Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“You’re very concerned with making me do nothing. And feeding me.”
“That’s because you look tired and I think you’ve lost weight since I first met you.”
“So I look terrible?”
“What? No! Not at all. I just want to look after you.”
“As a friend,” she said.
“Actually, my feelings might be deeper than that,” he said carefully.
“They are?”
“Yes. I can’t deny that I think about you a lot. I want to spend more time with you.”
“As more than a friend? Really? Me?”
How did this girl not know how gorgeous she was?
It blew his mind.
But he guessed he got it. Too many people had hurt, ridiculed, or ignored her. Rhodes had done his best, but he was one person. And he was busy with his life too.
Well, Ethan had time and motivation.
He was going to show her how amazing she was.
“But I don’t want you to worry about that. I can move at your pace.”
“I’m uncertain whether I have a pace.”
“You ever had a Daddy Dom, baby?”
“Me? God, no. I’ve never even had a boyfriend.” Her pale cheeks flushed pink. “I don’t usually share so much about myself. It’s you. You’re a secret whisperer.”
“I like that people tell me things. Although you’re very hard to get things out of. So I need to know if you want this.”
“Want this?” she repeated.
“A relationship. With me. Are you attracted to me, Cate?”
She didn’t say anything.
“Cate?” Reaching over, he touched her chin so he could turn her head to face him. “I know it’s hard to trust me. To believe in me. But the last thing I want is to upset you.”
She lowered her gaze, not meeting his eyes. “We don’t know each other very well.”
“So we’ll get to know each other. We’ll go on dates.”
“You really want to date me?”
“Why do you seem so shocked?” he asked. “You’re the one that suggested we get to know each other better.”
“You’re twisting my words to suit your agenda.”
Was she upset?
“I can appreciate that,” she said, surprising him. “It’s smart.”
“Thank you. I have to try and keep up with you.”
She waved her hand in the air. “You do all right.”
He had to grin. Damned by faint praise.
“Well? Do you want to date me?”
“Because you want to get to know me and for me to trust that you . . . want me?”
“Yes.”
“Because . . .”
“Look at you, fishing for compliments,” he teased.
Her eyes widened. “I wasn’t, I can assure you. I really have no idea why you’d want to spend time with me.”
“Maybe because you’re sweet and funny and smart? And I enjoy your company and want to spend more time with you.”
“Huh.” She appeared stumped at that. “I’m not sure that anyone has ever enjoyed my company. Other than Rhodes.”
“Baby, you kill me when you say things like that.”
“I don’t want to kill you.” Now she appeared alarmed. “Have you had your heart checked lately? A man of your age can’t be too careful.”
“I go for a check-up regularly. There’s nothing wrong with my heart.”
And he wasn’t that old.
“That’s good.” She studied him intently. “I can’t think of any reason you would lie about being attracted to me.”
“Because there is none.”
“Hmm.”
“You know I’m a man who likes to be in control.”
“Oh, yes. It’s actually, surprisingly, an attractive quality.”
“It is?”
Do not smile.
He didn’t want her to think that he was laughing at her.
“I didn’t think it would be since I don’t really like being told what to do. At least, not by most people. Because most people don’t make decisions I can respect. Rhodes is someone who can give me an order that I’ll follow because I know he’ll always put me first. It’s something he has to work on.”
“Putting you first?” he asked, puzzled.
“Putting himself before me.”
“No,” he countered. “He doesn’t have to work on that. Of course he’s going to put you first. That’s the way it should be.”
“Rhodes does too much for me.”
“There’s no such thing as doing too much for you.”
Her eyebrows rose. “I don’t think that’s true.”
“I know it is. He’s got your best interests at heart. But so do I, baby.”
“I think that’s something I’d have to learn for myself.”
“On our dates,” he said.
“How are you going to date me when you’re guarding my brother?” she asked.
“Hmm. You don’t think he’d come out on a date with us?”
“No, I don’t think he’d enjoy that.”
“Well, I’ll just have to sort something else out, then.”
“All right, then. I will agree to date you. How many dates will you be requiring?”
“Hmm. I’m not sure. Thousands?”
“That seems excessive and like it would take a long time.”
“Would it?” he asked as he pulled out onto an exit.
He hated traffic.
“I’m not sure I know how to date.”
“That’s all right. I do.”
Right. Because he’d probably been involved with lots of women romantically. She wasn’t jealous.
Nope.
“How about we get to know each other now?” he said. “Do you like your job?”