Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 122550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Yeah, she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him laugh.
The man didn’t joke around.
He was serious.
Regent Malone didn’t make threats that he wasn’t prepared to carry out.
So, did he really intend to spank her if he thought she needed it?
Lord help her.
Why didn’t she hate that idea? She should be ordering him out of her house . . . that was really his house . . . that he had a key to.
Holy. Moly.
Regent Malone had a key to her house.
He could come inside at any time.
What was she doing? Was it wise for her to stay here?
And where else would you go? You can’t afford anywhere else.
She had no savings. She’d sold everything that she could.
She’d be starting from absolute scratch.
Not to mention that Mama would likely return from her travels. And Jilly didn’t want that.
So, for now, she’d stay.
What would it be like to be over his knee? To feel him pressed against her? Would he strip off her panties and spank her bare? Would he lecture her?
Damn. Her clit was throbbing at the thought of him touching her like that.
For so long, he’d been the subject of her every fantasy. She’d even dreamed of him when she was with Lowell. Something that she’d felt ashamed of but had been unable to stop herself from doing.
Now she had a new fantasy to dream about.
And she’d thought the one she’d had about him the other night had been a doozy.
“Behave yourself and I won’t need to touch your bottom,” he warned.
“I always behave myself.”
That was the problem. She was too good. She didn’t push things enough. No one had ever accused her of pushing limits or boundaries. No one had ever threatened to take her in hand.
She was Jilly the rule follower. Jilly the boring.
Hadn’t Lowell told her that often enough? How boring and predictable she was?
She wasn’t exciting or interesting.
“Hmm. I thought you did. Now, I’m wondering. Walking around at night on your own isn’t something a good girl would do. And a good girl would have replaced the bulb in her security light.”
“I don’t usually walk home from the bus stop at night, but my boss kept me late, I needed to get groceries, and then the bus broke down. It was just bad luck all around.”
“Hmm. Why did your boss keep you back?” he asked as his hand pressed against the top of her foot.
She hissed.
“It’s that sore? Maybe you do need to see a doctor.”
“No. I just have sensitive feet.”
He gave her a stern look.
“It’s a thing! I have sensitive feet! You can’t shame me for that.”
Lord. She was acting like a lunatic.
“Jilly,” he grumbled.
“It’s just a bit sore.”
“Hmm. There’s a red mark, but it’s not swollen. I don’t think it’s broken. Move it around.”
She wiggled her foot back and forth. “See, it’s fine. If you want me to walk I can.” She tried to stand but he tightened his hold on her foot.
“No. Stay where you are. You haven’t explained why your boss wanted you to stay late.”
“Because she’s an old bat who feeds on the pain of others. I swear, she’s like three hundred years old, but instead of sucking on blood, meanness is keeping her alive.”
He stared at her for a moment before blinking.
Okay. Way to make a fool of yourself, Jilly.
“Do you still write stories?”
She groaned. “No.”
“Why not? It seems like you still have a good imagination.”
Great. That was his way of saying she was acting nuts. She got it.
“Yeah. I guess I do.”
“I’m not saying I don’t believe you about her being an . . . what did you call her? Old bat? Did something happen? Is she being mean to you?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” She was sure none of this would interest him.
In fact, she wasn’t sure why he was still here.
Or why he’d come in the first place. Jilly opened her mouth to ask him, but instead, a moan of pleasure escaped her as he dug his fingers into her arches.
Oh. Dear. Lord.
That felt so good.
“Do you like that?”
“You . . . I . . . wow.”
“You seem tired. I’m guessing you were on your feet a lot today.”
Yeah. She was. Running around the library. And then walking home in the . . . heat . . . oh dear Lord. She yanked her foot back, moving so violently that her chair tilted onto its back legs, her limbs flapping through the air as she tried to right herself.
Regent moved quickly, grabbing her chair and slamming it onto the floor. Then he stood, looming over her.
Uh-oh.
Why did she get the distinct impression that she was in trouble?
“Jillian Anne, you need to calm down and stop putting yourself at risk of getting hurt. That stops right now, do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir.”
Jilly wasn’t sure where the Sir part came from. It just slipped out. But he seemed to like it. Some of the anger left his face.