Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 147967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 740(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 740(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
“I don’t . . . I don’t know what to say.”
He tilted up her head with his finger under her chin. She stared into his face, feeling herself heating up from the inside out.
God. She wanted him so much.
She could feel the heat from where parts of his body touched her. His knees brushing against hers, his finger under her chin, his hand on hers.
“Just say ‘thank you, Matthieu.’”
“Thank you, Matthieu.”
“’You’re the sexiest, most wonderful man I’ve ever met,’” he added.
She forced herself to roll her eyes as though what he’d just said was a joke.
Not to her, it wasn’t.
To her, he was the sexiest, most wonderful man she’d ever met.
“Eat your dinner,” Matthieu told her firmly as she pushed her food around her plate.
It was Friday night and she had four classes to teach tomorrow. Millie and Livvy were planning on going to the Saturday puppy yoga class.
She was starting to wonder if their plan was going to work. Should she really let Millie follow David?
But it wasn’t like David knew her car. He probably didn’t even remember her. Maya couldn’t do it, even if she could get rid of Matthieu, David might recognize her car.
“I’m not that hungry, sorry.”
“You barely ate any lunch,” Matthieu said with a concerned look. “Is this about the stepmonster?”
Maya felt her lips twitch. “I guess I’m just waiting for a phone call from my father, berating me.”
Matthieu’s frown deepened. “If that happens, he can talk to me.”
She shook her head. “That’s not part of your job.”
“It is if I say it is. And I’m saying it is. Now, eat. Or am I going to have to come over there and feed you?”
Um. Yes, please.
“No, that’s okay. I can feed myself. I’m a big girl.”
“Are you?” he practically purred.
She sat there in shock, but he shook his head. As though he couldn’t believe he’d just said that.
Before she could say anything, and she didn’t know what to say to that, anyway, Gummy started barking and then there was a knock on the door. She tensed as Matthieu got up.
“Go to the bedroom and wait,” he told her.
She jumped up and rushed into the bedroom with Tank and Big B, rather than her own. Dougie was with her while Gummy remained out with Matthieu.
She shut the door, her heart racing.
Tank and Big B looked her way. Tank even walked from his cage over to her, sniffing at her.
“It’s okay,” she reassured them.
Someone with bad intentions wouldn’t knock, right?
She could hear muffled voices and they didn’t sound angry, but she still jumped as a knock came on the bedroom door.
Tank growled and she put her hand on his head in surprise.
“It’s okay, Tank,” Matthieu said. “Maya, your brother is here.”
Her brother?
Shock filled her as she opened the door and stepped out. Dougie immediately moved to her brother, sniffing his feet.
Marlin gave him a surprised look. “He’s . . . unusual looking.”
“That’s Dougie. His eyesight is limited, but he has excellent hearing and a good sense of smell,” she said, feeling shocked at her brother’s presence.
“And that’s Gummy.” She nodded at the small dog glaring at her brother. “She doesn’t have many teeth.”
Princess Priss glanced up from where she was lying on the sofa. “Princess Priss. She has three legs, she’s also a total diva who is in love with Matthieu.”
Matthieu snorted. Maya knew she was rambling, but she was weirdly nervous about having her brother in her house.
But Marlin didn’t act like he thought she was being weird. He just nodded and looked behind her, his mouth twitching. “Is that a pig?”
“That’s Big Berry. She’s a very smart pig and she’s best friends with Tank. He likely won’t come out. He’s not good with strangers. Why are you here? What . . . I mean, it’s nice you’re here but unexpected.” That was awkward.
“Yeah, sorry. I should have messaged you first. I just wanted to come and check on you.”
“Are you okay?”
There was a beat of silence.
“Funny, that’s what I was going to ask you,” her brother said.
“You were?” she asked. “Why?”
“Why?” he repeated. “Maybe because of this person threatening you.”
Well. That surprised her. Although he had texted a few times since she’d seen him the other week to check in. Which had been surprising and nice.
“They aren’t really threatening me,” she said to him. “It’s Dad who is being threatened.”
“You were mentioned,” Marlin said darkly.
“So were you.”
“I’m a cop. I carry a gun. I can protect myself. You can’t.”
“That’s why I’ve got Matthieu.” She glanced over to where he sat on the sofa. Drat, she should ask Marlin to sit. “Although, I was half-expecting a call from Dad telling me that he was pulling the plug on my security.”
“Why would he do that? Because Kathryn paid you a visit today? What did she say?”
“How did you know that she paid me a visit?” she asked, surprised.