Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“Go. I don’t think I am staying long. I’m tired,” I added.
A frown puckered her brow. “It’s only seven,” she pointed out. “Are you feeling okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Just didn’t sleep much last night.” Which was the truth. It was always the truth. Sleep brought nightmares. They weren’t easing. If anything, they were getting worse.
“Cressida,” Kash called, “let’s go show my brother the real dancer in the family.”
She had a torn expression on her face as she looked from him to me. It was nice that she was even considering not going for my sake.
“I am fine. Go on, before he comes to get you.” I tried to sound teasing and lighthearted, but my voice didn’t quite hit the mark.
“If you’re sure,” she said, giving him a quick glance, then turning back to me.
“Yes,” I assured her again.
“Okay, but if you need anything or want to leave, I will go with you. Just come get me or even give me a look.”
There was no way I’d take her from here because I wanted to leave, but I nodded anyway. If I didn’t agree, I feared she might not go to Kash, and he was going to come get her at any second. I’d already witnessed his attachment to her. He rarely let her get far from his side.
I let out a silent sigh of relief when she headed in his direction.
Oz was making Winslet sit on the end of the sofa that reclined and getting her feet up while she laughed softly at him. I could go over to sit by her if he was going to continue speaking with the guests.
I’d not paid much attention to the rest of the people in the room. I didn’t recognize many of them. There were several older men here. My eyes made contact with one who was standing over by the bar with a glass of whiskey, studying me.
His hair had streaks of silver in it but was styled in a messy way that stood up slightly. Although his jaw was covered in a beard much the same shade, you could still tell he had a strong jawline. But it was his eyes that were familiar. Something about them …
His mouth quirked, and I realized the sudden amusement was directed at me. I snapped my eyes off him to stare at the screen that covered the wall, playing a silent basketball game.
Gathe. It hit me, and I chanced a look back at the man. He was still watching me. A full-blown smirk was on his face now. His eyes were like Gathe’s. As was his current expression. Was that his dad? If not, he was related. The similarity was undeniable.
“We’ve not met,” a male voice drawled close to me.
Snapping my attention off the older man, I looked to see who had spoken to me.
I had to tilt my head back to see his face. He was tall, blond, a nice tan for March, and he looked … clean-cut. There were no tattoos peeking from his collar or on his arms. The all-American look that Calvin always had. The kind that girls noticed. He was nothing like the men I’d met here.
“Uh, no,” I replied, taking a slight step back.
He was too close, and I didn’t like having to stare up at him.
“I’m Wayon Davidson,” he said as he held out his hand.
I glanced down at it for a moment, then decided I was probably expected to shake it since he was one of the guests. The Davidsons from Louisiana. His larger hand engulfed mine, and he squeezed slightly.
“You’re Elsie.” It wasn’t a question, but I realized then that I hadn’t introduced myself and he was making sure.
I nodded. “Yes.”
There was a touch of relief when he released my hand. Although he didn’t appear intimidating, he was one of them. One that I didn’t know.
“Oz’s description of you was rather vague. He left out several details,” Wayon said with an amused tone.
“Oh,” was my response because I didn’t know what to say to that or what he meant by it.
He grinned. “Are you always ignored like this?” he asked, scanning the room briefly before focusing back on me.
No, not really. But how did I answer that? There was a blonde outside with Forge, who normally noticed me, included me, made me feel seen. My gaze flickered back to the windows to see him laughing down at her. Kash and Cressida were out there now, dancing too. They all looked happy.
“Uh, it’s, uh …” I paused from my stammering and turned my attention back to him. “No.”
He chuckled. “Am I making you nervous? I don’t mean to.”
I started to shake my head, then stopped. “Maybe a little. I wasn’t going to stay long. You, uh, caught me before I left.”
“Where were you going?”
I licked my bottom lip. “To my room.”