Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 301(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
The part of me that was worried about getting my hopes up tried to remind me that it could be nothing.
But the part of me that had been watching Lula for years knew what I was seeing. Interest. Attraction.
Which was why I was cutting off any chance of intimacy.
Better to let her keep realizing she liked me as a person rather than just someone who could make her toes curl. It would be too easy when we got back to Shady Valley for her to brush off an affair like some silly road trip fling. But if I never let it go there, she might need to confront actual feelings instead.
And that was the end goal here.
Not just to fuck her, but for her to see that we could actually work.
Did I make her rub sunblock on my back, though? You’re goddamn right I did. I’m a red-blooded man after all. And a quick dip in the ocean fixed the whole uncomfortable hard-on thing.
“See, now,” she said, clucking her tongue at me as she came out of the Cuban sandwich shop with a bag and two sweating drinks pressed between her chest and arm, “that’s what you get for leaving your shirt back at the house.”
There’d been a ‘No shoes, no shirt, no service’ sign on the door when we’d arrived, making her shoot me a smirk and me resign myself to staying outside while she ordered the food.
We were just gathering up our garbage when I heard a familiar voice break through the crowd.
“Raff! My friend!”
Lula’s brows lifted as she glanced between me and a man she had no idea was a notorious international arms dealer.
“Zayn,” I said, getting to my feet, tossing the trash, then walking into the hug that was offered to me. “I’d say ‘long time, no see,’ but…”
“Did you not leave?”
“I left. I’m back.”
Lula had gotten to her feet and approached, dragging Zayn’s attention from me.
“And who is this magnificent creature?” he asked, taking her hand and fawning all over it.
“This is Lula.”
“Lula. What are you doing with a man like this, hm?”
“A road trip, actually,” Lula said. If I wasn’t mistaken, there was a harder edge to her voice. “We’ve had a lot of fun.”
Was she… trying to defend me to Zayn?
That was unexpectedly sweet. Even if I knew Zayn meant nothing by that.
“I believe it. You’re resplendent.”
Lula shot me a smile. “When you guys go out, is it a competition for who can say the most absurd things to women?”
“Speaking of going out, you have to come to my club.”
“Your club?” Lula asked.
“I opened a new club!” Of course he did. It was a smart business move. I wasn’t sure how he didn’t have more legitimate businesses to hide his weapon empire.
“Of course you did,” I said, finally spotting his private security guy, Daniyal, hanging back under the awning of a smoothie shop, his gaze moving up and down the street.
“You have to come. I have a VIP section just waiting for you.”
I glanced at Lula, a question in my eyes. She gave me a little shrug.
“We’ll drop by then. We have a few things to do today, but once it gets dark, we will come say hi.”
“I’ll put your name on the list. Viper Lounge. Dresses for the ladies. Slacks and button-ups for the men.”
“Got it.” I guess we had another shopping trip ahead of us.
We got talked into smoothies, where Zayn declared that the silent Daniyal highly recommended the girliest drink on the menu, then forced all of us to have them before we parted ways.
After that, I tried to check in with Arty again. But got no answer. I didn’t say anything to Lula, but I was getting a little concerned about not hearing back from him. Yes, it was true that he became obsessed with work. It wasn’t like him, though, not to at least answer a text.
If I didn’t hear back from him after the club, I might consider dragging my ass over there to check on the guy.
I kept those plans to myself as we each hit up a few shops and then a coffee place before heading back to the house to wash off the salt, sweat, and sunblock.
I was just getting out of the shower when I heard my phone ringing downstairs where I’d plugged it in.
I rushed down in my towel, hoping for Arty, but seeing Dixon’s name on the screen.
“Yo,” I answered.
“Little bird told me you’re back in town without saying anything. So I’m under orders to see what’s going on.”
“I didn’t check in because I’m not here for work. Just came down with a friend.”
“Yeah, I heard all about your friend,” Dixon said, voice teasing. “She as gorgeous as Zayn claims?”
“More.”
“I guess I’ll see for myself tonight. We’re hitting up Viper Lounge too.”