Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 101778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
His brow lifted. “I’m going to have to remember that.”
For the love of all that was good, I had no idea why I said what I said next.
“Well, considering I haven’t had sex in forever, I could probably count that as a crazy exercise if the opportunity presented itself.”
I stopped talking the moment I heard the words come out of my mouth.
Brock’s smile grew bigger as my cheeks burned.
“Fiddlesticks, I have no freaking idea why I said that. I’m so sorry.” I let out an exasperated breath. “I didn’t mean that I thought we would be having sex. Not that I wouldn’t want to—no, wait. I don’t know what I’m saying. Okay, I’m going to die right now of embarrassment. I guess I just said that because . . . well, I don’t really have a good reason for that one.”
“Lincoln,” Brock said, reaching out for my hand. “Take a breath, sweetheart, and stop talking. You’re digging yourself in deeper.”
“Deeper?” I said, not meaning to make it sound so sexual. I rolled my eyes and then closed them. “I’m going to stop talking now.”
“Probably a good idea,” Brock agreed, amusement clearly laced in his voice.
“Here are your drinks,” the waiter said, setting my Diet Coke in front of me.
“I’m going to need something stronger, like a Bud Light. Please.”
The waiter looked between me and Brock.
“That’s what you consider stronger?” Brock asked.
I nodded.
“We’ll take two.”
“Okay, two Bud Lights coming up.”
After the waiter delivered the beers and I nearly downed mine, we ordered.
“Do you date often?” Brock asked out of the blue.
“Not really. I mean, I’ve had a few boyfriends but nothing really too serious. The last one was over a year ago. I went to his apartment to surprise him for his birthday and caught him in bed with another woman. So . . . surprise!”
Brock’s eyes went wide.
I shrugged. “Came back from a girls’ trip early for his birthday. Best decision I ever made.”
“You weren’t angry?”
Giving his question serious thought, I shook my head. “No. I mean, don’t get me wrong; I was extremely pissed at the time. It hurt knowing he had deceived me, and I felt betrayed. But I was angrier more than I was sad. Mostly because I hadn’t seen it coming. But we were never going to work. I didn’t get those butterfly feelings that I heard all my friends talking about.”
“Butterfly feelings?”
With a chuckle, I said, “Yeah. Like, when a guy takes your hand and holds it in the car, your stomach sort of jumps or dips, or it feels like butterflies are flying around in there.”
He smiled—and lo and behold, my stomach did every single thing I had just described.
Quickly looking away, I searched for the waiter and pointed to my beer.
“You’ve never felt like that with any guy?”
My eyes snapped over to his, and I held my breath, wishing that the ceiling would fall in or that someone would come up and start talking to him about bull riding. How in the hell would I ever be able to tell him that yes, I had experienced it for the first time in my life with a man I hardly knew?
Him.
The sky didn’t have to fall, thankfully, because our food came, and I avoided the question.
We ate in silence for the first few minutes before I gathered up the nerve to ask about Blayze’s mom.
“Where is Blayze’s mother?” I asked.
Brock froze, and I instantly regretted asking.
“If I’m stepping over a line, please tell me,” I said.
Damn it all to hell. Why couldn’t I have just left well enough alone?
“She’s gone.”
I nodded. “Oh.” It was the only thing I could say to such a vague answer.
Gone where? Left him? Filed for divorce? Is he still married? Did she pass away, like Kaylee thought? Maybe she ran off with another man, leaving Brock and Blayze to wonder if she would ever come back. That would explain why he wasn’t dating anyone.
“So, what should I expect from this dance tonight?”
Brock looked relieved that I’d changed the subject. It was obvious he was physically pained to even think about his wife. Or ex-wife or whatever she was. I was going to have to get Kaylee to find out more information. The last thing I wanted to do was be the talk of the town.
The woman who was going after the haunted local star with a little boy.
Maybe I should just go home and not go to the dance.
“Let’s see. There will be a live band.”
Grinning, I said, “Of course.”
“Lots of older folks gathering around to shoot the shit.”
I giggled.
“Of course, there will be a lot of young folks too. Any excuse to hold a girl in your arms. It’s just a good ole time with friends and family. I’m glad I’m back in town for it.”
He winked, and I felt my cheeks heat slightly.