Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 142866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
“Have you thought any more about my invitation?” I pose the question I’ve wanted to ask since she sat down to eat. I made it through breakfast without asking, for which I should be awarded a medal. I want us to have time together. Last night felt tectonic. Like the earth shifted beneath our feet. I want to give it time to settle, time for us to settle into being an us.
“I have thought about it.” Hendrix leans forward to rest her elbows on the kitchen counter. “And I think I can make it work, but there are some conditions.”
“Such as?”
“I need to get my hair braided. I already had an appointment scheduled for tomorrow. Can we leave Atlanta tomorrow?”
I don’t point out that I’ll be chartering a plane, so yes, we can leave whenever we want to. I nod.
“And I want to keep a low profile. I just don’t want any media speculation, especially since we don’t know how Zere will react to all of this.”
“We won’t be bothered at my place. I have a chef who can prepare all our meals. There’s almost no one on my stretch of beach. We could practically walk around naked and be fine,” I say, up-and-downing my brows suggestively.
“Oh, that’s my other condition.” She glances down at her hands resting on the counter, her expression going grave. “Maybe we jumped the gun last night. I want to get this right. We need to clear our minds and make sure it’s not just physical attraction driving this. I think we should abstain this week.”
My heart sinks… to my dick, but I keep my face impassive and nod. If that’s what she needs, I can do that, but it will hurt.
“Psych!” Hendrix yells, and points at me. “We gon’ be fucking! Second time today I got you. To be Mr. Vegas, you have no poker face.”
It takes a moment to sink in, but as soon as I grasp how she played me… again… I stride down the counter to grab her and give her a playful shake. She loops her arms around my neck and I laugh, leaning into the scented curve of her neck.
“You know I’d be fine if you didn’t want to,” I tell her, pulling back to search her face. “Like if this is going too fast at any point, or if you don’t like anything that’s happening, tell me.”
“I will.” She brushes her thumb over my eyebrow and her bold features soften. “But right now, we’re doing okay.”
CHAPTER 33
HENDRIX
So can you catch me up?” Skipper asks. “Because I must have missed something between you barely knowing Maverick Bell, and you staying at his house for a week.”
“About that,” I mutter, searching through my desk without looking up.
“You’re dating Maverick Bell, Hendrix?”
The word “dating” makes me pause my search. I still can’t quite wrap my mind around that concept, but I don’t know what else to call it. We’re together and don’t plan to stop, so I guess that’s dating.
“Well, yeah.” I resume rifling through my desk drawer. “I had a charger. One of those little ones and now I can’t… Ugh.”
“And you’ll be away from the office for the next week?”
I glance up from my hunt. “But I’ll be working the whole time.”
“Isn’t this all happening a little fast? And your braids look great, by the way.”
“Thanks. That African braider off Clairmont,” I say, pulling my fresh knotless braids over one shoulder. “And are you seriously asking me if this is fast after you smashed Bolt within five minutes of meeting him?”
She lifts her chin, defiance in her stare. “That was a mistake and won’t be happening again, but we’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you. Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“Believe me, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking this through, weighing the possible consequences.” I sit back in my seat and give her my full attention. “I want this and I’m going to let myself have it. To have him. I’m not saying it’s forever, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s what I want right now.”
“Have you told Zere? Chapel?”
“No, I’ll call them as soon as I find that charger.”
Skipper walks around to my side of the desk, opens the bottom drawer, shoves aside a few papers, and pulls out the charger.
“Ta-dah.” She tosses it onto my desk. “Guess you can call now.”
There was some part of me that was stalling, delaying the conversation I know I need to have with Zere. How that call goes determines what I’ll need to tell Chapel. There was a time not too long ago when I would never have put business at risk for a romantic relationship. I still can’t say I’m one hundred percent sure I won’t have any regrets, but never knowing what Maverick and I could have been won’t be one of them.