Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Not as good as you.” She laughs. “Congratulations on getting married. How exciting.”
I grin. “Thank you. It’s been … a wild ride.”
I giggle, thinking about my wild ride last night before falling asleep. My sex clenches at the memory.
“What can I do for you?” I ask, redirecting my thoughts.
“You’re not due back in the office yet, but we’ve been having an issue with photographers camped outside the offices. We assume they’re waiting on you.”
My stomach drops. A cold sweat breaks out across my skin. “Oh no. Anjelica, I’m sorry. I—”
“Don’t be sorry. They’re trolls. We’ve been able to move them off our property, but they’re now camped on the other side of the road. It’s a bit of a safety issue.”
I hold my head in my hands. Dammit.
“You’re starting a new position, anyway,” she says. “It might be a good idea for you to work from home for a week or two—long enough for them to find something else to fixate on. And they will find something else. They always do.”
Air fills my lungs again.
“Our CEO, Coy Mason, is adamant that we offer employees the ability to work from home as much as possible,” she says.
She drops the name of one of country music’s biggest names like we’re talking about a clerk at the local grocery store.
“If you want to explore the possibility of moving your position remotely, we can look into that. But that’s absolutely up to you. We’re here to facilitate as much as we can to keep our employees happy and with their families as much as possible.”
“Wow. Okay. Yes,” I say, releasing a breath. “I’d love to try to work from home—at least as long as this paparazzi thing is happening. I don’t want my life to affect anyone else.”
“That’s great. Let’s go ahead and write off next week entirely. That will give our IT Department time to get you set up remotely. If you need anything in the meantime, reach out to me. You have my number.”
“I will. Thank you, Anjelica. Truly.”
“You are very welcome. We’ll talk soon.”
“Goodbye.”
I end the call, and the soulful voice plays again.
Turning back to the chicken, I pick up a knife. Just before I touch the poultry, Renn buries his head into the crook of my neck.
I smile, setting the knife down, and move to give him all the access he needs to place kisses against my skin.
“Hey, you,” I say, wrapping an arm around the back of his head. “I missed you today.”
He spins me around and holds me against him.
If I thought Brock looked tired today, Renn is nothing short of exhausted. His eyes are puffy. The lines around his mouth are prominent. His skin is dull and lacking the glow I’ve seen every day since we met at the pool in Vegas.
“Hey,” I say, running my hand through his hair. “What’s wrong?”
His grin is crooked. “I’m just glad to be home.”
“That’s really nice of you to say, and I’m glad you’re here too. But what’s wrong?”
He plants a loud, wet kiss on my lips before letting me go. “Jet lag is a real thing. What are you making?”
“Chicken piccata. A salad is in the fridge, and a cake is cooling on the counter.”
“How are you up to cook? Aren’t you beat?”
I grin. “It makes me happy to be here, cooking for you. And I had all day to relax.”
He moves to the cabinet and pulls out two wineglasses. I turn back to the meat.
“Foxx scared the shit out of the grocery delivery guy,” I say, laughing at the memory. “Then he and I—Foxx and I—had a small … skirmish, about the tip.”
“Oh, really? Who won that one?”
I lift my chin. “Me.”
“I would’ve paid a lot of money to watch that.”
“I’m not sure how you do business around here. But if there are reports filed or something, don’t believe anything he says about me without hearing my side of the story.”
Renn chuckles.
“First, I don’t think he finds me entertaining. He’s also rather perturbed that I have visitors. Brock and Ella were here—oh!” I swing around and point the tip of the knife at him. “Did you know my brother is retiring?”
He takes the knife from me and puts a glass of wine in my hand. “Is that a done deal?”
“Of course, it is.”
He hums before taking a drink, watching me over the rim.
“I would’ve thrown a fit about it,” I say. “But now he’s going to be a daddy …”
Renn’s eyes hood.
I set my glass down and rest my back against the counter's edge, smirking. “What’s that look for?”
He places his wine next to mine before caging me against the counter.
“Oh,” I say, trailing a fingertip down his face. His stubble bites against my skin. It only adds to the heat building in my core. “Did you not know Ella and Brock are having a baby?”