Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 124140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 621(@200wpm)___ 497(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 621(@200wpm)___ 497(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
She could feel her cheeks growing red. “I don’t think I need permission to get down.”
“News flash, Pequeña. You do. If I put you somewhere I expect you to stay there.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious?”
“I’m rarely anything but serious,” he pointed out. “Stay where you are until I say you can move or I move you myself. Comprende?”
31
Dear. Lord.
She was definitely dealing with a caveman.
With a body like a God. A heavily tattooed, wickedly dangerous God.
Shoot. All that skin on display was messing with her brain. As he reached past her, she couldn’t resist running her finger down over his nipple.
He turned back with a towel in his hand. “What are you doing?”
She shrugged, giving him a sassy grin. “You didn’t like me doing that, Papi?”
He gave her a stern look. Uh-oh. Was she not allowed to touch him without permission? She started to shrink into herself.
“Hmm. I think we found a limit, didn’t we?” he mused. “That’s all right, mi Pequeña. You can touch me as much as you like.”
“Really? But you just got upset with me for touching you.”
“I wasn’t upset. I just wanted to see your reaction, what you really needed. Sometimes you show more with your actions than your words. When we’re alone, unless I tell you otherwise, you can touch me as much as you want. When there are others around, you might have to be more circumspect, understand?”
“Yes. I get it.”
A throat clearing had her turning to the doorway. She knew her cheeks were bright red as she spotted Bernie standing there, looking down his nose at them.
Well, at her. Not at Alejandro.
“Is everything all right here? Is there something I can do for you, Mr. De Leon?”
“Nope, we’re all good. Gracias, Bernard.”
Bernie’s disapproval seemed to grow as he took in her half-naked state, where she sat on the counter. She wondered if she should tell him that she wasn’t wearing any panties.
Nah, that would probably give the guy a heart attack.
“Because I’d be happy to cook you something.” He was practically itching to push them out of the kitchen.
“Go get some sleep, Bernard. You’re off the clock. Cat was hungry so I cooked her something.” Alejandro turned to give Bernie a chiding look. “Like I asked you to do.”
Bernard’s shoulders went back, his spine going so straight that she was surprised he didn’t snap a rib or something. “I offered. The lady refused.”
“He’s right. He did offer.” She placed her hand on Alejandro’s chest.
He didn’t ease up, but he did turn his gaze to hers.
“Next time, she says she’s not hungry, I’d like you to let me know, Bernard.”
“Of course, Mr. De Leon.”
“Very good. You’re free to go. We’ll tidy up.”
“Very well.”
He left and she let out a sigh of relief. “He’s the life of the party, huh? Mr. Doom and Gloom. Doomy and Gloomy. I think that’s his new nickname. Doomy Gloomy. What do you think?”
“I think we better feed you and get you into bed.”
Hmm. She was feeling a bit woozy.
He expertly twirled some spaghetti onto his fork, then brought it to his mouth. But instead of eating it as she’d expected, he blew on it. Then he tested the temperature against his mouth before holding it out to her.
She took a big bite, chewing. She hummed happily.
Alejandro tensed, staring down at her. “Jesus.”
She stilled. What was it?
He shook his head. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just that noise . . . it’s enough to have a man wishing he hadn’t turned down your offer of a blow job earlier.”
Did he mean . . . shoot. Had that noise she’d made sounded sexy?
“Wow, I’m sexy and I didn’t even know it.”
“You’re always sexy,” he murmured. “But that noise you just made is only for me, understand?”
So possessive.
She’d roll her eyes, but it was already hard to sit on her butt, and she didn’t think he’d let another eye roll go unanswered.
That wasn’t the sort of man he was.
“Sure. I can do that.” Shoot, she’d meant to sound sarcastic, rather than breathless and well, sexy. “How do I turn this off? It’s like a tap, only it’s broken and gushing. This could be a problem.”
“Your sexiness?”
“Uh-huh. I don’t know how to deal with it. It’s like being a secret wizard, and you never knew you were a wizard until one day, your powers come in then, bam! Just sexy all the time. I’m a sex wizard.”
“Give a girl a mind-blowing orgasm and she thinks she’s a sex wizard.” He shook his head with a wry grin before testing the temperature of some more spaghetti.
“Hey, I didn’t say I was a wizard at sex. Just that I’ve got, you know, sex appeal.”
He moved his gaze over her. “That you do. But you always did. You’re only just starting to realize it. Now, Little wizard, eat your food.”