Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
“Miss Yay?” He was a little incredulous and still bemused.
Mairi almost giggled at the younger man’s surprise. “It’s sort of an expression, and they thought it was funny.”
Following him into one of the smaller buildings on the campus, she continued, “Like how, when I’m happy, I’d say, ‘yay, me’. And then when something good happens for another person, I’d say, ‘yay, you’ and...” She stopped, realizing she had been babbling.
“Well, I guess it’s my turn to say ‘yay me’,” Leon said as he opened the door to the clinic for her.
“It is?” she stammered.
Leon nodded. “Mm hmm...”
She had a feeling she shouldn’t ask, but she asked anyway, “Because?” She had barely finished speaking when Leon suddenly took her hand.
Before she could even protest, he was already pulling her inside the clinic. Her eyes flew to where he was holding her, his grip firm, his fingers incredibly warm.
He stopped moving just as her gaze flew back to his face.
His extremely handsome face, which she only noticed now.
She looked around anxiously, nervous that there’d be someone else. But it was thankfully empty. “Please l-let go.” She tried tugging her hand away, not wanting to take any risks, but the grip on her hand didn’t change.
“Let me tell you first why I’m happy, Ms. Yay.” His husky voice made her even more nervous.
“Yay me...” Leon said, “because I met you.” He released her hand, slowly, almost reluctantly.
“Yay me...because I’ve found a woman I want and...” His lips curved in a mocking smile as he saw the gold band shining on her ring finger. “I don’t let anything stop me from taking what I want.”
Her jaw dropped.
Was this really happening, Mairi wondered dizzily.
In front of her, the younger man took a step away. “Until we meet again, Miss Yay.”
And then he was walking away, leaving her staring after him.
Did that just happen?
In front of her, Leon suddenly stopped, spun back, and before she could react, he stalked back towards her.
His lips touched hers.
Mairi froze.
When Leon pulled back, he was smiling wickedly. “Sorry, Ms. Yay. I just couldn’t resist.”
Chapter 5
“What. The. Fuck. Tell me that didn’t happen,” Velvet exclaimed over Skype, sheer disbelief causing Mairi’s curvy redhead friend to sit up from the leather couch she had been lounging on. And then she started to laugh. “But it did, didn’t it?”
Mairi cried out, “You’re not helping!” The words came out louder than intended, causing the few teachers in the faculty room to turn her way. She ducked her head immediately in embarrassment. Dear God, why couldn’t these cubicle walls be a little taller?
Velvet, seeing her friend trying to turn herself into a tiny ball, laughed harder. “You are so hopeless.”
“I know.”
Velvet rolled her eyes when she caught a glimpse of Mairi’s miserable face on her iPad. “Oh, come on, Mairi. You have nothing to be guilty about. Tell me, did you want to kiss him?”
Mairi gasped. “Of course I didn’t want to ki—-” She caught herself in time. Grabbing her own iPad from the desk, she typed her answer instead. OF COURSE I DIDN’T WANT TO KISS HIM!
“Then there you go,” her friend answered promptly upon reading Mairi’s reply. “So there’s nothing to be guilty about, like I said.” She paused. “Have you told Damen?”
Mairi slowly shook her head.
Velvet blinked. “Oh.” She frowned. “That’s not like you.”
Mairi fiddled with the cord of her earphones. “I just think it’s really bad timing, you know? I mean, we came here so we’d be far away from trouble and then...this.” Thinking about it had her lips burning. Snatching a new sheet of tissue, she wiped her lips furiously, wishing it were just easy to erase what had happened.
Mairi wanted to knock her head against her desk repeatedly. Oh God, how could she have been so stupid?
“Just tell him and get it over with.”
“I don’t want to,” Mairi half-wailed, half-whispered.
Velvet did her best to suppress a smile at the answer. It was really cute, the way her friend hadn’t lost her childish ways even though she was now one of the most powerful women in the world. With the Greek tycoon wrapped around her little finger, there was precious little Mairi couldn’t have.
“Repeat after me,” Velvet said solemnly. “Damen...”
“Damen,” Mairi mumbled under her breath.
“Something happened.”
“Something happened.”
“I became a cougar.”
“I became a cou—-what?”
Velvet laughed. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”
Mairi sniffed. “You’re no help.” She glared at her iPhone screen so her friend would know she was serious. “If you and your own Greek billionaire have a fight, I swear to God I won’t be on your side—-” The rest of her words were cut off by a beep.
Her eyes widened. “Velvet, Damen’s calling!” Panic caused Mairi to raise her voice. “I gotta go, sorry.” Ending the call after hearing Velvet say goodbye, Mairi switched to answer Damen’s, saying breathlessly, “Hello?” The sound of her voice made Mairi wince inwardly. Oh my God, she was giving herself away already!