Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 166103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 831(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 166103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 831(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
“Owen is no longer on your guard duty.”
Shit.
She felt a rush of disappointment. It was the right thing to do. She was far too attracted to the dangerously sexy man.
But she couldn’t help but feel sad.
This is your fault. You didn’t correct Beck.
“Owen didn’t do anything wrong.”
“That’s not what I heard.”
Her eyes shifted from him and she moved her weight from one foot to the other. “It was my fault.”
“What was?”
“I . . . it doesn’t matter. I’m going for a run.” She went to move past him, but he grabbed her arm again.
Shoot. What now?
She didn’t want to talk about Owen and what had happened . . . didn’t want to think about how she’d reacted to his touch.
It was similar to how she reacted to Judd.
And he was a total jerk.
It made no freaking sense.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You don’t want to talk about stretching? Why not? Stretching before you run is very important,” he lectured.
Stretching? That wasn’t what she was expecting him to say.
“Stretching?”
“Yes, have you stretched yet?” He let go of her and pushed one foot back.
Damn, he was hot.
He was wearing shorts and a tank top that revealed his muscular arms and calves.
What is wrong with you?
She’d spent time lusting after each of these men . . . but she didn’t expect to feel this attraction to Judd.
“I, uh, no,” she admitted.
“That’s not safe,” he chided. “You could injure yourself. You will always stretch before exercising.”
Good. Lord.
“How has no one run over you with their car by now?” she muttered.
“Have you always had such violent tendencies? You should get those looked at.”
“Was that . . . a joke?” She peered up at him as she started stretching. She didn’t actually want to get an injury.
“Was what a joke?”
Okay, so she must have imagined that amusement in his voice.
“You’re incredibly bossy.”
“I know. It’s one of my best qualities.” He bent over to stretch and her mouth went dry at the sight of his ass in those shorts.
Holy. Heck.
This was all sorts of wrong. There was no way she should be lusting after Judd the jerk.
And yet her stupid body was stirring in a way that had her pulse racing.
Stop it.
She tore her gaze away from him as he moved.
“It’s not,” she said.
“It’s not? Then what are my best qualities?” He stood.
“Um, well, I . . .” Shoot. That had her stumped. “I don’t know you well enough to know.”
She didn’t want to know him better, did she?
“I’m finished stretching.” She wasn’t really. But she didn’t want to stand around any longer while he bent his body in all different directions and drove her insane.
She took off at a jog in the same direction she’d gone last time. She felt this burning need to see the ocean. There was something soothing about seeing the endless water. And she could use some soothing right now.
9
Hux was right. She did run as though she was being chased.
But by who? Or what?
And why the hell did he care? He’d decided after Ester that he was done with women. He’d thought she was the one for him.
Just like you thought that about Mary.
Fuck.
Yeah, he had crap luck with women. Ester had tolerated him because she had set her sights on Hux. Turns out she thought she could lure him away from the rest of them. Because he had money and came from an acceptable family.
She hadn’t cared that Hux’s father was an abusive bastard. Or that she’d ripped up Judd’s heart in a way he didn’t think would ever heal.
Why would you ever think you were good enough for me?
Sometimes it was Mary’s voice he heard in his head. Other times, Ester’s. Didn’t matter. Basically, they’d both used him until someone more acceptable than a guy who’d clawed his way out from the slums came along.
His dick was good enough. The rest of him was substandard.
And he was certain Chloe was no different. Look at the way she dressed and acted.
Her wardrobe probably cost more than he made in a year.
And she was so cool and collected. As though nothing anyone did mattered to her.
Only . . . she wasn’t always cool and calm. In fact, there had been plenty of instances of heat. And the way she was running right now . . . it was like she was screaming for help without saying a word.
And every instinct in his body was yelling at him to help her.
She doesn’t need you.
She is fine.
But what if she wasn’t?
He sped up to get beside her. The sun was starting to rise and they were getting close to the place where she’d collapsed with Hux. He had a backpack on with water and some protein bars.
Time to get her to stop.
“Ms. Reed, slow down.”
If anything, she sped up.
He bit down his irritation. Why didn’t she understand that he was in charge? Her health and safety was his responsibility.