Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I glanced back to the dance floor and watched as other couples laughed and moved together, everyone looking so happy. I ached to have a marriage where my husband adored me enough to take me out just for some fun. To dance until we couldn’t take the sexual tension any longer, then went home to make love. Not someone who treated me like a trophy to show off, only to get angry at me when other men took notice. Someone who squeezed my arm so tightly on the dance floor, he left bruises.
“You okay? You seem lost in thought,” Aiden said over the music.
Shaking my head to clear the memories, I replied, “Feeling a headache coming on. I think I’m hungry.”
“Then I have the perfect place to take you. Let’s tell my mom and dad we’re leaving.”
I reached for his arm. “If you want to stay and dance, you can. I can make my way home.”
He frowned. “I don’t want to dance with anyone else. Besides, I’m hungry too.”
Smiling, I nodded my head and tried to ignore the butterflies in my stomach when Aiden grabbed my hand and led us through the room toward his parents. I also tried not to read into his words.
I don’t want to dance with anyone else.
As much as I attempted to tamp down the giddiness, I couldn’t. I enjoyed spending time with Aiden too much.
“Hi! Welcome to Peppers.”
The hostess at the Mexican restaurant was beyond peppy. Of course, she couldn’t keep her eyes off Aiden. Who could blame her? I barely could. To her credit, she told us the specials while trying really hard not to look like she was drooling all over him.
Poor thing. I knew exactly how she felt.
Before she left, she turned to Aiden. “Has anyone told you before that you look exactly like Ryan Paevey? I mean, I thought for a moment when we first met you were actually him!”
Aiden’s gaze snapped to me. His brow lifted, and I slid down in my seat some, hiding my face with the menu.
“As a matter of fact, I have been called Ryan before. By you, if memory serves me correctly.”
Dropping the menu, I offered a sheepish grin, remembering that first day when he approached me in the café and I’d stupidly called him Ryan. My cheeks heated as Aiden winked at me.
“Well, let me just say you’re his doppelgänger,” she replied with a slow shake of her head.
The way Aiden gave her a befuddled looked made me giggle.
“What does that mean?”
My eyes widened in shock. “You don’t know what a doppelgänger is?”
“I have no idea. Is it from like Harry Potter or something?”
The hostess and I both laughed while Aiden leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. His very broad chest. I couldn’t even be bothered to check if the hostess was gawking, because I was too busy gawking myself, even as I continued to laugh.
He stared at me with amusement, and I tried to ignore how that made my lower stomach pull with desire.
“He’s a keeper. See ya, Ryan!” the girl said before turning and walking back to the front.
I laughed harder. Tears leaked from my eyes as I attempted to get myself under control when our waitress walked up to the table.
“Are you about done?” Aiden asked, trying to hide his smile.
Nodding, I wiped my tears away.
“Are you laughing because he doesn’t know what a doppelgänger is?” the waitress asked.
I lost it, laughing all over again, and Aiden sighed. Clearly the hostess had informed our waitress of the conversation.
“Water for me. Emma, water?”
Nodding, I held up my thumb as a sign that water was perfect.
Aiden ordered chips and salsa and asked for a few minutes before we placed our order. When I finally got myself under control, I sighed.
“Man, I must have needed that laugh. I don’t think I’ve laughed like that in ten years.”
He smiled, but I couldn’t help but notice it seemed a little stiff. He probably didn’t like me laughing at him, and it was rude, but I couldn’t help it. It just felt so good to laugh.
“I’m sorry. Really, I am. I think it was more the facial expression you made when she said that. I didn’t mean to laugh at you.”
Aiden reached across the table and took my hand in his. My breath caught, and I hoped he didn’t notice.
“Emma, I’m not upset that you were laughing. What bothers me is you telling me that you haven’t laughed like that in ten years.”
I shrugged to play it off and took the water from our waitress when she walked back to the table.
After looking over the menu, Aiden and I both ordered. He got the verde-smothered chicken burrito, and I ordered fish tacos.
“So, what’s a doppelgänger?”
Pressing my lips together tightly, I tried not to laugh again. “It’s like a twin. Someone who looks almost identical to you, but you are in no way related. And it’s definitely not from Harry Potter.”