Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Aww. Even that was gorgeous.
Why did this guy have to be so freaking sexy?
“Not now,” she said. “I’ve got to go have my skateboarding lesson.”
Bebe opened the hallway closet, shoving her toolbox out of the way. She managed to create enough of a gap to pull her skateboard and helmet out.
“No. Nope. I’m out.” Hayes pointed at her skateboard. “I’m not doing that.”
This time, she couldn’t hide her smile. “You don’t have to skateboard. I’m just having a lesson.”
“Where?” Corbin asked.
“At the local skatepark, of course. So, who’s coming with me?”
Hayes turned to glare at Corbin and seemed to have a silent conversation between them.
Then Corbin sighed. “Looks like it’s me. Wait for me here. I’ll get a jacket.” He frowned, looking her over. “Where is your jacket?”
“I’m good.” She bounced on her toes, energy thrumming through her and needing a release. The voices in her head were getting louder and she had to expel them.
You’re not good enough, Belle. I’ve found someone better.
I was only with her for the publicity.
How can I use you when you’re my daughter? You should be grateful for all that I’ve done for you.
“You need a jacket,” Corbin insisted, distracting her from the voices in her head.
“I really don’t. I’m going to get warm quick skateboarding.”
“You still have to get there and back,” he told her. “Get a jacket. Please.” The last word seemed to be an afterthought. But she couldn’t ignore the ‘please.’
So, with a sigh, she pulled a jacket out of the closet and put it on. “Happy?”
“Ecstatic,” he muttered.
Corbin had no idea what to say to her as they walked along the sidewalk toward the skatepark.
How are you?
Sounded stupid when they were living in the same house.
I’m glad you haven’t had any more nightmares.
Nope. Still sounded weird.
I miss talking to you. Sorry I reacted so badly.
I was just worried about you.
Yeah. None of it seemed to be the right thing to say.
“Sooo, are you going to talk to me again anytime soon?” she asked. “Or are you planning on ignoring me for the rest of the time you’re here?”
He paused, then turned to look at her. “I haven’t been ignoring you.”
“But you’ve been avoiding me,” she whispered.
Her gaze was on her feet and he longed to reach out and touch her chin, tilt back her face, and brush his lips against her soft, plump ones . . .
Whoa.
And this is why you need to chill. Take a step back.
This isn’t appropriate.
“I’m sorry if it feels that way. I’ve been getting the security system set up.”
“Don’t,” she said, hurt filling her face.
Shit. What had he done?
“Just . . . you can tell me you don’t want to answer, but please don’t lie to me.”
“I wasn’t . . . shit.” He’d be mad if she started lying to him like that. “Look, I thought it might be best if I gave you some space, that’s all. I wasn’t very professional the other day. And it wasn’t acceptable. I let my emotions get in the way of my job.”
“Your emotions?” she asked.
“Yes, I . . . I suppose I was feeling protective of you and that’s why I jumped to the conclusion that Bob was a threat and got . . . upset with you when I thought you weren’t following my orders and putting yourself at risk.”
There. That sounded good.
“Protective of me? Isn’t that a good thing for a bodyguard to feel?”
“I suppose. When it doesn’t compromise their ability to make decisions. Their objectivity.”
“I don’t want you to keep apologizing or feeling bad,” she told him. “What you felt was real. Sure, I might have been a bit annoyed initially, but you were looking out for me. And that’s not a bad thing. Just . . . can we go back to the way things were before they got all awkward and weird?”
“I suppose we can do that,” he said slowly.
“Good. Come on, I’m late for my lesson.”
11
He was going to kill her.
That was if she didn’t die first.
Did the woman have no regard for her life? Or for her body?
The things she was doing . . . she could fucking well fall and break her neck.
And even then, he still might put her over his lap and spank her until she couldn’t sit for a week.
His heart leaped into his throat as she headed down the half-pipe and then up the other side into the air. She actually managed to flip the skateboard over and landed back on it before the board suddenly whooshed out from underneath her. She landed heavily, skidding her way down the steep side of the pipe.
Fuck!
Was she moving?
Was she going to get up?
Every other fall, she’d gotten up and laughed it off, but this time, she was just lying there.
Corbin started running. Her instructor, who was about fifteen years old, just stood there and yelled at her about how to improve her form.