Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
He stepped back, easing me onto my feet. We fumbled with our clothing, and he reached for me, wrapping me in his arms. “Still mad?”
“No.”
He kissed me again. “We’ll talk tonight, Magnolia.”
“Okay.”
“Done arranging the closet for today? Ready to come back to the office? I have things to keep you busy.”
“I’m sure you do.”
He chuckled and bent, kissing me. “Work-related.”
“Okay, then.”
He attempted to open the door, frowning. “It’s stuck.”
“You have to turn it—hard. It sticks.”
He tried and failed. Rammed the door with his shoulder, but it didn’t budge. He reached for the light, flicking it on. Nothing happened.
“Dammit,” he muttered. He crouched in front of the door, grasping the doorknob, turning it. It barely moved.
“I need some light.”
“Wait. There was a flashlight up here.” I felt around the shelf. “Got it!”
I bent over him, focusing the light. He studied the handle. “It’s jammed. There’s a little notch. I think if I can fit something in it, I can jimmy it.”
I used the flashlight and found a couple of screwdrivers. I handed them to him. “Will these work?”
“Maybe. Shine the light for me.”
I crouched behind him, holding the light. “I need it that way,” he pointed. “Get in front of me.”
I did as he instructed and once again found myself crowded in a small space by Bane. His scent, the scent of us, washed over me, and I turned my head, meeting his gaze in the dim light.
“Stop,” he hissed. “I’m trying to get us out.”
“We could call someone.”
“Do you have your cell? Mine is sitting on my desk.”
“So is mine.”
“I figured. Aim the light, Magnolia.”
I did, ducking my head and steadying myself on the door. He muttered constantly as he tried to open the lock. I was getting warm, my legs going numb.
“I need to move.”
He grabbed the doorknob, rattling it, almost snarling in frustration. “Fucking thing. I’m going to break it down.”
Except the door opened suddenly, the light from the hall spilling in. I gasped as I pitched forward, Bane on top of me. I looked up into the startled gaze of Jessica from HR. She stared at me, then Bane, who was pushing himself up. My eyes widened at his appearance. His hair was everywhere, his collar undone and his tie loose. He had lipstick on his face. My lipstick. He looked mauled and, frankly, freshly fucked. I knew I must look equally as bad. We had been caught red-handed, so to speak.
“Oh my God,” she breathed. “Again? Why do I always have to find you?”
I met Jessica’s eyes and blurted the only thing that came to mind.
“We’re getting married.”
I waited for Bane to return, sitting in his office. Unable to stay still, I opened his cupboard and began reorganizing. My movements were swift, controlled. Sorting, piling up unneeded or outdated supplies. It didn’t take long, but the difference was incredible. I stood, brushing off my skirt, frowning at the safety pin holding the lace on the sleeve together. I would have to try to repair the damage—and change the buttons unless I could find the one I lost under Bane’s desk.
And I had no plans on looking right now. We were in enough turmoil as it was.
I turned to leave as he strode in, looking surprised to see me. “Magnolia, I thought you’d gone home.”
“I was waiting to see if I still had a job.”
He leaned on his desk and took my hands with a frown. “Of course you do.”
“What did you tell them?”
“That we got locked in and we were trying to get out. I told them how you were cleaning the shelves because you couldn’t bear the disorganization any longer.”
“They bought that?”
“Jessica saw how clean it was. I may have expounded a little on how hot the closet was, which is why my tie was loose and your lipstick was on my face, because of when we fell out of the room.”
“Really?”
“I can be very convincing.” He folded his arms over his chest. “And of course, I confirmed we were getting married.”
I glared at him, and the bastard just smiled at me. “You’re the one who blurted it out.”
“I was in shock. You sexed me up in the supply room, and then that happened. I wasn’t thinking.”
He stood and pressed a kiss to my head. “Well, I was. We’ll talk about it at home. Get your things, and I’ll call Darryl.”
I stared after him as he sauntered away, looking as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He was acting very un-Bane-like.
I wasn’t sure I approved.
Bane, I could handle. Alex was incredibly hard to resist.
BANE
Magnolia was quiet in the car, staring out the window. But her fingers were restless, tugging on the lace of her sleeves, picking at the buttons on her coat. I could always tell when she was nervous or upset. Her cleaning episodes were certainly a dead giveaway. The supply closet, my shelves, and the cupboard in the office had never been so organized. It was done with almost military precision. Anything I asked for, Magnolia knew where it was.