Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 131728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 659(@200wpm)___ 527(@250wpm)___ 439(@300wpm)
“What?”
“Let’s go out there and meet them.”
“Let’s not. I’ve already had a fight with King Henley the Great, and I do not want a rematch.”
We continue to spy out the window.
“This is excellent viewing,” Chloe whispers, her eyes glued to the street. “This is my new seat, twenty-four seven. Got any popcorn?”
Nighttime, beholder of secrets. Instigator of sins.
I stand in the shadows of my bedroom. My light is off; his bedside lamps are on.
Front-row seats at the best show in town.
I have a new hobby, one that I’m not proud of. Spying on someone I shouldn’t: the self-proclaimed God’s gift to women, Henley James.
The golfing was bad enough, but this is taking it up a notch.
I shouldn’t be doing it. I am well aware of how creepy it is, especially since we hate each other, but somehow that makes it so much more delicious.
A wicked temptation.
A drug that I shouldn’t want, and I don’t . . . I swear I don’t.
Henley is walking around in his bedroom wearing only a towel. He leaves his blinds open, and I’m beginning to wonder if he’s purposely showing me what he’s got. What he thinks I’m missing out on. Baiting me to think deviant things about him while I’m alone in bed.
Not that I ever would, of course.
I bite my thumbnail as my eyes roam over his cut muscles. Tanned broad back and a scattering of hair on his chest and a thin trail that disappears down under his towel.
Damn it, why does he have to be so great in bed?
Stop it.
There is nothing about him to like, yet I find myself going over our little kitchen exchange the other night. On some level I kind of wish he ripped off my Minnie Mouse panties and bent me over the counter.
He pulls back the blankets, and I hold my breath; he drops the towel, and I get a bird’s-eye view of his perfect ass. My stomach flutters.
There it is.
He climbs into bed and picks up a book from the side table. He puts his glasses on and sits up against his grand headboard.
What’s he reading?
I wish I had binoculars.
I smile at the thought, and after one long last look through the window, I climb into bed and snuggle into my pillow. “Good night, Barry,” I say as I look over at my housemate.
But he doesn’t hear me; Barry’s fast asleep.
“Good morning.” I smile as I walk into the nurses’ station.
“Hey, you’re back.” Leonie smiles as she hands me the huge stack of patient files. “How’s the big homeowner doing?”
“Great.” I laugh. Today is my first shift back at work after a week off. “Thanks for letting me do day shift for the next few weeks. My new dog is still settling in, and I can’t leave him at night just yet.” I open the first folder and begin to read the notes.
“What’s his name?” Karen asks.
“My dog?” I move to the second folder. “Barry.”
“Barry?” Warren frowns. “Why the hell would you call your dog Barry?”
“I didn’t. He came with it.”
“So . . . tell us all about your house. We’ve been dying for updates,” Leonie puts in.
“Well.” I shrug. “The house is terrible, but the street is nice.”
“And the neighbors?”
“Are . . . great.”
Warren turns to the computer, and Leonie widens her eyes at me behind his back.
“What?” I mouth.
She scribbles on some paper.
Karen told me that Warren is going to ask you out on a date today.
My eyes widen. Shit. I have felt him being super friendly for a while now, and I really don’t know how to handle it because I treasure our friendship. We work together nearly every shift; it’s just going to be awkward between us if he asks me out. Renee scribbles another note.
Tell him that you have a boyfriend or something.
“Are you kidding me?” I mouth.
Before he asks you out or it’s going to be fucking awkward.
True.
“I have a garden, and my dog is great. I really think I’m going to like it there.” I ramble on.
“I’m really looking forward to Deb’s bachelorette party on Saturday,” Leonie says.
“Me too,” I reply. Not really. There’s that small problem of Barry being home alone. It will be fine; he’ll be settled in by then, surely.
“So what made you buy in that area?” Warren asks. “It’s a fair way from your old place.”
Um. I try to think on my feet. I need to buy some time. “I got back with my ex,” I lie.
Warren looks up from the computer, horrified. “What?” He glances between Renee and me. “Since when?”
“Well . . .” I pause. Oh no, please don’t question this. I can’t lie for shit.
Leonie cuts in. “Ages ago. He lives next door, doesn’t he? You found the property while you were staying at his house.”
What?
That is the worst lie of all time.