Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 212755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1064(@200wpm)___ 851(@250wpm)___ 709(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 212755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1064(@200wpm)___ 851(@250wpm)___ 709(@300wpm)
“You were so vague I couldn’t decide if you were working for the mob or had to go hide your wife and kids.” His smile was wide and his tone was light, but I realized how badly it must’ve come across.
I was an idiot.
“How about we chalk it up to me needing to brush up on my social skills?” It’d been a while since I’d told a date more than that I was in finance.
Bishop managed not to laugh, but he nodded and didn’t bother hiding how ridiculous he found me. “Deal. But just so we’re clear, there’s no wife and kids somewhere and you don’t have to go to jail on the weekends for anything?”
“Your dating life has clearly been worse than mine.” It was impressive actually. “Jail?”
He sighed. “It was a few years ago now, but we met when I had to go run some errands at the mall. He seemed like a nice guy and I didn’t care if he worked fast food. But it turns out he was working in the food court because of some kind of work release program.”
“Oh.” From the look on his face, I didn’t want to know why the guy had been in prison, so I tried to shift gears. “You win the bad date award, but how about we aim to improve things going forward.”
Bishop seemed to mentally shake off whatever had clouded his thoughts because his smile brightened as he nodded. “Deal. And I think the first step is going to be dessert.”
Laughing, I stretched my foot out under the table and nudged against his leg. “So is that a good bribe?”
Blushing, he shrugged and gave me a sexy smile. “There are a few things I can be bribed with.”
Like spankings and orgasms.
And pancakes with blueberries.
And edging too based on the list we’d discussed on Saturday morning…and Saturday at lunch and then again at dinner. I’d needed to be thorough, so we’d decided that he shouldn’t rush back to Wesley’s house.
Of course, that got me a thousand nosy text messages from Eli and Roman. Gossip traveled fast and it was clear my date with Bishop was the fun new toy everyone was talking about. Roman had gotten so bad, I’d threatened to sic Eli on him.
Nosy monster.
He looked so innocent when compared to Eli that no one realized he was just as dramatic and just as meddlesome.
“I’m remembering that list.” My teasing reference to our conversations Saturday had him laughing.
“I thought you were exaggerating when you said how many questions you had.” He sat forward, bracing his elbows on the table as he studied me. “It’s the work side of you. That makes sense.”
I hadn’t really thought about it that way and I found myself with my head cocked, trying to look at it from that perspective. “Okay, you’re right, but in my defense, I never saw it like that. Should I apologize?”
Treating him like a work project wasn’t exactly the politest way to find out information about him.
He chuckled, not offended in the least that I’d lumped getting to know him in with how I would get to know a new venture. “Not in the slightest.”
The cheeky grin he flashed at me had me imagining doing wicked things to him as he continued to tease me. “I’m flattered that I’m on the same level of importance as Leashes & Lace.”
Oh, he was more important than that, but it seemed too soon to confess it.
“The same level of importance and not nearly as much drama. So consider yourself highly rated.” As he laughed, I decided this was the perfect lead-in to something I’d been curious about. “Okay, but now it’s your turn. What do you do for a living? I can’t remember anyone saying.”
He winced and sighed and shook his head.
So, nearly as much drama as L and L.
I managed to keep my smirk in check as he huffed and puffed, finally getting all his emotion out. “I’m going to start by saying I have an art history degree but a justifiable one.”
I would not laugh.
I would not laugh.
I would not laugh.
Swallowing, I nodded slowly. “I bet that was an interesting major.”
He scowled at me, shaking his finger. “I saw that smirk.”
Maybe.
Coughing, I shrugged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Huffing again, he sighed and leaned back. “So I’ve worked at a gym, cold calling for surveys, a nutrition store, and my last job was as a phone rep for a cable company.”
Wincing, I grasped for a somewhat related job idea. “There has to be something in your field. What were you picturing when you were getting your degree?”
I was trying to be helpful, but I knew I’d stepped in something when his face fell. “My parents worked at a small museum and had a side business buying antiques. I was supposed to go into business with them.”