Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
She softened. “I’m good. I’m sorry about before.”
“You need something from me, then tell me.”
“Yeah, I’m not really good at asking for help.”
He snorted. “I know that, Gem. Get better.”
Get better?
Really? That was his advice?
“I want to help with the sanding,” she said as he got up and got dressed.
“Nope.”
“Why not? Shouldn’t I learn how to do it in case I want to do the rest of the floors?” It made total sense to her.
“Nope.”
“Okay.” She sat up and glared at him as he got dressed. Damn, her ass hurt. But she pushed that aside. “You have to say more than ‘nope’.”
“I do?”
“Yes. Why can’t I help sand my own floors?”
“Because it’s a man’s job.”
“Renard.”
“Opal.”
They glared at each other.
“You do realize this is the twenty-first century, right?” she asked. “There are no longer men-only jobs.”
“Baby, this is Haven.”
“Yes, so?”
“So in this town, there are very much men-only jobs. And it isn’t about women not being capable. It’s about men wanting to take care of their women by doing shit that they don’t have to. Like taking out the trash. Or shoveling the snow from the driveway. This is a job for a man, you have a man that wants to do it for you, so you say thank you and you get him a soda. Because sanding is thirsty work and your man doesn’t drink alcohol. Which is a bastard, because after sanding all you really want is a beer.”
It all sounded ridiculous.
Yet at the same time, it made sense. And she’d get him the soda, because she understood the craving for a drink after doing a messy job.
“I’ll have your soda waiting.”
“Thank you.”
“But I do have one question.”
“What?” he snapped.
“What’s your stand on staining? Man job or woman?”
He rolled his eyes. “Obviously, that one is gender neutral.”
“Right. Good to know.” She looked around for her clothes before remembering that they were in the kitchen.
“Gem?”
“Yeah?” she said distractedly as she got out some clean underwear.
“Do you need a session?”
She turned to him. “What?”
“At the club. Do you need one?”
She tilted her head to the side. Did she need to go to the club? “I don’t think I need one, but I would like one.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do. My next night off.”
“Really?”
He walked toward her, then cupped her face between his hands. “Don’t look so surprised. I want to give you what you need, what you want. All you have to do is ask.”
He kissed her lightly, then walked away.
All she had to do was ask?
Was this really her life? Her own little place. Friends who cared about her. A man who wanted to give her what she needed.
All she had to do was ask.
24
Opal nestled back onto her sun lounger.
She had a diet soda sitting on an old crate next to her and she wore a two-piece bikini that she’d treated herself to.
Now, this was the life.
It was Sunday afternoon and she’d just gotten home from the Alec and Mia’s. She’d gone to Sunday lunch. Alone. Unfortunately Renard had gotten called into work since the other chef was running late.
Settling her sunglasses on her face, she sighed.
God, she loved being warm. And wearing whatever she liked as she sat in her own backyard with her swimming pool glistening under the sun.
All right, it wasn’t much of a swimming pool. But when she’d seen it in Mr. Oldsman’s shed, she’d known it would work for her. She’d thought about buying something bigger, however they were all out of her price range.
This was enough. And it was free.
Mr. Oldsman had been so grateful to her for helping him with his gardening that he’d given her the pool.
Grabbing her book, she started to read. She’d just gotten to the part where the heroine had discovered that the hero was actually a dragon.
She could not wait to see how that went.
“Gem! Gem, what the hell?” a voice growled at her, startling her.
Shit!
She jumped and looked around. What was going on?
Where was she?
Oh. Crap.
She’d fallen asleep. She wasn’t getting much sleep at night thanks to her nightmares so it was no surprise.
Stefan just didn’t want to let her go.
The bastard.
“What?” She spun to see Renard standing there, glaring down at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Knocked on the door. You didn’t answer.”
“Um, that’s because I’m out here.”
“Sleeping?”
“Yep.”
“Got sunscreen on?”
“Yep.” She gestured to the bottle of sunscreen sitting on the crate next to her.
He grunted. “When did you last apply it?”
“I don’t know. About an hour ago. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. But I knew you should be back from lunch so I knocked, and you didn’t answer. Texted. You didn’t answer. I just don’t like that.”
“Malina turned up.”
He grunted. “Finally.” He turned to glare at the pool. “What the fuck is that?”
“That’s my new pool. Isn’t it great?”
“Gem. That’s a kids’ paddling pool.”
“I know. I found it in Mr. Oldsman’s shed. He gave it to me. I love looking at the water.”