Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 62620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
The skunk emits a more upbeat chirp but doesn’t move from her position crouched beneath the legs of the chair.
“We’re going to need a treat to coax her out,” I say.
“I’ll go get one, just a second.” Starling stands only to squat back down a beat later. “I need the flashlight. It’s so dark in the breakroom I won’t be able to find the raw almonds without it.”
“No worries,” I say, handing over the flashlight, my pulse picking up again as Starling’s fingers brush mine. Touching the woman’s fingers is enough to make filthy thoughts dance through my head.
The chemistry between us is insane and way too dangerous to mess around with.
It would be like playing with fire by a leaky gas pump.
“But that’s okay. We’re just going to stay calm and focused, Bella,” I whisper as Starling moves into the breakroom in search of skunk treats. “We’re going to get you back in your kennel, get the lights on if we can, and head home before we make any mistakes that we can’t undo in the morning.”
The skunk chirps again, as if agreeing with me, and I can’t help but smile. Bella’s a sweet little thing, and cute as a button. Her glossy black eyes seem to promise a person that everything is going to be all right.
“This is the kind of weird pet I can actually get behind,” I say as Starling returns and crouches down beside me again. She sets the flashlight between us on the ground, the beam shining up toward the ceiling for illumination. “Unlike brain damaged poultry.”
“Kyle doesn’t have brain damage,” Starling shoots back, coming to her misfit’s defense, the way she always does. “He’s doing so well on the leash these days and obeys all his commands. He also has a dance he does just for me when I get home. It’s the Starling Rocks my World dance. He told me so.”
Refusing to think about all the ways I want Starling to rock my world, I remind her, “Is that why he almost attacked the cake at Kinsey and Clark’s wedding?”
“He thought it was a predator, not food. Which is valid. He’d never seen food that big or fancy before. Here, take a few nuts and hold them out flat on your palm. I’ll offer some out on this side and hopefully Belle will feel safe coming to one of us.”
“Bella,” I correct before I realize what I’m doing. A little embarrassed, I add, “I think she likes that better.”
A smile in her voice, Starling says, “Is that right? Okay, Bella. Christian and I have treats for you, pretty girl. I promise I’ll find somewhere better for you to sleep than in the same room with all those dogs and cats. I know that must have been scary.”
“That’s right,” I murmur, sliding my hand closer to the skunk. “We’ll get you set up in a private cage with lots of blankets and extra nuts for being such a good girl.”
“A very good girl,” Starling echoes in a husky voice that makes my cock swell behind my fly all over again.
Mercifully, Bella decides to emerge from the desk at that moment, giving me something else to focus on.
I just have to hold it together for a few more minutes and then I’ll make sure I’m never alone in a room with Starling again. It shouldn’t be hard to do. We share an office with two other people, and I can make excuses to skip lunch with her until I leave for Minneapolis.
Hell, maybe I’ll just stop eating lunch altogether.
My buddy from the gym is always going on about intermittent fasting and how good it is for the body. The whole thing sounds sketchy to me, but in the name of avoiding Starling, I’d give it a try.
And if I drop a few pounds, maybe I’ll be too weak to think sex thoughts. I’ll start having fantasies about diving face first into piles of food instead of Starling’s pussy and all will remain right with the world.
“There you go, buddy,” I murmur as Bella takes one of the nuts from my palm and backs away again, keeping an eye on me as she chews. “Almonds are pretty tasty, huh?”
“I made buttercream frosting with almond milk the other day for my vegan friend and it was delicious,” Starling offers.
Bella inches Starling’s way, extending her nose to sniff the offerings in her palm, but when she’s ready for more nuts, she comes back to me. This time, she stays close enough that I can feel her whiskers brushing the side of my hand as she chews.
“Looks like she likes you,” Starling whispers.
“Clearly, she has good taste,” I say as Bella takes the last almond and climbs into my lap, wiggling her fluffy bottom back and forth until she finds a comfortable spot. When she’s apparently settled, she smacks her lips and shoots Starling something that looks so much like a smile that we both laugh.