Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 60940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Ledger was why I kept every man at arm’s length, causing several relationship problems—particularly in my last one.
When Jonathan got too close, I cut him loose. I thought I could give him what he wanted. I tried so hard to love him like he did me, but I couldn’t. We played house, and I broke his heart in the process. He had to move to Italy for his international business for a few months, and that was the moment I realized I wasn’t in love with him.
I refused to get hurt again.
I barely survived it the first time.
Ledger may have kicked me out of his life, but it took me years to kick him out of mine. He took up permanent residence in my head for a long time, and I couldn’t for the life of me evict him.
I thought I had.
However, now…
I wasn’t so sure anymore. Not when he stood in front of me. I cleared my throat and swallowed hard again, my heart beating out of my chest.
Playing a game of cat and mouse, I baited, “Where’re you from?”
He didn’t miss a beat, replying, “Wyoming. You?”
“My home is this city.” I resisted the urge to remind him he was the one who brutally made me realize it was.
I didn’t expect him to counter, “I find that hard to believe.” As if he was purposely trying to take me back to another place and time, he reminded, “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl. And you have cowgirl written all over your pretty little face.”
For a split second, I felt myself falling for him like the past didn’t exist between us.
“You here alone?” he asked.
“I’m here with a friend.”
“I don’t see your friend.”
“She left with some guy.”
“And you stayed by yourself?”
“I wanted to dance.”
“Isn’t that dangerous?”
“You think I need protection?”
“With the dress you’re wearing? Abso-fucking-lutely.”
I looked down at myself. “What’s wrong with my dress?”
“Where’s the rest of it?”
I smirked, peering up at him through my long dark lashes. “You didn’t seem to have a problem with my dress a few minutes ago when you couldn’t take your eyes off me.”
“I still can’t take my eyes off you.”
Was he flirting with me?
He was so different from the guy I remembered. It was like night and day. We barely spoke for five minutes, and I hardly recognized the man seducing me. He’d never spoken to me like this before.
Feeling spiteful, I bit, “In that case, you don’t need to worry. The only man I need protection from is you.”
He flinched, quickly recovering. “You live around here, Hazel?”
I couldn’t resist. “That’s none of your business.”
“I’m making it my business. You shouldn’t be out alone by yourself.”
“I’m not alone. You’re here with me now. But if you want to continue playing this game of I run and you chase, then I’m happy to oblige.”
“I was never one for playing games.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“Would you prefer I say how fucking sexy you look?”
“Wow.” I called him out, “If only Chance could hear you now.”
“Sugar, we aren’t kids anymore.”
“And that makes a difference?”
“It makes all the difference in the world.”
“In what sense?”
“In all the ones that matter.”
“It doesn’t change the fact that Chance is still my brother.”
“Chance isn’t here right now.”
“Oh, I see. That’s why you’re coming onto me?”
“I’m just stating the obvious. You look good all grown up.”
I cocked my head to the side. “You’re still a paradox, Ledger Beckham.”
“And you’re still trouble, Hazel Blakely.”
“Yet here you are playing with fire.”
“I can’t talk to an old friend?”
“You’re doing much more than talking, cowboy.”
“From what I remember, you wanted much more from me.”
“Yeah, well from what I remember.” I folded my arms over my chest. “You didn’t want to give me anything. Including your friendship.”
“Trust me, sugar, it was never that I didn’t want to.”
“Right… I guess I have that effect on men.”
He zeroed in on me. “Care to elaborate?”
I winked at him. “There are too many men on my roster to do that.”
His jaw clenched. “Last time I remember, you were a virgin.”
“Last time I remember,” I mocked, “you kicked me out of your bedroom.”
“Hazel, that was another life.” Stepping toward me, he broke the small distance between us.
“Another life that’s blended into this one.”
“I’m not the same guy I was back then.”
“What changed?”
He didn’t hesitate in acknowledging, “My mother died.”
I was rendered speechless.
“I went through a lot after that.”
“I can only imagine since you shut me out.”
“I know.”
“That’s all you have to say for yourself?”
With a sincere expression, he communicated, “I have no excuse for my behavior other than I was broken for a very long time.”
“And what put you back together?”
“Time, but also realizing that life is short, and we only get one.”
“I see.”
“Do you?”
“Listen,” I stressed, mirroring his expression. “I’m glad you’re in a better place, Ledger. It’s all I ever wanted for you.”