Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
I have to take a fast step back to avoid catching it right on my nose.
If I’m mad at anyone, I’m mad at myself. Why can’t I just be nice and sweet? If I have to butt kiss, I should be kissing butt like you wouldn’t believe. I should not be antagonizing a woman whose life I’ve turned upside down and inside out. Looking at it from her perspective, yeah. I’d be pissed off too. More than pissed. I’d be climbing the walls, furious at my loss of freedom and terrified for my family. I’d also see sense, though, and just sign the stupid paperwork and take my share of the money and get on with it. I’ve always had a strong survival instinct because I had to. I suppose that’s where we’re different, and the only thing wrong with that is me.
If Granny doesn’t have a plate of poo waiting for me when she hears about this latest development and my lack of sense, plus how I let my pride decide that conversation, then I’d be surprised. She’s probably going to shake her head and tsk at me and tell me to make things right. I shouldn’t need her to tell me that. I’m an adult. A grown man. It’s about time I started acting like it.
Butt kissing?
Okay, I’m ready.
I stand there until the door opens again. Holy. Wow. Azalea put those ten minutes to good use, and my happy stick is most certainly taking notice. Her hair has been finger-combed, and it flows like a river of thick, golden honey over her shoulders. Her blouse and pencil skirt are utterly professional, the perfect librarian getup, but after seeing her in them with all her curves streamlined, I now understand why people have librarian fantasies. Not that I do. Because I do not. Just to get that straight. She’s not wearing a smitch of makeup, but without it, her face is still potently beautiful.
She’s not pleased when she finds that I’ve been waiting for her. Her arms immediately cross over her chest, and she goes on the defensive, taking a wide stance, her eyes flashing a challenge.
“Look, I’m sorry. I’ve gone about this entirely wrong. I’m an imbecile, and while that’s been pointed out to me, I know that already.”
“So you said. In the basement. But it’s done nothing to improve your behavior. An apology without any action is sorely lacking in authenticity.”
I feel my jaw starting to tick, but I tamp down on it and the urge to throw my hands up in the air and stomp away in frustration. You are not a child. Even as a child, you were more mature. Butt kissing, remember? Butt. Kissing. The problem is, especially in that pencil skirt, Azalea has a very nicely defined, round bottom, and kissing it wouldn’t be terrible. Now that’s all I can think of, and if she knew that, I’m sure she’d try and launch her knee right into my junk again.
“Can we call a truce just for breakfast? We can decide what we’re going to do after that, but could you please listen to what Granny and my brothers have to say? They’re good shit, good people. Salt of the earth types.”
“You do know that salt of the earth means honest and good, and you’ve already admitted to doing bad things to bad people, right?”
“Argh! I give up!” I turn and storm off, but at the top of the stairs, I whip around thunderously. “Just be nice, okay? You don’t have to be civil with me, but they’ve done nothing to make you hate them. This was all me. Take it out on me if you have to, but leave them out of it.”
Azalea stalks forward, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Fine,” she hisses as she walks past me. “But just so we’re clear, I would never marry you. Not even if you were the last person on earth like everyone always says, and my biological clock was literally going to explode.”
“Oh, so that’s why you were so super willing to kiss me last night? Admit it. You were into it before you thought you had to act like you weren’t.”
She doesn’t rise to that. Instead, she stays calm and makes sure her face betrays no emotion at all. “You kissed me, and I was shocked. I was just trying to save your very unworthy hide from drowning. You turned it around and caught me off guard. You should be ashamed. You’re a low-level, underhanded brute. The whole kidnapping, taking me prisoner, faking drowning. Seriously? I think even your grandmother would tell you to grow the farge up. So, it’s not me who has to put on my big girl panties at breakfast. They’ve been on this whole time. I think it’s you who needs to change out of your diapers and grow a set.”