Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
A beep sounded, the warning on the doors thanks to the alarm system, letting her know Zach had walked in from the garage.
She drew a deep breath and waited for him to join her.
“Hey.” Zach strode into the room, looking as good as when he’d left this morning. The black T-shirt molded to his skin. Scruff from his five o’clock shadow covered his cheeks. And she had the light scratches on her thighs to remind her how good his face felt between her legs.
He was so sexy he took her breath away. “Hi, yourself,” she murmured.
“You don’t look like you have a headache,” he said, his gaze devouring her, making her glad she’d chosen the curve-hugging dress.
“That’s because I don’t. I wanted to surprise you with dinner.” Smiling, she picked up an extra glass of wine and walked towards him. “I know you aren’t a wine person but it goes well with the meal I cooked.”
He accepted the glass, his gaze warm on hers. “You didn’t have to cook for me.”
“I know. But I wanted to. Call it a thank you for everything.”
He shook his head and sighed. “It smells delicious. I just don’t want you feeling obligated to me in any way.”
“Good because I don’t. Are you ready to eat now or we can wait?”
“I’ll go wash up and be right back.” He placed the wine on the counter and brushed his lips over hers.
As always, she sank into him, enjoying and absorbing every moment for her memory banks.
He lifted his head and started for the hall.
“Oh!” she exclaimed.
He turned.
“Are you going back to the bar tonight?” She wanted to know if this was a leisurely dinner or if she needed to keep things moving through dessert.
He shook his head. “Rough night. I had to tell Maddox I caught his brother on camera stealing alcohol.”
“Joe? Oh no!” She shook her head. “He’s definitely going through some rough teenage angst,” she said. “I hope Maddox can get through to him. How did he take it?”
Zach shrugged. “Not badly? I think Joe was doing worse when he was living at his parents’. Maybe it wasn’t such a huge shock to Maddox. But he asked if he could put the kid to work bussing tables for free and I agreed.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “That was kind of you.”
“I would have stayed home regardless if you weren’t well but now that I know you’re fine…” His gaze raked over her, approval in his heated stare. “The Back Door II can definitely run without me.”
His words warmed her. She’d been hoping for a long, leisurely night, just the two of them. “Good. But I am curious. How in the world did you come up with that name? Because it can’t be after the Urban Dictionary definition.”
An adorable smirk lifted his lips. “You’re a dirty girl, aren’t you?”
She blushed and shook her head. “Cut that out.”
He chuckled. “The name has two meanings, at least for me. The main entrance in the city bar is through the back door, and it’s also a nod to my hacking skills.” He winked at her and strode out the door, leaving her smiling.
* * *
Zach sat beside Hadley at the kitchen table he rarely used. When he was here alone, he stood as he ate or sat at the bar stools by the counter. He enjoyed coming home to Hadley. Even more, he liked the routine they’d fallen into. It was the way things were always meant to be. Or more like a tease, showing him what he could have had, but was going to lose when her SOB father finally surfaced, and they figured out how to make sure the girls were safe. Then Hadley would be leaving again.
He shook his head, refusing to think about that now. “Incredible dinner.” She’d served them bacon-wrapped, honey-glazed pork, garlic-steamed broccoli, and now they were finishing slices of a chocolate cake she’d picked up in town.
She beamed at the compliment. “Thank you. I don’t get to do much gourmet cooking at home. Tiny kitchen, no counter space.”
He watched as she licked the fork, her tongue cleaning each of the tines and he wanted those strokes on his cock next. It was hard and aching inside his jeans.
Letting out a low groan of need, he braced his hands on the table to push out his chair when the doorbell rang.
“Who could that be?” Hadley asked.
“I’ll go check and get rid of them,” he said, annoyed the effort she had gone to was being interrupted.
He strode out of the kitchen and walked to the front door, swinging it open. “What the hell do you want–Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?” He stepped aside so they could enter, shutting the door behind them.
Serenity’s eyes were red-rimmed and Zach’s senses went on alert.
“Is there any chance Dani and Layla are here?” his dad asked.