Page 51 of Unlikely You

“Yeah. I’m… Well, I’m trying to get out and do more social activities.”

That floored me. Honey didn’t seem like the kind of person who would struggle with being social.

“Really?” I asked, raising both eyebrows.

She nodded and looked down at her plate. “I have a tendency to get too wrapped up in the farm and my family and forget to go out.” Huh. That was completely surprising.

“I do that too. But it’s because I’m generally sick of people by the end of the day and am so tired of talking that I just want to be alone.”

She studied my face for a moment. “Then what brought you out tonight?”

I sighed. “I don’t even really know. I caved to peer pressure from Delaney and Larison. They were very persuasive.”

Honey nodded. “Yeah, they are.”

She looked good tonight in a cute little T-shirt with strawberries on it and wide-leg light-wash jeans with pink sneakers. Her hair was down and softly curling on her shoulders.

She looked good enough to lick.

I’d gotten so lost in staring at her that I missed what she’d just said.

Fuck, I shouldn’t have sat next to her.

“I also came because a friend of mine said they were going to a book club and inspired me. She actually reminds me of you a little bit.”

I snorted. “So she hates people?”

“No. Well, maybe a little bit. She likes me. I think.” She frowned. “No, she definitely likes me.”

“Why don’t you ask her?” How could anyone not like Honey? Yes, I had initially disliked her, but that was for very valid reasons. She’d won me over anyway.

“Maybe I will.”

Delaney walked to the center of the room and clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Hello, welcome to Between the Sheets Book Club. I’m so happy to see so many familiar and new faces. Can you raise your hand if this is your first meeting with us?”

Begrudgingly I raised my hand, as did Honey and about three other people out of the almost two dozen.

“Wonderful. Great to have you here. I just want to reiterate that participation is entirely voluntary, and we keep things loosely structured. I’m here to help facilitate, but if there’s a direction we want to go in, then feel free. I’ve got some lists of questions we’ll start with and then go from there.” She passed out sheets of paper with bulleted questions on them.

“Okay, let’s start with how did everyone like the book?”

I’d been afraid that her question would have been met with silence, but this wasn’t that kind of book club. Most of the participants were lively and eager to share their opinions. Delaney stepped in every now and then if things got quiet or when people had gone off on a tangent too far and brought everyone back with a new question. She did an incredible job of keeping things moving and not allowing anyone to dominate. I didn’t speak myself, but Honey did and every time she opened her mouth, I found myself leaning closer to her, as if I wanted to melt into her skin. I also compulsively nodded at anything she said so she’d know I was paying complete attention to her.

We took a break and more people got food before we sat back down and finished our discussion. Delaney stood up.

“Well, we’re just about out of time for tonight, so thank you all for coming. We’ll be emailing the options for next month’s pick, so make sure you check your inbox. We’ve got some really fun options and I won’t tell you which one to vote for, even though I want to.” She laughed. “Please grab any snacks or drinks you’d like to take home with you and get home safely.”

Well, that wasn’t so bad. In my head I’d expected icebreakers and forced introductions and “tell us three fun facts” even though Larison and Delaney had promised me it wasn’t like that.

Honey turned toward me. “That wasn’t terrible. I don’t know why I was so nervous.”

“If you were, I couldn’t tell.” Her smile was beaming, and I had to grip the edges of my chair so I didn’t reach for her face and kiss her so I could taste that smile.

I really was getting desperate. Time to go home before I said something like “hey, can I lick your neck and suffocate between your tits for a little while?”

I hadn’t been this fucking horny in years and it was incredibly distracting.

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