Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
She stared up at him and a small smile touched her lips. “Not really part of your job description.”
“Screw that.”
“And you’ll lose your job. My mother doesn’t like when people refuse to do what she wants them to do.”
“It might lose me this job. But I can tell you right now that Kent will back me the whole way.”
“He sounds like a good boss.”
“He’s an even better man and he takes care of people. So don’t worry about my job. Now, start stripping.”
23
Bebe felt numb.
And it wasn’t because she was cold.
She was numb on the inside.
Had she overreacted to the TV ad? Yeah, probably.
But at that moment, she just needed to get away. Do something to get rid of all the thoughts pounding through her head and just feel free.
Had she thought about jumping off the bridge?
Not really.
She didn’t want to die. She simply wanted to breathe. To feel free from all the emotions bombarding her.
Anger. Fear. Worry.
But mostly betrayal.
Complete and utter betrayal.
It didn’t matter what was announced. Her mother couldn’t make her do anything. Sure, she could send her passive-aggressive messages. She could attempt to push her into doing things. And she could make digs at Bebe all she liked for not having a job, a career, a life.
But that didn’t mean Bebe had to believe the shit she spouted.
Or do anything that she didn’t want to do.
“Bebe, you’re not getting undressed,” Corbin suddenly said.
She startled. Where the heck had he come from? “When did you get back in the car?”
“Just now, baby. And I’m worried about the fact that you didn’t even notice. You were out of it, away with the fairies. You need to get those clothes off.”
“I can’t d-do that here.” Although she was concerned that she was drifting with her mind unable to settle on one thing.
What was wrong with her?
“Here, let me hold up this blanket to cover you. No one will see you, just take some things off, okay?”
He held the blanket around her for privacy and she tried, she really did. But her fingers didn’t want to work.
“I c-can’t.”
“Shit.”
“Just d-drive home.”
“I’m not letting you freeze half to death on the way there.”
“The h-heater is on.”
“It’s not enough.” He drew the blanket away and reached for his shirt that she was wearing.
“C-Corbin.”
“I’m just taking care of you.”
He said it like it was something he did all the time. Maybe he did. Perhaps she wasn’t as special as she’d like to be.
He reached for the buttons of his shirt. “Sometimes it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.”
Huh?
What was he trying to say? She knew the saying but her brain wasn’t working.
“She c-can’t make me d-do it,” she muttered.
“Of course she can’t,” he soothed. “Which is why you can’t let her get to you. Besides, the only person who will look stupid when you don’t turn up on her new show is her.”
Right. Only he didn’t know her mother. She had a way of twisting things. Of making herself look good.
What did she stand to gain?
Either her mother thought she’d pressure her into doing the show or she had a storyline to use . . . something that would bring in the watchers.
She couldn’t figure out what was going on. It was too hard with everything else.
“I need you to lift your butt up, baby.”
Bebe glanced down at herself. “Why am I-I half-naked? How?”
All she was wearing was her bra and jeans.
“I stripped you off.”
“I d-don’t think that’s p-part of your job description.”
“Hush, Bebe.”
He was always telling her to hush. Kind of rude.
She wasn’t sure how much more time had disappeared, but before she knew it, he was crouching beside her open door, pulling off her jeans while the blanket was wrapped around her top half, shielding her from the cold.
“There you are.”
She glanced down again and saw that her jeans, socks and boots were off and the blanket covered her from her feet to her chin.
He brushed her hair back. “Everything is going to be all right, baby. Okay?”
She nodded, her teeth chattering. She probably shouldn’t let him call her baby.
But she liked it way too much.
He shut the door, which cut out the chilly night air. With the heater going and her wet clothes mostly removed, she instantly started to feel better.
When Corbin was back in the driver’s seat, she turned to him. “W-what about you?”
“Me? I’m fine, baby. Don’t worry about me.”
“You’re so n-nice to me. I don’t understand w-why?”
“Because you deserve it. You deserve all the kindness in the world.” Reaching out, he squeezed her hand lightly.
“She’ll f-find some way to punish me.”
Shoot. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
“Your mother?” he asked grimly.
“I think that’s why you and H-Hayes are here.”
Damn. Speaking of Hayes . . .
“He won’t be happy with me. I broke the r-rules.”
She was going to be in trouble.