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)
Think he would have noticed that and said something.
“Um. How much do I owe you for the security light?”
The room went cold.
She swore that the temperature actually dropped several degrees.
Turning, he stared at her. “Excuse me?”
Uh-oh.
Why had she said that?
Because she was an idiot. But didn’t she owe him something?
“I, um, what?”
“What did you just say?” he whispered.
“I said something?”
As he put the broom and pan into the cupboard, she slid down from the counter.
“You’ll stay where you were put if you know what’s good for you.”
Dear Lord.
She was in big trouble. But she pulled herself back up onto the counter as he turned and started walking toward her.
Well, it wasn’t really walking. More like prowling.
“Don’t be cute with me. I know what you said. And trying to pretend you didn’t say it is akin to lying. I don’t like being lied to.”
“Seems like there are a lot of things you don’t like,” she said as he placed his hands on the counter on either side of her hips.
I could just pull him in toward me and kiss him. Then he’d grab me, twist me around, and bend me over the counter before ripping off my panties.
“There are,” he agreed, to her surprise. “Mostly, I don’t like to be lied to or deceived. And I don’t like when people I care about don’t allow me to help them or keep them safe. What I do like is when the people close to me come to me for help when they need it, rather than try to solve things themselves.”
Well, at least she wasn’t someone he would consider close to him. Or that he cared about.
So she didn’t have to worry about the fact that there were many things he didn’t know about her life.
“You solve all of your family’s problems?” she asked.
“I solve the big issues. The ones they bring to me. I wish they’d give me all of their problems, but I’ve been told that’s too controlling.”
It was.
“I don’t believe there’s such a thing as too controlling.”
Okay, then.
Umm. Jilly really didn’t know what to say to that.
“Are there any problems you want me to solve?”
Dun-Dun-Dun.
She didn’t know what that noise in her head signified. But she thought it might be heralding the fact that it was about to explode.
It was like he knew what was going on with her. . . but there was no way he could, right?
Besides, she didn’t need his help. She was solving everything on her own. Another few months and things would be . . . well, better.
“No?”
“You don’t sound so sure. You can tell me anything, Jillian. Understand? If there’s a problem, I’ll help you solve it.”
“Well, I do have one problem that I can’t solve.”
Satisfaction filled his face. “Tell me.”
“Might be best if I show you.”
10
This was not what he’d been expecting when he’d told her he wanted to help her with her problems.
He’d expected her to tell him about her bully of a boss. Then he’d offer to take care of it.
Instead, he was in her bathroom, staring at a . . . spider.
Sure, it was a huge spider. But a harmless one. It had built itself quite the web in the corner of the room, right above the toilet.
Regent took a moment to look around, taking in the worn-looking bathroom. The floor tile was old and the grout was missing in some places. The bath was discolored and the basin was chipped.
Why hadn’t he thought about updating the house for her? He essentially owned this place. And he knew she made next to nothing working as a librarian.
The only problem was finding a contractor he could trust to do the work and not nosy around, discovering things they shouldn’t know.
“Can you get rid of Clive?”
“Clive?” he asked, turning to look at Jilly who was standing in the doorway. She was peering into the room anxiously while holding up a folded umbrella.
“What is with the umbrella?” he asked.
“In case you need me to come into the bathroom I need some protection.”
“The umbrella is protection?”
“Yeah, I’ll flick it open to stop Clive from jumping on me and getting in my hair. It’s a big fear of mine.”
“Clive is the spider . . .”
“Well, yeah. Of course he is. Who did you think Clive was? The toilet?” Her eyes sparkled with humor and he got lost in them for a moment.
It was a fanciful thought. He wasn’t the type of man to get lost in a pair of gorgeous eyes.
But Jilly’s eyes were special.
She was special.
“The toilet has a name?” he asked.
“No!” She started giggling, and he found himself smiling . . . just slightly. But it was hard not to smile when faced with such joy. “Of course the toilet doesn’t have a name. Who would name their toilet?”
“I don’t know . . . the same sort of person who might name a spider Clive?”