Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 34931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
He leaned over and brushed a stray hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. His eyes softened as he stared into her eyes, running his hand along her jaw. “They’d have to go through me first.”
She cupped his hand with both of hers, holding it tightly. “That’s what I’m afraid of. I can’t lose you.”
He pressed his forehead to hers for just a moment before pulling back. “You won’t. Trust me. Your father doesn’t have the pull. I’m going to have some words with Navarro tomorrow if that makes you feel better.”
“Um, no!” She clung to Gage with her heart racing and tears falling down her face. She didn’t know where all that came from, but she didn’t try to stop it. Her heart experienced genuine fear.
Gage kissed her hard, leaving her breathless. “Understand this. I’m not going alone, there’s no way in hell I’d let him think he owns you, and I’m sure the fuck not letting him get near you.”
She wiped away the last tear, straightened herself up, and steeled her emotions. “What…never mind. Just don’t get your ass hurt.”
“I won’t. He has too much on the line to get into shit for it. Mistresses are a dime a dozen. I’m astonished he planned to pay your father that much.”
“Thanks for the praise.” She rolled her eyes and huffed, staring out of the window at the open fields next to the road.
“That’s not what I mean. A lot of women would have sold him their virginity for half that.”
“I know. That’s what worries me. What if he’s one of those crazies who still wants me out of anger?”
Hope’s fear was legitimate, but Gage didn’t need her worked up, especially if he’d counted correctly. She’d been with him for a total of five weeks, and he’d made love to her every single night after that first week. Not once did she have her period. Getting Navarro out of the way became all the more imperative. “Just let me handle it. He knows you’re with me now, so I’m going to let him know what it is.”
“Okay.”
He whipped his head toward her, his face twisting with suspicion. “Okay? You’re not going to get on me again?” He expected her to rake him across the coals before finally throwing in the towel.
“Nope. What for? It’s a moot point, isn’t it?”
“It is. This is for the best.” He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it then intertwining their fingers together and resting them on the center console.
He shifted the gear back into drive and continued on to town. The rest of their ride remained silent until they pulled up to the sheriff’s office. “Wait, and I’ll help you out.”
Hope rolled her eyes, but she kept her butt planted in the seat until Gage came around and opened the door. “Thank you, baby.”
He leaned in and stole a kiss, robbing Hope of her ire. It didn’t take much to make her melt for him. The way he called her baby and touched her sent her over the edge.
“Let’s go in,” Gage said, pulling her gently to his side and locking the truck with a click of his fob. He held the door open for her, admiring her ass in the sundress she’d slipped on.
“Hey, Gage. There you are.” The officer raised a brow when he took in the way Gage had his arm around Hope’s waist. “Ah, and you must be Hope.”
“Yes, hello.” She reached out to shake his hand, but their hands barely touched before Gage grunted and pulled her hand back.
“Ho, ho, so that’s how it is. Let’s get this over, then.” He led them to the back of the station and into his office. “Please take a seat.”
“Thanks, Sheriff McCain.” Hope stepped around the chairs and took a seat to the right, leaving the left for Gage.
“Call me Ray,” the sheriff suggested as he sat down behind his desk.
“I don’t think that’s appropriate,” Hope insisted.
“We’re practically cousins. At least Gage and I are.” He shrugged.
She twisted in her chair, grabbed the arm of it, and narrowed her brows at Gage. “You two are related?”
“Yes.” Another personal thing he’d kept from her. She wanted to get up and storm out of the office, but she had nowhere to go. That only angered her more. She loved Gage and hoped that he would treat her with the love and respect he claimed he felt for her.
“Oh. Okay.” She sat back in her seat and faced the sheriff. Her back remained straight, and her face hardened.
“Uh, oh. That’s never a good sound.”
“We’ll talk about this later. I need to get them before they come back. I have enough problems at the moment.”
“That you do. That you do,” Ray chuckled.
“Here’s the copy you need.” Gage slapped the flash drive onto the desk.