Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“Good.”
“One thing, when I talk to Gracie, I’ll make sure she knows you called and exactly what I told you.”
“I don’t care,” I respond.
I plan on telling her myself. I’m not about keeping secrets. I never have been. The only secret I’ve ever kept from the people I love is the fact that Dragon is King’s father. That was and always has been King’s story to tell, not mine.
“Fair enough. I guess you should grab a seat. This may take a while,” he warns. I don’t respond. I just sit back and wait, anxious to hear everything I can about Grace. As he begins to tell me about her ex, I realize I am in no way prepared.
Fuck.
7
GRACE
Two Days Later
My entire body jerks as Ford walks into the diner. He’s the last person I want to see today. I also can’t deny that I’ve missed him. I’m a freaking head case.
“I thought I told you to—”
“You told me a lot, Grace. I had no idea about your past. I actually thought Detective Garcia might be the man in your life. One day soon, I expect you to tell me about your past, but just know that right now I’m not involved in it. I’m here because I plan on being part of your future.
“I … You …”
“Have dinner with me tonight,” he says, and it wouldn’t surprise me at this point if my eyes pop out of my head. Clearly, this man is nuts.
“That’s not going to happen.”
“You can fight it, but that’s just going to make me want you more. Anything worth having is worth fighting for.”
“Which insane asylum did you escape from? Maybe I can call your doctor and make sure they upgrade your suite there. You know, give you all the bells and whistles.”
“I always wanted a woman with a sense of humor.”
“I’m not having dinner with you, Ford.”
“Why not?”
“I work all day. Evening is time with my son,” I respond, not wanting to point out that it isn’t safe to date men who are completely nutso. “Plus, I told you I have a man in my life. I don’t want another.”
“Pizza at your house, it is. I’ll be there around seven. Is there something special your son likes on his?”
“Something special?”
“Yeah, like all cheese? All pepperoni? I may have only had one daughter, but she taught me that kids can be picky little shits. She wouldn’t eat a pizza unless it was just cheese—nothing else. Thank God she outgrew that.”
“You’re not coming to my house for dinner.”
“Yeah, I am,” he says. It’s as if he thinks I’m in denial. He rakes his hand through his hair, grinning at me like an idiot.
“You’re not and there’s no way I’m telling you where I live,” I huff.
“Oh, honey. Sometime soon you’re going to learn who you’re dealing with. I don’t need you to tell me. I’ll see you at seven,” he promises.
Before I realize what he’s doing, Ford reaches over the counter, snakes his hand along the side of my neck, and pulls my mouth to his. My body tightens as I resist him as much as I can. His steel grip doesn’t let me, however. I keep my lips tightly closed, despite the hunger to kiss him fully. Ford doesn’t really give me a choice. He sucks my lip into his mouth, capturing it and biting on it, making me gasp.
Immediately, his tongue thrusts into my mouth, and I’m lost. It’s a kiss like I’ve never experienced before. It causes a fire to fill my body and makes me throb for something I shouldn’t want. My panties get wetter by the second. I have no business letting Ford kiss me. I definitely have no right feeling things that make me long for … No. I slap my hands against Ford’s wide, rock-hard chest and push him. He lets me pull away, but I watch as he rubs his lips together. His dark eyes bore into me. I feel like they see more than I ever intended to show him.
“You taste better than I thought you would and believe me, Grace, I’ve been thinking about it all the fucking time.”
“Ford, I don’t think—”
“This is happening. You’re not changing that. You want it, too, even if you’re trying to fight it. I’ll be over tonight with food.”
“But you don’t even—”
“See you soon, sweetheart.”
I watch as he walks out. I’m pretty sure I’m in shock. I touch my lips with the pads of my fingers. I can’t believe what just happened. The urge to run is so strong that it’s nearly overpowering. I can’t do it, though. I have Asher to think about. He’s young, but it wouldn’t be fair to uproot him again. It just wouldn’t.
I shake my head. I’m overreacting. Ford probably thinks I’m just an easy lay. Someone he can get in his bed and scratch an itch. Once he finds out that’s not going to happen, he’ll leave me alone.