“I might enjoy it when you’re a little grumpy.” She holds up her fingers, showing way more than a pinch, which I would take as more than a little, but I’ll take her word for it. I don’t seem to be too good at understanding her at times.
“I don’t want to be an asshole.” My father was an asshole for no reason. A mean son of a bitch.
“You’re not an asshole. I don’t think you ever intend harm with what you’re saying.”
“That’s the thing, Cupcake. I have never in my life uttered a word that I thought might hurt you.” I would sooner cut out my tongue.
“You mean that?”
“We might go around and around, but I adore you.” I would tell her I love her antics, but they don’t need any encouragement. "I'm trying to be better with understanding."
"You're not good with the opposite sex. That's why you're reading those dirty romance books." There is a playfulness to her tone.
"Yes."
A full smile lights up her face. "Not even shy or embarrassed about it. You know—" She tips her head to the side. "I kinda adore that about you too. A lot of men would be embarrassed."
"If you want something in life, you have to find a way to work toward it." Sure, the library books might not be much, but it's better than nothing. Even if I don't learn shit from them at the end of the day, I know Kindred enjoys reading them. I'll start us a book club of only two. Exclusive.
"And you want what most others want in New Hope. The whole family with a wife, a few kids, and maybe a couple of kittens." I shrug. That all does sound nice, but what I want is her. "Are you bringing a date to the wedding?"
"No." I fight not to growl out my answer.
"Do you know what one is?" She laughs. I guess I didn't suppress that growl real well.
"I hadn't given it all that much thought. Like I said, I didn't know you were supposed to bring a date to begin with. It would be nice if you went with me."
"You'd want to go together?"
"Don't see why not. You don't have a date." Her brows rise. Shit. "I said that wrong. God knows you could have a million dates if you wanted." Well, maybe not. They'd be dead before they could show up for it.