Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 90315 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90315 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
I double-check all the alarms around the property, pleased when I see that everything is armed.
Movement in the doorway has me looking up, and the breath is stolen from my lungs.
Fucking hell, this is a bad idea.
Lena’s standing there in a pair of black yoga shorts and a loose T-shirt. Her hair is up in a knot on top of her head, and she’s washed her face.
It’s not a provocative look. The look on her face tells me that she’s not here to seduce me. She’s simply ready for bed.
So why is my cock suddenly awake?
“What’s up?” I ask her, glad that I’m sitting behind my desk.
“Can we order the supplies I need tonight? I’d like to get them as soon as possible.”
I open a browser window on the computer and take a deep breath before I stand, willing my cock to calm the fuck down, and gesture for her to have a seat.
“I can’t use my credit card,” she says, biting her lip as she approaches. She smells like oranges as she shuffles by me to sit down. “It can be traced.”
Smart girl.
“I’ll use mine.”
She shakes her head, but I stand firm.
“I’ll bill your mom, Lena. Don’t worry about it.”
“My supplies aren’t cheap.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I tell her again, and walk away. I don’t need to hover over her while she shops online, and I have to get away from her heat, her scent. “Do you want some tea? I’m going to make some.”
“Sure. That would be great. Thank you.”
I take my time in the kitchen. I’ve said that I don’t want her here because of the potential dangers associated with her, and I can’t have any of that touch the people I love.
I won’t.
But it’s more than that.
I’m fucking drawn to that woman. It’s like she’s a goddamn magnet. Starting literally anything with her is out of the fucking question.
And I need to remember that.
With the tea made, I pad back up to my office and walk in carrying both mugs. Lena glances up and smiles for the first time since I saw her in the White House.
And my stomach clenches.
Did she always smile like that?
“I’m about done here,” she says as she accepts the hot mug from me. “The supplies are already in the cart on this page. Clothes and odds and ends I just grabbed from Amazon. Those don’t have to be fancy.”
My eyebrow lifts in surprise. “No fancy clothes?”
“I mean, we’re on a ranch in Montana, so I don’t think I have to get dressed up. Right?”
“Right.” I want to kiss that smirk off her face.
Fuck.
“I snagged jeans and sweaters and T-shirts. The usual underwear. I also grabbed some skin care and other toiletries. I’m not sure what to get for shoes.”
“Your feet need to be protected. Also, add workout gear.”
“Oh, right. Good call.”
She clicks the mouse several times and then nods.
“Done.”
“That didn’t take long.”
“I know what I like.” She shrugs and sips her tea. “Okay, show me what shoes to buy. We might as well knock this all out now.”
For the next thirty minutes, I hover over her shoulder and point at the screen, trying to ignore her orange scent and how soft her hair looks. She chooses colors and sizes, and several thousand dollars later, she has everything she needs on the way.
“Jesus. Make sure my mom pays you back right away.”
The money doesn’t matter. I’m a wealthy man. But it’s cute that she’s worried about it.
Lena yawns and stands out of the chair, and she’s suddenly pressed against me, her side to my front, and we both still.
“Sorry,” she whispers. “Should have warned you.”
I take a step back, letting her slip by.
“See you in the morning, Blackbird.”
Her cheeks darken at the use of her call sign.
“Good night.”
Chapter Five
Lena
I slept like the dead. And for someone who doesn’t typically sleep well, it felt like heaven. This bed is cozy, the sheets crisp and not too hot, and it’s so quiet here. There’s no traffic noise, no lights from the city.
It’s dark and still, and it settles my nervous system. The best part? No nightmares.
I roll over and check the time on the old-fashioned alarm clock and see that it’s just past four, but that’s six on the East Coast, and that’s when I usually wake up. I only got about five hours of sleep, but it was good sleep. Add that to the few hours on the plane yesterday, and I feel refreshed.
I like to go for a jog in the morning to start my day, so rolling right into working out, which is what I think Gideon meant when he said training, is just fine with me.
I hope my Amazon order arrives quickly, because I don’t have much to wear for workout gear. I had to pack what I had on hand at my parents’ place, and that wasn’t much. Thankfully, I do have a pair of yoga pants and a couple of T-shirts to tide me over, but they don’t fit the best, and they’re old.