Read My Only Exception for Free Online Page B

again…
    I grabbed it and checked my text messages. My heart dove into my stomach when I saw whom it was from.
    Braden.
    An excited flutter took up residence in my belly.
    I can’t get you out of my head. I’m pretty sure I’m going to dream about you tonight.
    Uh, whoa. Definitely not from my mother. It was all I could do not to get up and do a happy dance. As much as I should not want Braden to want me, I loved that he did. I bit my lip and sent him a message back.
    You naughty boy. Go to sleep.
    A second later a beep alerted me of his response.
    Okay. But just so you know. You’re going to be very busy in my sleep tonight. Sweet dreams, gorgeous.
    I let him have the last word, but secretly I knew Braden would most likely be very busy in my dreams too.
    *  *  *
    I woke the next morning to Bree bouncing up and down on my bed.
    “Get up, Presley. We’re supposed to go to the gym this morning. Remember?”
    I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head. The girl had way too much energy for this early in the morning.
    Bree snatched the blanket off of me and stood to open the blinds at my window, letting sunshine spill over me. I blew out an exasperated breath and sat up.
    “Really, Bree? You could have just called. You’re making me regret giving you a key to my apartment.”
    She shrugged a shoulder and turned to stand at the mirror above my dresser, pulling her mass of curly red hair into a bun on top of her head. She turned around to face me where I was still sitting on my bed.
    “Get dressed. I’ll go make some coffee.”
    I grabbed my pillow and threw it at her. She easily dodged it and hurried out of my bedroom door, calling back, “You’ll thank me later.”
    I stood and paused by my window to look over at Braden’s apartment building. Why? I had no idea. I was supposed to be maintaining my self-imposed friend status with him but it was becoming really hard.
    I was getting ready to move away from the window when I saw Braden walking to his jeep. He looked completely mouthwatering as usual in a fitted T-shirt and rugged cargo khakis. I froze when I saw a cute blonde walk out of the stairway that he’d just exited. I could see that she was calling a goodbye to him and she waved before climbing into her red Honda.
    I sucked in a breath. There was nothing unusual about seeing this. I mean, I’d probably think something was wrong if there wasn’t some female foot traffic coming from Braden and Liam’s apartment. What bothered me was not knowing if the girl had been with Braden last night or Liam. I mean, Braden had sent me some pretty suggestive text messages last night. Not to mention all of the talk about writing songs about me. This was exactly why I was so leery about getting involved with him. And I’d just heard this past week that he’d be leaving to finish recording the band’s album in a couple of weeks. I didn’t know if he could be faithful living in the same apartment complex, let alone traveling the world.
    I sighed deeply, tugging on my yoga pants and sports bra. If only thoughts of him didn’t consume me, this would be so much simpler. I guess it’s true what they say about matters of the heart. When it came to love, you’ll know when you find it.

    And I’d found it. Like it or not.

CHAPTER 7
     
    Once Bree and I left the gym we stopped at a street café downtown and sat down at a table outside. After ordering lattes, we settled in to indulge in some light gossip. Bree was great for that. She somehow knew anything and everything there was to know about everybody.
    Talking to her was better than reading a gossip magazine. After thirty minutes of laughing and chatting I was surprised by male hands covering my eyes from behind. And then I tingled from the neck down when Braden’s voice whispered in my ear. “Guess who? I’ll give you a hint. It’s your favorite person.”
    “Oh. Then it must be Wyatt,” I said teasingly.
    I gasped when he gently nipped at my ear.
    Braden released