Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
It was good to know the gossip mill was running hard and fast. “I did not do that. I told him if he tried to replace me as the lead on Ally’s case, I would quit and still protect her.”
“You did?” She looked up at him like she couldn’t believe he would say that.
“I was going to tell you that if you get the big guy a bag of dicks, they better be chocolate.” Tessa shrugged it off, proving she was excellent at dealing with workplace drama. “Someone sent him gummy ones once, and it pissed him off. Also, he made me…”
West groaned. “I don’t need condoms.”
She shrugged again. “And yet you have so many now.”
“His office is way cooler than yours, babe,” Martin whispered his brother’s way.
“I don’t know. We have this horny AI who keeps telling all the men their butts look good,” Rand whispered back. “Except for Adam. She tells him he’s getting pudgy. Not sure what’s up with that. I thought he programmed her.”
Hutch and Big Tag were still having fun with Adam. He needed to get Ally alone. They had a lot to talk about.
Or not talk about.
She was wound so tightly, and they couldn’t go for a hike.
He hoped she hadn’t changed her mind about giving them a chance. Even if he had to go slowly.
“Ally has a research tour tomorrow, so I’m going to make sure she gets some rest,” he announced.
“Uh huh.” Tessa started for the door. “I bet she’ll get lots of rest. It’s the best clause to break, man. I should know. I married mine.”
“I’ll set the alarm, and then Marty and I are going to bed,” Rand said, locking the door behind Tessa.
Martin’s face fell. “But we could…”
“Go to bed so my brother and Ally have some privacy to work out the whole picture thing,” Rand corrected. “Good night.”
And he was left alone with Ally.
“Thank you for bringing me here. I like your brother and Martin,” she began.
He moved in, hating the distance between them. Until Tessa had shown up, that distance hadn’t felt so far, but the walls had come up again. “They like you, too. And Martin is right. I’m not some fragile guy who can’t handle a little scrutiny. Now before this conversation twists and turns, let’s cut to the heart of the matter. Are you planning on throwing yourself on the sacrificial altar of the career I kind of fell into?”
“If me telling your boss it was my fault helps, then yes,” she insisted.
“No.” He stared down at her, her head tilted up and eyes wide.
“No?”
“No.” Damn but she was the single most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen. How had he missed the softness in her eyes? The sweetness that hid behind her exterior? Was it all the sweeter because it was only shown to a few people in her life? “I already told Ian he wasn’t going to order me around when it comes to you.”
“You told him that?”
“In so many words. He threw that clause in my face, and he can fire me if he wants to. Only one person can tell me to stay out of your bed, and that’s you, Ally. You’re the only one who can stop me.”
“West.” His name puffed out of her mouth with a little wonder behind it. Like she couldn’t quite believe what was going on.
“Baby, you’ve had a day, and if you want me to sleep out here on the couch…”
“I don’t. I just…you said you didn’t need condoms.”
He chuckled and let his hands find her hips. “I don’t. I have my own, though you should know I’m going to check the expiration date. I haven’t dated in a long time. And the boss is big on condoms, but I’m pretty sure he buys the cheapest ones he can find. It’s nothing but the top of the line for you.”
That was the moment he realized she wasn’t touching him. She stood there, looking up at him like she was trying to make a decision.
What if she was trying to decide if he might not handle rejection well? What if she was as nervous about him as she had been about Matt? She could have spent the last few hours deciding he wasn’t worth the trouble.
He was about to pull away when she went on her toes and brushed her lips against his.
“I hope you don’t regret this,” she whispered. “Because I’m pretty sure I will.”
He intended to make sure she didn’t.
* * * *
The minute she felt her lips against his, her body started to sing. It was like her skin came to life and anticipation was an actual sensation running through her veins.
It was stupid because it wasn’t even like she was crazy about sex. She’d had a couple of boyfriends. She’d had a couple of men who’d tried to initiate her far too young, but she’d managed to save herself from those situations. It was probably why she was so reluctant to throw herself into the physical.