Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 100294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“You’re in my shop.” Joey pulls his shoulders back.
“It’s your daddy’s shop,” I remind him.
“And you spend your daddy’s money.”
I step closer toward him. “My daddy’s dead,” I say mockingly. “And you know that.”
“Okay, that was a low blow, Joey.” I have to suppress a smirk at the sound of Madeline coming to my defense. Joey opened me right up to that shot, and I took it. I always do.
“Yeah, Joey. Have some compassion. My buttercup here lost her own father a month ago.”
“You’re pushing it.” Madeline points one of her purple-painted fingernails at me. “And I told you to stop calling me that.”
“I tell you to do all kinds of shit, and you ignore me.”
“Shit, I’m sorry.” Joey tries to cut back and apologize to Madeline.
“You see I’m talking to my girl here.” I take another step toward him. This time Joey is smart enough to take a step back.
“That’s it.” Madeline jumps up from her chair, and what would you know? She’s got pants on for once. Thank fuck.
“Nice jeans.” Madeline opens and then closes her mouth before dropping her head to fight a smile.
“I’ll give you two a minute.” Joey finally backs all the way down. His punk ass makes sure he gets a last word in, but not until he’s almost at the door where he can make an escape. “This can’t be happening. Customers could have been in here, Lucky.”
“Stop calling her that,” I warn. He’s pushing it. What time does this place close? Joey and I need to have a private conversation.
“That’s rich coming from you.” Madeline rolls her eyes at me.
“I am rich.” It’s a dick jab at Joey, but he’s got it coming. “And your mouth was on me last night. That makes you my girl, and I can call you whatever I like.”
“You won’t call me shit when I bury your ass.” Joey wisely slips from the room. “I can’t believe you did that. I’m at work.”
“You don’t need a job.”
“Asshole,” she mutters.
“See, you’ve even got pet names for me. Now we’re on the same page.” Madeline puts her hand over her mouth. I don’t know if she’s thinking or hiding a smile.
“Why are you messing with him?” she says when she finally drops her hand. “I work here.”
“I wasn’t messing with him. He was all over you.”
Madeline stares up at me. “If that was all over me, then by those standards, we fucked last night.”
“If you think that was fucking, I have a few things I need to show you.”
“Oh my God.” She stumbles back a few steps. That, out of everything, has really pissed her off. Madeline’s cheeks start to flush. “I’d never fuck you. I prefer not to have STDs.”
“I don’t have STDs.”
“Sure, that’s what the whole team says.”
“We just did physicals.” I don’t know why I’m getting defensive now. I’m not sticking my dick in random places.
“Whatever. Why are you here?”
“I saw you, so I came in to say hi since you don’t respond to my texts.”
“I’m working.”
“You don’t—”
She holds her hand up to stop me from speaking. “I don’t have time for this conversation, so unless you have any information about last night and the boathouse, you need to go.”
“I haven’t heard anything. You?”
She shakes her head no. “Then you need to go,” she tells me again.
“How late do you work?”
“If I tell you, will you leave?”
“Will you lie to me?”
“Would I? Yes. Will I be right now? No.”
“Then I can’t trust you.” I walk over and drop down into one of the chairs.
“You can’t linger here. This is a private business.”
“I can be a customer. How many oil changes to stay for the day?”
This time a small laugh does leave her as she shakes her head at me. I’m wearing her down, which brings me a small sense of relief. She’s not as immune to me as she pretends to be. Thank fuck for that.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“I fucking know.” Ridiculous is pretty mild at this point.
“Luke.” Her voice softens. “Please, it’s my first day. I’m off at one.” I stand, having gotten what I wanted. I make my way over to her.
“I’ll see you at one, Buttercup.” Those pillowy lips of hers purse, and I quickly press my mouth to them.
“You’re annoying,” she huffs against my mouth.
“And you’re a brat.”
“I am not.” She shoves me in the chest. “Now get the hell out of here.” I smirk, getting another one of her eye rolls.
“One, Buttercup,” I tell her before heading back out the door and across the street. I said I’d leave the shop. I never promised to go far.
I’m finding that next to impossible when it comes to Madeline Pearson.
Chapter Fifteen
MADELINE
Idig through my purse, finding my lip gloss so I’ll stop licking my lips. How come when Luke kisses me, it lingers? There is this tingle and excited flutter inside of me. I have no clue what I’m going to do about him. I hate the fact that I like the way he makes me feel.