Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
“Depends on what you’re trying to get done. Having a beautiful woman in my lap is far more important to me than expense reports, meetings, all that boring bullshit.” I could visualize it now, her dress riding up and exposing her slender thighs as she straddled my hips.
“Sounds like you wouldn’t be in business long.”
I shrugged. “I do have my other job, so…”
She grabbed her glass and took another drink, this time finishing it off. She didn’t ask me about my other occupation, and this time, it seemed purposeful.
“You want another?”
She pushed the empty glass away. “No. I’ve already had two. That’s my limit. Any more than that and I lose my mind and think I’m a wizard.”
I chuckled. “I’d like to see that. I have a wand for you to use.”
She smiled slightly at my joke. “Thank you for not asking a million questions about my divorce.” Maybe the alcohol had suddenly hit her hard and made her vulnerable. When I’d shown up at her restaurant, she had been a spitfire of anger and sass, but now she was calm and interesting…the way she was at the bank. “Every time I go out with a guy, they fixate on that. They ask me a million questions, and it feels like an interrogation.”
“You can tell me as little or as much as you want.” I had to admit I was curious, but I was glad I hadn’t asked. It seemed to make her more comfortable around me. I hadn’t looked into her husband’s account to figure out what he did or what he was like. I thought it might make me jealous, so I refrained. “I would like to know how long you’ve been divorced, but you don’t have to tell me that.” It seemed like it was fresh because she was still on his account and she’d just bought her own place, but she talked about other men, so some time must have passed.
“It’s been six months.”
I could barely control my reaction. That was a long time, and I was surprised she wasn’t able to get herself off his account until recently. Why hadn’t she gotten her own place before now? A million questions came into my mind, but I didn’t ask any of them.
“What about you?”
It’d been a long time since Hades said he wanted nothing to do with me, at least eight months. I’d expected him to come around at some point, but he was just as cold as ever. Every time I saw him, it seemed to get worse. His hatred only grew, and my resentment matched. “About eight months.”
She nodded slowly. “It’s rough.”
Hades wasn’t a lover or a spouse, but he was my closest friend. He was family. When he couldn’t forgive me, part of me died and never came back. My regret turned to rage, and I became so cold that I felt like I had ice in my veins. I understood how she felt when she said she didn’t want to talk about her divorce, because I didn’t want to talk about him.
She studied my face. “I can see it in your eyes.”
I stopped trying to control my expression and realized how black my heart had just turned. I focused on her face and felt my fingers grip my glass. “See what?”
“Everything.”
4
Annabella
He paid the tab, and we left the bar.
I tried to pay for my drinks, but he threw down a wad of cash and wouldn’t let me go near my clutch.
I didn’t fight the money dance for long because I knew Damien would win, and I really didn’t have that much money to spare—not that I would tell him that. I had way too much pride to act broke. He probably would never have known if he hadn’t seen my bank account. I guess it was a bit flattering that he knew I had nothing, but he still wanted to be with me. He wasn’t afraid I would only be interested in him for his money.
We stepped outside onto the deserted sidewalk. It was late, far later than I usually stayed out, but the drinks and good conversation made me lose track of time.
“I just live a few blocks from here. I can walk.”
He stood in front of me with his hands in the pockets of his pants. He was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt, but the outfit was far sexier than the suit. In the short sleeves, his strong arms were visible, the muscles and the veins under the skin. He also had a beautiful tan, as if he ran outside in the mornings. His strong chest was also noticeable under the fabric because it stretched the shirt in perfect ways. His pants were low on his hips but tight on his muscled thighs. It was obvious he had a perfect body with an eight-pack and an enormous chest without even taking off his shirt. “We both know how this is gonna end.”