Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“Rather impressive?” I repeated. “You seemed thoroughly impressed earlier.”
She took another sip of her coffee, her eyes dancing. “Meh. I was sleep-deprived. I can’t rely on my memory.”
“Is that a fact? Are you telling me, Sofia, that you require another session with me to improve your memory?”
“A session?” She laughed. “It might help.”
“Well then, far be it for me not to come to your aid.” I lifted her off the stool and strode back down the hall. “A man has to do what a man has to do.”
She bit down on my neck, soothing the slight burn with a swipe of her tongue. “Good idea, Egan. Show me how manly you are. Really hard.”
I followed her down to the mattress.
Really hard.
I could do that.
The next morning, I cooked her breakfast, watching as she ate heartily. “I love watching you eat the food I make for you.”
“I could get used to it,” she confessed. “Your cooking spoils me.”
“Good. We can move in together upstairs. Bigger place. I will cook for you every day.”
She gaped at me. “I don’t think so, mio uomo.”
“What does that mean?” I asked. She had never called me anything but Egan.
“Friend.” She smirked. “With a big ego. I am not moving in with you.”
I eyed her suspiciously, but I didn’t push it.
“Why not?”
She shook her head, looking frustrated. “You’re like a runaway train. We have barely begun and you want to move in.”
I shrugged. “It makes sense.”
“It makes no sense!” She threw up her hands. “Egan, it’s too fast.”
“Well, soon, then. Your place is small. My place is small. Upstairs is bigger. We can have it, and I can rent out these places. Make more money for Damien.”
She snorted. Actually snorted. The sound made me grin.
“Damien doesn’t need the money. Otherwise, he would have rented upstairs already.”
“He has,” I told her. “To me.”
Again, she gaped. “Come again?”
“I pay rent for upstairs, so when you are ready, we can move.”
“If you’re paying rent upstairs, why are you still in the apartment down here?” she asked, obviously confused.
I leaned over the table and brushed my fingers down her cheek. “To be closer to you.”
Her eyes softened, a smile tugging on her mouth.
“Damn you, Egan. You say the sweetest things.”
“So, yes?”
She stood, shaking her head. “No, you impatient man. Not yet.”
She walked down the hall, muttering under her breath, but I grinned.
Not yet.
It was as good as a yes.
I wondered if I could convince Sofia to marry me before Damien and Raven. We could travel to the island as husband and wife.
It seemed doable.
The next morning, I got ready for the day.
As much as I hated to leave her, I had businesses that needed me, and I knew Sofia needed some downtime and space from me. She was a thinker. She would take the events of the past days and mull them over. Dissect them and overthink. It was the way she processed things. I had to let her do her thing so she could settle into our relationship. I could only pray she didn’t decide to stop it. I kissed her long and deep enough before leaving, to tip the scales. That, plus the fact that I dressed to head into Elite, wearing a suit. Her eyes lit up when she saw me. I knew the businessman aspect helped soothe her nerves. It cemented the fact in her head that my HJ days were behind me and what I did now posed no threats.
At Elite, I sat with Leo, and we met with two prospective clients. Both were celebrities who would be in town for filming and would require round-the-clock protection. We agreed to the right person, the contracts, and the length of term. After they left, Leo sat back with a grin.
“The docket is damn full. We may need to hire a couple more people.”
“Awesome. Damien set off the trajectory well.”
“You help.”
“Sorry?”
“You look like a hit man. Talk like a gentleman. Act like a gun for hire. You’re the whole package. Clients love you.” He grinned. “You’re the most requested bodyguard we have. I’ve added a premium rate for your services.” He winked drolly. “And the word ‘unavailable’ drives up the price fast. I have one client willing to pay a small fortune for you for a private function.”
He handed me a folder, and I glanced at it, my eyebrows shooting up at the quote.
“They aren’t serious.”
“They are. It’s Malcolm Weston’s daughter’s birthday. She wants a movie night with her friends, he wants her protected. He’s high-profile enough to warrant it.”
“And rich enough to afford it,” I finished. “But I can’t look after an entire group of girls.” I rubbed my forehead, thinking of the drama a group of teenagers could cause.
“No, you and three others. But you, specifically, watching the daughter.”
“When is it?”
“Soon. It’s a Friday night.”
“Fine. Get all the particulars.”