Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Dammit. Why did everyone have to be a pain in his ass today?
Under Glenda’s level stare, he strode forward.
“Thought I would bring these folders back before you come knocking on my door,” he teased.
“Don’t pretend to be frightened of me.” Handing him the pad to check in, she gave him a discerning gaze. “I’ve got your number. You remind me of my first husband. He could charm the panties off a mannequin, too.”
Kent burst into laughter, playfully placing a hand over his heart as if she had given him a grievous injury. “Why are you lying to me?”
Her eyes narrowed to slits. “What makes you think I’m lying?”
“There’s no way you’ve been married twice. What man would be stupid enough to let you divorce him?”
Her unsmiling continence broke into a grin. “You’re too smart for your own good,” she said, shaking her head. “You’re lucky I’m happily married. I could bring you to your knees.”
“Really?” He leaned familiarly closer to the desk. “How so?”
Laughing, she took the files from him, checking the list inside. As she did so, he made a studied survey of empty room.
“Where’s your new sidekick?” he asked casually.
Glenda’s expression underwent a drastic change. “Sage was called into HR. She’s not back yet.”
Fuck. He had hoped Bree and Livvy would lay off Sage once she was promoted. Livvy couldn’t deal with the fact she couldn’t control Sage. What Livvy couldn’t control, she maneuvered out of the door. As he took in Glenda’s worried expression, he assumed she was thinking along the same lines.
“Well, hopefully, Bree won’t keep her for long.”
Controlling his irritation at missing Sage, he went with Glenda as they checked the files back into the client’s folder.
They walked back out of the secure room, and he was signing out when Sage came walking through the door.
“What in the fuck happened to you?”
Sage stopped abruptly in her tracks, turning her face downward before stepping around him to take one of the chairs behind the desk.
“I’m sorry I took so long.”
Glenda came behind the desk to pat her on the shoulder. “Don’t be silly. It’s not like you were out dilly-dallying around.”
His blood went ice cold as he took in Sage’s bruised face and her arm in a sling with her hand and wrist bandaged. Clearly, they thought he would ignore her not answering his question.
“I’m not going to ask again. What happened?”
Rewording the question more politely didn’t change the result. Looking pointedly toward the door, they silently asked him to leave.
He crossed his arms over his chest and remained unmoving.
Glenda gave him a furious glower. “Mr. Bryant, Sage doesn’t want to discuss—”
Sage reached out to touch Glenda’s arm. “It’s okay, Glenda.”
Releasing a sigh, she gave a fatalistic shrug. “When I left Bree’s office, almost everyone waylaid me to ask the same question. That’s what took so long.”
“Nosey busybodies,” Glenda said scornfully, arching a glance in his direction.
He didn’t give a fuck what Glenda thought. He gave her a piercing stare that had her retaking her chair behind the desk.
Getting his silent message across, he switched his gaze to Sage. “Have you had lunch yet?”
“No, I’m not due for another hour.”
“Take it now,” he ordered.
“You go ahead, Sage,” Glenda urged. “This morning has been slow. I was going to ask you to switch with mine, anyway. I need to run to get a picture taken for my passport.”
“Come on,” Kent asked in a persuading voice. “I wanted to take you out yesterday to celebrate your first day on the job, but I was stuck in court.”
Indecision filled Sage’s face.
“I hate eating alone. Come on; save me. If you don’t come with me, I’ll have to eat a sandwich at my desk.”
Giving in with both Glenda and him trying to persuade her, she took her purse from a desk drawer and rose from her chair. “All right, I’ll go.”
He gently took the elbow of her unhurt arm as he led her from the office.
“Don’t think I don’t know you just want to find out what happened.”
Releasing her elbow, he pressed the elevator button. Then, turning to face her, he gently pressed the pad of his forefinger to her bruised cheek. Her skin felt warm and soft under his touch. “Are you in pain?”
“No …”
He gave her a sharp glance, daring her to lie to him.
“Some, but it’s not bad,” she admitted.
Taking her by the elbow again when the elevator door opened, he remained silent as they rode down to the parking garage.
“I thought we’d walk—”
“My parking spot is close to the elevator. I didn’t want you to have to walk. I didn’t want to ask if all your injuries are visible.” Kent didn’t give her time to finish her sentence as he ushered her out of the elevator.
Stopping by his dark gray SUV, he opened the passenger door for her, then waited until she was comfortably seated before he clicked the door closed. He walked behind the car to open the driver’s door, and once inside, he clicked on his seat belt before turning toward her.