Read Online Tangled Love on Pelican Point (Island County Series Book 3) by Karice Bolton - Free Book Online Page A

want to hang around me so I can insult you more?”
    “No. That’s not it at all.” He finished his burger and took a sip of water. “It felt nice to be needed.”
    “Needed? When did I ever need you?”
    He laughed, and the sound filled my soul with harmony. “Not one to ever spare my feelings.”
    “I would’ve managed on my own on Saturday.” I shrugged, dismissing his warped view of the events.
    “I don’t doubt it.” He leaned over the table slightly, and his gaze bored into me. His eyes were full of awareness as he studied me and peeled back the layers. “But, Sophie, what is your real question? What is it you really want to know from me?”
    “You can get any girl in the world. Why are you wasting your time with me?”
    He pressed his lips together and nodded. “So that’s what you think? That I’m wasting my time with you?”
    “Pretty much. There’s nothing in it for you, but you’ve already managed to be my chauffeur, help me with my business, and buy me dinner without getting a thing from me.”
    His jaw tensed, and he began circling his fingers along the table. “So what you’re really asking me is why am I bothering to spend time with you when I know I’ll never be sleeping with you?”
    Liz’s eyes darted to our table and I blushed.
    “That’s not what I’m asking,” I said in a hushed voice.
    He cocked his head, and a rush of heat ran through my veins as his eyes stayed on me. There was something incredibly insane about how he could look at me and make my world spin upside down with nothing more than a smile.
    “Well, are you trying to sleep with me?” I whispered, leaning forward.
    His grin widened, and he let out a deep breath. “No, Sophie. I’m not trying to sleep with you.”
    Anthony’s words felt like I’d just sipped a gallon of poison, leaving nothing but bitterness on my tongue. How did this entire conversation get turned on its head? I kind of thought that was the direction we were headed, and I’d even had my excuse planned for why we couldn’t sleep together, so how in the world did this happen?
    Oh, yeah. I asked questions I really didn’t want answers to.
    “Well, good. Because I didn’t want to sleep with you either.” I sat back against the booth and crossed my arms.
    “I didn’t say I didn’t want to sleep with you. I said I wasn’t trying to sleep with you.”
    The way my heart started pounding at ninety beats per second told me I was in deep trouble with him, and my ability to think straight was going down the tubes, but I couldn’t spend time lying to myself. I didn’t have the same luxury of time as someone who didn’t have to work every day for a living. I had a lot on my plate and needed to make snap decisions.
    Maybe I did want to sleep with him to experience a carefree way of life for a split second before I had to go back to the Loxxy and tidy up rooms for the rest of my years on this planet.
    “Good. I’m glad we got that squared away so early on.” I glanced at Liz and waved her over.
    “You getting the check already?” he asked.
    “No. I’m ordering dessert.”
    “I thought you didn’t want any.”
    “I tend to change my mind a lot.”
    “Is that so?”
    Liz hurried over and fumbled with her notepad, jotting down one slice of cherry pie and a slice of peach before she finally got the nerve to shove the piece of paper in front of Anthony.
    “I hate to ask, and I promise I never will again, but could I get your autograph?”
    “Of course,” I told her, reaching for the pen and paper while Liz stood horrified.
    “She’s kidding.” Anthony snatched the pen and paper, quickly scribbled something down, and handed it back to a beaming Liz. She looked like she’d just had an out-of-body experience, and I had to stifle a laugh.
    “Thank you so much. I love Tender Hearted . It’s my absolute favorite song in the entire world. I know all the words by heart. It has literally changed my life,” Liz spit out before spinning on