Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 129756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 649(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 649(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
The males then went back to eyeing each other. The tension ratcheted up until testosterone practically swamped the air.
Joel glared at him. “I remember you. It’s Dominic, right? Yeah, I heard plenty of stories about you from females too. They all said the same thing.”
Dominic picked up his mug. “It’s true—my dick really is that huge.”
Mila snorted a laugh, and her coffee went down the wrong tube. Motherfucker. Coughing so hard her eyes teared up, she couldn’t quite catch her breath.
“You’re all right, just swallow it down.” Dominic rubbed her nape. “That’s it, breathe through your nose, relax your jaw. Just swallow a little more.”
Oh, the bastard. Once she’d finally composed herself, she wiped at the tears in her eyes. “Sorry about that.”
Joel cleared his throat. “Anyway, Mila, I’m cooking dinner tonight for Adele and her parents. Fancy joining us?”
“Already made plans to have dinner with my parents, but thanks.”
“No problem. I wouldn’t miss your mom’s cooking either. I’m guessing she’s making beef Stroganoff, since it’s your favorite.”
She got the feeling he threw that little fact in as a “Ha, I know her better than you” statement for GQ’s benefit. Her cat didn’t like the sly dig. “Probably.”
Tugging on one of her curls, Dominic said, “Beef Stroganoff is sautéed beef in sauce, right?”
“Yep.”
“Then why did your mom ask if I like sour cream?”
“She adds smetana, which is sour cream.”
Joel tensed. “You’re taking him as your guest?”
“Valentina invited me,” Dominic told him, although his eyes were on Mila’s hair as he playfully plucked at her curls.
Joel’s eyes went diamond hard. “I see. Mila, can we talk in private for a minute?”
Dominic lifted a daring brow. “What, you can’t talk smack about me while I’m right here? Because we both know that’s what you’re about to do.”
Joel inclined his head. “Fine. Like I said, I’ve heard a lot about you. I don’t want my friend being used by yet another player. She had enough of that shit from her ex.”
“Commendable of you. But Mila’s no pushover. She doesn’t need anyone acting as a voice for her. If she wants me to leave, I’ll leave.”
Mila snorted. “No, you won’t.”
Dominic’s mouth curved. “No, but it sounded good, didn’t it?”
“It did.” She looked up at Joel. “Thanks for the concern, but it’s not needed.”
“If you really think that, you haven’t learned your lesson from Grant,” Joel clipped.
Her cat snarled and lashed out with her claws. The way the feline saw it, Joel had relinquished his rights to her; he had no business interfering in her life. But Mila saw his interference for what it was—a subconscious drive to shield her, one that his instincts wouldn’t allow him to ignore. His intention wasn’t to hurt her. “You’re back to lecturing me again.”
His mouth tightened. “I just wish you were as protective of yourself as the people who care for you are.” With that parting shot, he left.
Mila sighed, and her cat’s hackles lowered. She needed to start locking the freaking break room door. Feeling Dominic’s eyes on her, she stood. “Come on, let’s get you sorted.” Soon enough, she had him caped and reclining in her chair with a warm, moist towel over his face.
As she browsed the shaving products on the shelves, Evander sidled up to her and asked, “Have you taken Lothario up on his offer of ‘fun’ yet?”
“I heard that,” said Dominic, his words muffled by the towel.
Mila tossed Evander a glare. “I told you, I’m not interested in being another notch on his bedpost.”
“I heard that too,” Dominic muttered.
“Well, we weren’t whispering.” Mila swiped off the towel, ignoring his chuckle, and patted his face and neck dry. As she applied a light coating of preshave oil, a low, contented growl rumbled out of him. Her cat kind of liked it.
“You smell good,” he said, his voice pitched low.
“Thanks, I do try.”
He chuckled. “Do you and Joel have some kind of history?”
At the mere mention of him, her cat’s mood plummeted. “No. He’s just a friend.”
“He’s very possessive of you.”
“Protective,” she corrected, grabbing a tub of shaving cream. “He’s mated—you must have sensed it.”
“I did. That doesn’t mean he can’t still have lingering feelings for someone he was once involved with.”
“There has never been anything between me and Joel other than friendship.”
Dominic watched her closely as she used a little shaving brush to apply the cream. She was telling the truth. And yet she wasn’t. He didn’t quite get it. Wondered if maybe she’d once tried to push for more than friendship with Joel before he mated and then had gotten her heart broken. “Your cat doesn’t like having him around. I sensed her tension. Did he hurt you somehow? Reject you?”
She gave him a curious look. “I never had you down as nosy.”
He shrugged. “What can I say? You intrigue me.”
“Hmm. Right. I want to leave the shaving cream on for at least a minute.”