Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
“I do enjoy silence.” The asshole turned and walked toward the elevator.
Despite the fact that I was taller than him by a good four inches, I had to rush to keep up with him. This job might just be a lot more fun than I’d thought. Darren obviously thought we were going to do everything his way. Teaching him how wrong he was would be fun as hell, especially if I got him riled up enough to melt his ice. I would keep him safe, but I intended to mess with him too, in all the senses of the word.
He remained silent during the elevator ride, and I did too, though I ended up having to squeeze the handrail and bite my lip to do it. I wasn’t good in the role of silent companion. I’d have to work on getting Darren to talk more if we were going to be stuck with each other for days. I wasn’t going to just sit around and watch him be cool and collected.
The elevator dinged for our floor, and I shifted into work mode. As the doors slid open, Darren tried to step out ahead of me. Without even thinking, I raised my arm, blocking his progress. His hand closed around my wrist, and he tried to push me out of the way. I fought to ignore the zing of heat that ran through me at the contact.
“Stay back,” I hissed.
The glare he gave me only heated my body more, but I shut that down as I checked the hallway before motioning for him to exit.
After I’d gotten our room information from X, I’d studied the hotel schematics, so I knew exactly where we were going. I laid a hand on Darren’s shoulder as we approached an intersection with another hallway. He turned and glared again.
I grinned. “Get behind me.”
He laid his hand against his pocket. I knew he was communicating that he had a weapon in there. I just wasn’t sure if he wanted to use it on me or check out the hallway for himself. We were going to have a conversation about exactly what it meant for him to accept my protection.
I tightened my grip, certain I could feel the heat of his skin through the layers of his suit. He stopped moving and allowed me to circle around him. My gut said we were safe, but I wasn’t taking any chances. Once I’d cleared the hallway, I followed him into the suite and closed the door behind me. I checked each room, waiting to gawk at my surroundings until I was sure we were safe and alone.
I paused for a moment, studiously not looking at Darren. I needed to settle myself in my new surroundings before dealing with the anger I felt rolling off him. Keeping him in check was going to be one hell of a ride.
On my missions, I’d been put up in all manner of accommodations, but I was fairly sure this was the finest yet. The suite was far bigger than my apartment back in Boston. While it was lovely, it was going to be hell to make sure it was fully secured with the wide double doors at the entry and another set of doors opening onto a balcony in Darren’s bedroom. I was going to have to put in some work before we went to bed tonight whether we slept alone or shared a bed.
I’d be able to protect him a lot more easily if we were sleeping together.
The suite screamed wealth. The walls, the linens, and all the wooden furniture was a soothing cream. The rest of the decor was stone gray or a very pale pink. There was a large bouquet of pink flowers on the desk and a bottle of champagne chilling in a gold ice bucket. I saw a bag that indicated we could send our laundry out to be done, and in the open closets, I’d seen fluffy, white robes hanging.
X’s instructions said we would be here for two days before making our way toward Chicago, but I was already wishing we’d be here longer. I’d be happy to move in. I was sure Mr. Cool as Ice would eventually melt if it was just the two of us here for days and days with no one else to entertain us.
He turned to face me, and I quickly closed my mouth and stopped gaping at my surroundings.
“I thought you were good at your job,” he said.
Burning anger rushed through me. “I’m the best at my job. Why the fuck do you think X sent me?”
“You were ready to spill all our secrets in the lobby. Weren’t you informed this is all top-secret?”
Was he trying to piss me off? Surely he was. “There was no one around except your guards, and all I wanted to know was whether I had a key to your room and—”