Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
“You owe that bastard money?”
“Well, not exactly. It’s just, when the business failed, he was out of a paycheck, so I felt bad.”
“Wait . . . you’ve been sending him money because you felt bad that a business you were both running failed?”
He was really going to kill the bastard now.
“No, only since I started working for you.”
Oh no. Nope. This wasn’t happening.
“You’re not going to tell me what you owe them, are you?” he asked, pacing.
He didn’t like her denying him. The urge to take her over his knee and smack her ass was strong when she shook her head.
Stopping in front of her, he crossed his arms over his chest and scowled down at her.
“This bastard must have another job, right?”
“Um. I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
“Your family hasn’t said anything to you about him?” Maybe they didn’t like the bastard either.
“I don’t . . . I haven’t really talked to my family since I moved here.”
“Why not? Were they mean to you?” He was going to teach them not to hurt his baby.
“What? No!” she cried. “My family loves me. And I love them. It’s just . . . I feel so ashamed.”
Her head was lowered as she stared down at her feet.
His poor baby. He dropped to his knees before her, placing two fingers under her chin so he could tilt her face up.
“Listen to me. You shouldn’t feel ashamed. And if your family loves you, then they won’t hold anything against you. I bet they miss you.”
She sniffled, nodding. “I guess so.”
He wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Would you like to go see them?”
“I can’t afford that.”
He let out a low growl. “I didn’t say you’d be paying for it.”
A sad smile crossed her face. “You’re such a good man. I just . . . I do and I don’t. Maybe I’m not quite ready.”
“When you are ready, I will take you.” And he’d pay this Matt a visit. How dare that bastard take his girl’s money?
“Thank you.”
“I want a promise from you, though,” he told her. “I won’t pay off your debts if you stop sending money to Matt. He’s a grown man. He can get a job. And he’s had enough from you.”
She bit her lip. “You won’t try to pay off my debt to my family?”
“I won’t. I promise.”
She seemed to think about that for a moment. “All right. Deal.”
Leaning in, he sealed it with a kiss. “You know, if you moved in here you’d have more money to send them.”
“Daddy!” she cried.
“You’ve got that diabolical look back in your face,” she said.
“I do feel rather tyrannical.”
She groaned, but there was a small smile playing on her face. Reuben sighed, knowing he had to give her some bad news.
“I have something to confess.”
“What is it?”
“I’m not used to failing at something. But I’ve done an absolutely shit job of doing your hair.”
Her eyes widened.
“Seriously. It looks a thousand times worse than before.”
To his shock, she burst into giggles.
Falling forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as she continued to laugh.
Was she all right? Maybe she’d lost her mind.
“Daddy, you’re the bestest.”
Well.
Of course he was.
But it was still good to hear.
38
Rule Seven: No orgasms without permission
How was it possible to feel exhausted and energized at the same time?
Confessing everything about her business and the debts she owed made her feel lighter. As though she’d been freed from a heavy weight.
But she also felt completely done in.
A yawn escaped her as they made their way down to the parking garage for his apartment building.
Reuben shot her a look. “You’re tired.”
“I’m good.” She smiled at him.
“What is rule two?”
Urgh. Why did she have the most trouble with this rule? He’d texted her rule seven this morning.
She flushed as she thought about it.
Rule Seven: No orgasms without permission.
Yikes
“Honesty,” she muttered. She kind of liked being nonverbal. Unfortunately, they were about to go out in public, so that wouldn’t work.
Unless she pretended to be mute.
Ugh.
“I’m a little bit tired, but I’ll be all right.”
He eyed her suspiciously before drawing her into his chest and holding her tight. “We’ll only go out for a short time, then you can have a nap.”
“I’m really fine.”
“Who is in charge?”
A sigh escaped her before she could stop it. “You are, Daddy.”
He patted her bottom as the elevator doors opened. “That’s right.”
Taking hold of her hand, he led her over to his car and opened the passenger door. She climbed in and buckled up her seatbelt.
He stared down at her for a long moment. “Faith.”
“Yes?” She stared up at him, wondering why he was calling her by her first name.
“I don’t like this show of independence.”
What was he talking about?
“I only buckled my seatbelt.”
“Exactly.”
Holy. Moly.
He was delusional. And she wanted him more with every breath that she took.