Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
“He is Jellie’s boyfriend’s best friend. The guy I was set up with this weekend. You know I’m not interested in him.”
When he dropped his gaze back to me, it softened. “He seems to feel differently about you.”
What did I say to that? It would seem so. But I didn’t care. Would that calm him down? I should have never allowed Thurston into the building. This had caused an issue I hadn’t anticipated.
“Or he just needs a friend,” I replied, deciding that was the best reason.
“Don’t be naive, Shakespeare,” he told me as he ran a finger over my jawline and down my neck. “You know that’s not why he wants to take you to brunch. How many times have I told you that men think with their dicks?”
A small giggle escaped my lips, and I shrugged. “About a million, I’d guess.”
“And yet it still hasn’t sunk in.”
I inhaled deeply, then let it out. “So, is that what this is? What we’re doing? You’re thinking with your dick?”
His lips quirked, and his eyes followed the trail of his finger as he ran it over my sensitive skin. “Yes, and no.” When his eyes shot back up to mine, he asked, “Does it matter?”
Yes, it did. But I wasn’t ready to push that. I wanted to have Ransom in my life regardless of the outcome from our sexual activities.
“I guess it doesn’t right now.” But it would eventually.
“You’re thinking about this too hard, Shakespeare. It’s time I distracted you.”
I wouldn’t argue with that.
“But I should feed you first. You need to keep your energy up.” He pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose, then glanced around the kitchen. “It’s too damn clean to cook in here. Let’s order out. I’d prefer to keep you to myself before I have to leave.”
Leave. Right. Back to Mississippi. That thought dampened my mood.
He’d be a text and phone call away soon. Not here with me. He could be with any female he chose. Doing whatever he wanted. I’d be here … pining away, missing him, worrying over him being with some other woman.
“Food shouldn’t cause such a sad look in those pretty gray eyes.”
I did my best to smile and cover up my thoughts. “Just thinking about you leaving, is all,” I replied.
He smirked then. “You missing me already?”
Might as well be honest. “Yep. It appears I am.”
“Let’s order some food, and we can talk.”
That sounded slightly unnerving. What would we talk about? This? Us? Was I ready for that? He’d said a lot of things already, but that was when we were about to have sex. Emotions had been high. This was the aftermath. I might not be ready for the real just yet.
Two
Ransom
Linc: Bane caught a fucking PI snooping around in town. Asking about YOU. I need motherfucking answers. Get your ass back here. Now!
Dad: Get home. Whatever shit you pulled wasn’t handled properly. You left loose ends.
I sat up in bed with my phone gripped tightly in my hand and glanced down at Noa. Her golden hair fanned over the pillow. Damn, she looked like an angel. One I’d defiled many times in the past twenty-four hours. I wasn’t ready to leave her, but would I ever be? At the moment, that seemed to be unlikely.
Standing up, I walked over to my discarded jeans and began dressing. I’d missed two calls from Linc, one from my dad, and three from Bane. His were first. He had probably tried to warn me about this shit. I’d broken a rule and put my phone on silent. My selfishness to have Noa with no interruptions had led to missing calls I shouldn’t have. Yet I didn’t seem to care. I might change my mind when I got back to Madison and had to face Linc’s angry ass.
Once I had my shirt on and my gun tucked away in its holster, I walked over to her side of the bed. Reaching down, I brushed a lock of hair from her face. I didn’t want to go. I needed more time here. With her. We’d failed to define anything, but that was my doing. I hadn’t wanted to label us. Leaving her without some claim on her made me uneasy, but then the way she had looked at me last night when I emptied my load inside her looked like she was claimed with or without the words.
The fluttering of her lashes came just before she stared up at me.
“I gotta go,” I told her in a raspy tone from sleep.
She frowned, then pulled herself up to a sitting position, and not looking at her bare tits before she covered them with the sheet was impossible. Fuck, I didn’t want to go.
“What’s wrong?” Her voice sounded husky and sexy as hell.
“Some shit back home. They blew up my phone. I’ve been summoned back.” And I feared it might have to do with the missing jackass she’d been engaged to.