Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 147415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 737(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 491(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 737(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 491(@300wpm)
“Don’t apologize,” I clip. “You’re not the one responsible.”
“No, but I’m the one who suggested the Olympia trip. If we hadn’t gone there in the first place—”
“There would be a lot of otters at the mercy of shitty tracking. Thanks to that trip, we know they don’t need to be. Also, I’m the guy who brought you on board in the middle of a scandal that was already shitting up my life.” I hold her gaze, knowing that’s a dangerous thing to do. “No point in passing out blame. All we can do is act.”
She sighs, her shoulders slumping. “I guess you’re right. I’m still sorry this happened, though. I never meant for it to blow up like this.”
“That’s life. Existence is flammable.”
And so are you, woman, I don’t say. Yet for some unholy reason I want you to turn me to ash.
Molly jumps up as she smiles, bracing her big paws on Destiny’s thighs. She wraps her arms around the dog and sets that furry tail wagging.
“You’re cute with her,” I say. “Did you grow up with dogs?”
“No. My dad was so busy and I was sort of deprived,” she says. “I think that’s why I fell in love with animals so much. Typical story of the kid who wants what she can’t have.” She grimaces. “I was a huge brat back then, though.”
“You? Never,” I say with a snort.
“Hey!” She swipes at my arm, but her face breaks into a reluctant smile anyway. “You’re not supposed to agree.”
“Why wouldn’t I? I thought I was the asshole here.”
“Well, yeah, that’s true.” Her grin softens as she loses herself in bittersweet memories, her eyes going distant and glassy. “I used to be so demanding when I was little...”
“Demanding how?”
“Just like... whatever I wanted at the time.” She shrugs. “I guess I was a little spoiled. I was Dad’s little angel, you know? All he had left after losing my mom, and we didn’t come from a big family. So I made a fuss whenever I wanted something. Good thing he didn’t let me get away with it all the time, though.” She smiles fondly. “That’s one thing he always did for me—never let me get away with my shit.”
“Is that why you’re... the way you are now?”
Her eyes sparkle with challenge. “Are you trying to say I outgrew being a brat?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“You were, weren’t you?”
I cock my head and give her a long, slow look that has her squirming in her chair.
My cock loves it too much.
“You’re not so bad now. I guess.”
“Coming from you, that’s practically a mad declaration of love. Mr. Darcy, you flatter me.” She leans forward, the apple crisp I had waiting for dessert completely forgotten. “Are you going to list my faults now?”
“Would that stop your head from growing bigger than the moon?”
“Too late.”
“No point then,” I snap.
And fuck.
I can’t find enough faults for a proper list to throw back in her face.
Destiny’s eyes heat before she trails a nail along the surface of the table.
I watch every movement avidly, imagining what she could do with that lonely finger trailing down my cock.
Her hands are a curse of the highest order, only rivaled by the rest of her.
Her nimble fingers.
Her smart mouth.
Her luminous blue eyes.
The whole time she gave her presentation, I couldn’t stop thinking about the last time we fucked, slowly, wrapped up in the sleeping bag.
It was slow and sensual and too good to forget—and it left me fucking throbbing while those assholes on the board sneered at her, their minds already made up.
I’m more glad than ever I laid down the law and stuck my own neck out.
Not just because her proposal was smart, but because it was penance.
The cost of undressing this woman with my eyes, all while I’m trying to deny that I’m anything like the womanizing wolf the world believes I am.
Fuck, what’s wrong with me?
What is my sickness?
It must be some black magic hidden in the curve of her neck, those long legs I always see straddling me, and an ass that could turn any man into a pillar of salt.
She makes me pure lust incarnate.
Ridiculous.
Ridiculous and fucking pathetic—especially when Destiny deserves vastly more than dick energy.
As her boss—however temporary—her work deserves my attention.
Her ideas are entitled to their fair shake in the world.
That’s why I strong-armed the board into making their decision then and there.
It’s amazing what a little shame can do. It made them override the rumors, plus they chose to keep me and take a leap of faith on her.
Wise decision.
“It’s funny, you know, suddenly having this opportunity I thought was toast. But I guess after Mom died, I figured out you can’t just stamp your feet and get what you want. Not even if you’re a billionaire.” She swallows thickly. I focus my attention back on her words. “So I gradually started figuring out what I wanted to do with my life...”