Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 94205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Your mother’s driver,” he said in a strangled voice.
She looked up at him, startled. “Um, yes. Why?”
“Why the hell are you staying in this shithole if your mother has a driver?”
Whoa. Where was that coming from?
“So because my mom has money, you think I do as well?” she demanded.
He turned to her, but she couldn’t see the look on his face because of the poor outdoor lighting. “You’re right. I apologize.”
Shoot. Now she felt bad for snapping. This guy was doing her a big favor. And she couldn’t blame him for being confused. Not many people had driver’s nowadays.
“Sorry,” she said. “I’ve had a tough day. I just want to go to bed. Is there something you need?”
“I heard about your day. That’s why I’m here. Let me in.”
She raised her eyebrows at the demand. Bossy, much? Also, did she want to let him in? Had she left her underwear in the bathroom? What was on the floor?
“Ah.”
He leaned in and his scent teased her, chasing away the smell of Frank. “Baby, let me in.”
She closed her eyes. She’d always been a sucker for a man calling her baby. Axel had always called her love, which should have sounded sweet. But he called every female he came across love. So it had been nothing special.
She sucked in a breath. “Why?”
“So I can yell at you without someone calling the cops on me.”
She drew back. “W-what? Why would you yell at me?”
“They’ll probably still call the cops. These walls are likely paper-thin,” he said, ignoring her.
They were thin. Old Al could attest to that.
“Butch, why would you yell at me?” she asked.
“Because you’re staying in this shithole. If it’s a matter of money—”
“Uh-uh, no.” She waggled a finger at him. “I’m stopping you right there.”
“You don’t know what I was about to say.”
“Pretty sure you were about to offer me money, but don’t.” She had some pride. Not much, but some.
“Why are you staying here?” he asked.
“My mother booked this place,” she told him.
“Does she hate you?”
As she sucked in a breath, and he leaned back against the wall with a groan. “Sorry. Fuck. I know that sometimes I have no filter. Just, let me in. I want to talk to you. I’ve been waiting three hours for you to get home.”
“You have?” She finally found the unit key. Thank goodness for that. She attempted to unlock the door, but she dropped the key.
Idiot!
He reached down and grabbed it before she could manage. Instinctively, she jumped back nervously.
Great. Now he had her key.
“Lara, are you scared of me?”
“I . . . well, no.”
“You just jumped away like you thought I was going to hurt you.”
“You said you were going to yell at me.”
“Yeah, but I’d never harm you. Although I am tempted to put you over my knee.”
Oh shit.
There went her kink-o-meter. And it was going ding, ding, ding for a whole different reason than her creep-o-meter.
She pressed her thighs together, holding in a small moan of delight.
Killing her.
“You can’t spank me.”
“Not unless you agree to it, no. But something tells me you’re not totally opposed, are you?”
Oh hell.
Could he see better in the dark than she could? That wasn’t fair. Was he able to tell that she was turned on?
Please, no.
That would be too much.
“I want to come in, baby girl. But only if you give me permission.”
Come in. Come inside her. It sounded pretty much the same.
Whoa.
She really needed to get some batteries in her boyfriend since she was going slightly insane.
It was him.
All his fault.
The way he smelled, acted, talked to her . . . hell, what woman wouldn’t want a sexy, muscular, tattooed man calling her baby girl?
It was like catnip.
And she wanted to rub herself all over him.
Down, girl.
“Y-you can come in. If you don’t yell at me.”
“I won’t yell. But I am going to scold.”
All right then. She didn’t know why he needed to scold her. But she just wanted to get inside her room and collapse.
“I don’t know if it’s a mess,” she warned.
“Are your panties all over the floor?” he murmured.
Dear Lord. He had to stop. Her nipples were so hard they hurt. And she wasn’t sure if he was just flirting for fun or if he was really interested.
He unlocked the door and held it open. But his hand caught hold of her, grasping her wrist. Her sore wrist.
She sucked in a breath.
“What is it? Did I hurt you?” he asked, snatching his hand away as though he’d been burned.
“Oh, it’s okay. I banged my arm getting out of the car. Always so clumsy.” She tried to laugh casually, but she wasn’t sure she pulled it off.
“I’ll have a look at it once we’re inside. Stay here, though. I want to check the place over.” He switched on the light and closed the door behind them.