Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
Hmm. She wondered what exactly that would entail. She hadn’t been in a relationship since . . . since . . .
Since Matthew.
Since he beat her.
Raped her.
God. She wished she could think about it without feeling ill. But even after all these years, it was impossible.
So she’d gone online in search of a relationship. She’d joined a kink-friendly dating website because she’d been so damn lonely that, at one stage, she spent every night crying herself to sleep.
Pathetic.
She cringed as she followed him out the door to the parking lot.
Only maybe I deserve to be lonely.
“Greer?”
All she’d had were her books, her next-door neighbors, and the men she’d talked to online. Men she hadn’t been brave enough to meet in real life.
That was something she would never tell Aidan. He would completely flip out.
“Greer?”
She jumped as someone touched her arm and shied back, her heart pounding.
“Hey. Sorry.”
She stared up at Hack, who had his hands up in the air. What was he doing?
“I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Sorry. I was . . . lost in my head.”
Instead of looking impatient as she’d expected, he appeared thoughtful.
That was almost worse.
She had the feeling that not much got past this man.
“You’re freezing. Let’s get your stuff and get you warm. Where is your car?”
“Over here.” She led him over to her small bright yellow hatchback.
He paused, staring down at the car with a look of shock. “This is your car?”
“Uh, yes? Why? Is there something wrong?”
“You drove halfway across the country in this?”
“Hey, she’s reliable,” she defended Buttercup. She patted the hood.
He shot her a look of disbelief.
“What? I know Buttercup doesn’t look like much, but she has always treated me well.”
“It just broke down. How can it be reliable when it isn’t going? And did you really name your car Buttercup?”
“I think it suits her. And she was reliable up until now.”
Obviously.
“Keys.” He held out his hand imperiously.
“What?”
“Give me your keys. I’ll get your stuff out. Shit, your tires are worn thin, Little girl.”
She froze at those words. He didn’t mean them like that. In fact, he didn’t even seem to notice what he’d called her as he started mumbling to himself and moving around her car.
She shivered and drew the sleeves of her sweater over her hands.
As though he had some sort of radar, he paused and turned to her. “You’re cold.”
“I’m f-fine.” Shit. Way to prove him right.
“Uh-uh, no lying. I can see that we’re going to have to set ground rules.”
“We are?”
What sort of ground rules? Like . . . no walking around half-naked in the hotel room?
Disappointing.
Wait. No. Not disappointing. What was wrong with her?
“We are. No lying is number one,” he said firmly.
Shit.
She liked that stern tone. It wrapped her up in safety.
Stop it, Greer.
“I never lie.”
“Is that so?” He moved toward her, removing his jacket.
Why was he taking off his jacket? Realization dawned as he settled his coat around her shoulders. Now he was dressed in just a Henley that clung to him in all the right places. Seriously. It seemed to highlight every muscle, every sexy bulge.
She swallowed heavily.
“You shouldn’t give me your jacket. You’ll get cold.” She tried to pull it off, but he shot her another look.
“Try to remove it, Little girl, and you’ll be in a world of trouble.”
Oh. Do tell.
No. Wait. She didn’t want to know. Did she?
Damn it. She felt like she was in the middle of one of her romance books. Only there could never be a happily-ever-after for her.
Because she couldn’t be in a relationship. Not ever.
He blinked, looking surprised. Then his hand cupped the back of his neck. “Uh, sorry about that nickname. But you need to wear that jacket until I get you in my truck and warmed up. We’ll talk more about ground rules then.”
“Goody,” she muttered.
He raised an eyebrow at her. Oops.
“Where is all your stuff? In the trunk?”
“Oh yeah. And there’s some in the back seat.” She fumbled as she searched through her handbag for her keys.
Wally nearly fell out of her bag, but she managed to stuff him back in.
“Hey. Easy. It’s okay. Give me your keys and I’ll take care of everything.”
She stared at him as she handed her keys over. “Who are you?”
He frowned. “I’m Hack. Are you sure you’re all right? You look a bit pale to me.” He unlocked Buttercup but didn’t open the door.
“I’m always pale.” And now she sounded like a lunatic. “You just . . . you’re being really nice to me.”
He suddenly scowled. “Who hasn’t been nice to you?”
Whoa. Why was he so upset?
“No one.”
He narrowed his gaze. “You will tell me if anyone isn’t nice to you.”
That was a definite command.
“So you can do what?” Her heart pounded, waiting for his answer.
His eyes darkened. “I have access to drugs and sharp implements. I’ll make them hurt.”