Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
That makes two of us.
CHAPTER FIVE
TUCKER
With the door closed behind me, I take a deep breath and rub my hand over the back of my neck.
The woman I’ve wanted for way too fucking long is currently getting naked in my bathroom. She’s going to soak in my tub—the one I haven’t even sat in yet—and I want nothing more than to march back in there and get in with her. To wrap my arms around her and hold her to me while she soaks, and then carry her to my bed, spread her out before me, and eat her until she’s screaming my name.
I’m so fucked.
I hear the faucet in the tub start, and I have to make myself walk into the closet, grab one of my T-shirts, and lay it on the bed for her, then walk downstairs and out the back door to go make sure that the fire is contained and going out on its own.
I stand next to it, my hands in my pockets, watching the red embers flash in the bottom of the pit. It’s safer for me to be out here than in my own house.
There’s nothing I want more than to make it clear to my duchess that if she wants to go on a fucking date, I’ll be the one to take her. Not some random asshole from Lucky’s. Absolutely not.
But it’s not my place to say that.
And I think that’s what pisses me off the most. Because every instinct inside me wants to claim her. To make her mine in every way possible. But she’s made it clear that as long as I’m her boss, there’s a line she doesn’t want to cross, and I can respect that.
I don’t want to. But I can.
Now that the embers are reduced to hot ashes, I walk back to the house and pour myself two fingers of bourbon, lean on the counter, and listen for movement upstairs. I hear footsteps above, and then Darby walks into the kitchen, in my old green Hendrix Ranch T-shirt, her sweater clutched to her chest, and when she sees me, she stops and bites that lower lip.
I want to nibble on that lip.
“Thanks for loaning me the shirt,” she says softly.
“You look better in it than I do.”
“Somehow I don’t believe that,” she mutters, and then clears her throat. “I feel better. The salts helped. I should go check on that fire.”
“I already did. It’s out. You could have soaked longer.”
She shakes her head. “I think if I’d stayed in there, I would have fallen asleep and drowned, and then you would have found a mess, and I don’t think that’s polite.”
“Damn rude,” I agree with a laugh, enjoying her. The sound of her voice alone makes me hard. “Please don’t ever do that, Duchess.”
“Deal.”
“There’s one more thing.”
I should absolutely not say this. Shut it, Tuck. It’s none of your business.
“What’s that?”
No looking for dates unless you’re looking for me.
It’s on the tip of my tongue. I want to say it so bad, but it’s out of line.
She bites that lip again, and I can’t resist crossing to her.
“I’m going to touch you.”
She doesn’t hesitate before nodding, and I take that as a good sign as I reach up and tug her lip free from her teeth, then brush my thumb over her jawline, soaking in the softness of her skin.
“Just tell me whenever you want the tub, okay? Anytime.”
Her brows pull together, just for a heartbeat, and then she gives me a little nod.
“I appreciate it, but I’m sure it’s unnecessary.”
“So fucking argumentative,” I murmur as my thumb drifts up and over her soft as rose petals mouth. “So goddamn beautiful.”
Pulling myself out of her spell, I drop my hand and step back.
“I’ll see you Monday?” I ask her.
“Oh, this is a weekday job?” she returns, looking a little lost. “I assumed—”
“I’m not going to ask you to work seven days a week. But I’d appreciate it if you helped during the branding weekend coming up.”
“Of course, I planned on it. Tucker, I can work tomorrow. I mean, I’m always on call for Dr. Fisher, but if he doesn’t need me, I can work here.”
“Take it off. I mean it.”
I need some time away from you so I don’t do something stupid like boost you up against the wall of the barn and fuck you senseless.
Boss of the year, right here.
“Well, I don’t have plans, so if you need me for anything, just let me know.”
“Appreciate it.”
“Wait, do you have my number?”
I pull my phone out of my pocket and pass it to her.
“Do you need to unlock it?” she asks.
“No. I don’t have anything to hide, Duchess. Plug yourself in there.”
She bites the tip of her tongue as she taps on the screen, and we both hear her phone vibrate in her pocket. Then, she passes the device back to me, and I set it on the counter.