Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 91266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“What?”
“Vodka. The more expensive the better. I have some in my house, but you’re a smart girl and that means taking drinks from strange men is something you don’t do.”
She blinked. “I would think inviting strange men into my house is also something smart girls don’t do.”
Not unless they’re looking for trouble. He kept the words restrained, but only barely. Fuck, what was it about this woman that tried his control so thoroughly? He didn’t know, and that made her dangerous in a way he wasn’t used to. He couldn’t afford distractions right now.
I could ask her about Sorcha.
But if he did, he’d spook her, and she might tip off Sorcha before the woman finally flitted back into town. So he affected a neutral expression. “What do you say?”
She seemed torn, but finally nodded more to herself than to him and stood. “I saw some liquor, but I didn’t investigate to see what kind of bottles they were.”
He had when he’d been snooping around, so Jude knew there were three bottles of Belvedere stashed in one of the cupboards. He noted the tense set of her shoulders as he followed her into the house, and fell back another step so he didn’t loom over her. It didn’t seem to help.
Sloan pulled out one of the bottles and held it up. “Vodka.”
“Good.” He decided waiting for her to take the lead just wasn’t going to happen, so Jude nudged her to the side and went through the cupboards like it was his first time here, coming up with two tumblers, a carton of cranberry juice, and one of those little lime-juice things. He caught her staring and shrugged. “Just sit down and I’ll make you a drink that you don’t have to choke down.”
“I don’t…” She looked away and then back. “Why?”
“Why what?” He dropped a handful of ice into each glass and poured healthy dashes of vodka. He didn’t necessarily want her sloppy drunk, but the tight set of her shoulders could do with some loosening up.
Right. Because you’re such a fucking white knight.
He wasn’t. The longer he spent in her presence, the clearer it became he didn’t have any intention of leaving her alone. It had been a while since he’d had sex—too long if he was really considering taking this woman to bed.
But ever since the thought occurred to him last night, he hadn’t been able to get it out of his head. He wanted her, and it was only some long-dead honor demanding he stay the hell away from her.
His honor had died with the rest of his family.
Any chance he’d had of resurrecting it had died with his first mark when he was twenty-one.
Jude finished the drinks off with the cranberry juice and a squirt of lime and then found a spoon to stir them. He slid one over. “Try it.”
She took a sip and gave him a cautious smile. “That is a bit better.”
He downed half of his drink in one swallow, not sure if he was searching for the drive to leave or to make a move on her. At this point, it could go either way.
Sloan took another drink, longer this time. Little circles of pink appeared high on her cheeks, giving her some much-needed color. She licked her lips, and he damn near groaned. “You never answered my question. Why are you doing this?”
Jude finished his drink. “I was a dick before for no reason. You caught me off guard. So I’m sorry.”
“You don’t like me.” She smoothed back her dark hair. “You haven’t since we met.”
“I thought you were breaking into my house. I got a little territorial.”
“A little?” Sloan shook her head and drank more. “I don’t think there’s a realm on earth where manhandling me on your front porch in the dark could be qualified as a little.”
He couldn’t very well tell her that he thought she might be one of his targets, wandered into his lair. Lair? Dramatic to the very end. Jude poured more vodka over his ice, not bothering with the juice this time.
She watched him drink it, her gaze lingering on his mouth. It wouldn’t take much. He could touch her in some innocent way, lower his voice so she’d lean close, cup the back of her neck and…
Fuck. Jude finished his drink and set it on the counter. “Thanks for the drink. We should do it again sometime.” And then he walked out before he could talk himself out of it.
Or into a whole different set of mistakes.
Chapter Three
Sloan finished her drink, the alcohol buoying her and making her feel ten feet tall. As tall as Jude. She wandered over to lock the back door, but hesitated. She might not be good at the flirting game, but she wasn’t stupid. He wanted her. He might be holding back for unknown reasons, but he was interested.