Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66642 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“Good morning.”
She managed to sit, unable to meet his eyes for long. She moved away to put on a light sweater.
“Why are you leaving so early?”
“Ginny taught me how to make biscuits yesterday. I want to get there early enough so I can make them. She’s not able to come in this morning; her daughter caught the bug Freddie had.”
“Give me ten minutes, and I’ll come in with you.”
“No, you don’t—”
“I don’t have to. I want to. I don’t want you going out so early alone. I won’t take long.”
She was tempted to leave while he was getting dressed. How could she still want him after spending the night with him? She felt as if having sex only increased her appetite for him.
Inwardly, she groaned. She had known the man was catnip. She should have closed the restaurant and sold it the first day he had come inside.
“It wouldn’t have mattered.”
She was so focused on her thoughts that she hadn’t heard him reenter the room.
“You don’t know what I was thinking.”
“You’re already regretting last night.”
Sophie turned to place the glass into the sink.
Coming up behind her, Jody slid his arms around her waist.
“I don’t want to talk about last night.”
She felt him laugh against her back.
Straining against him, she turned around in his arms. “I hate you.”
His expression turned serious. “No, you don’t. You wish you did, and that makes you angry. I’m not your shining knight, and you resent that. I might not be a chaste knight, but I have other virtues that are just as important. I’m loyal to those I love, I’m strong enough to protect those I do, and I don’t shirk from doing what needs to be done.”
“You’re also not shy.”
Jody chuckled. “No, I’m not. Give me a couple more nights, and you won’t be either.”
Glowering at him, she shoved him aside to move toward the couch. “If you’re going with me, you better hurry, or I’ll leave you,” she threatened.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Sophie tried not to look at his naked backside as he walked to the bedroom but failed miserably. She was still debating her sanity when he came back.
“Ready?” he asked, pulling on a thin jacket.
“Where did you get the clothes? You weren’t wearing those last night when you came over.”
“I have of box of clothes under the bed.”
Sophie stared at him suspiciously. “Isn’t that convenient.”
“Yes, it is.” He grinned, going to the door.
When she didn’t rise from the couch, he looked at her curiously. “Ready?”
“Yes.” Pressing her lips together to prevent herself from grimacing, she used the arm of the chair to get to her feet.
“Sore?”
Expecting to see him gloating, she saw he was frowning in concern instead.
“A little,” she admitted, forcing her legs to move.
“You can’t work like this.”
“Watch me.”
“I don’t think so. You need a hot bath to loosen your muscles.”
“In case it escaped your notice, you don’t have a bathtub.”
“No, but Jacob has a hot tub.”
“I’m not going to Jacob’s to get in his hot tub.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m going to work.”
Jody blocked the door. “Not until you get in the hot tub.”
“I’m not going—”
“Do you have a swimsuit?”
“No.”
“I’ll call Ginny and see if she has a spare one.”
“Don’t you dare!” she yelled when he reached for his cell phone.
“I won’t wake her up. Gavin’s probably awake; he can get it for me.”
Sophie buried her face in her hands. “I don’t want them to know you spent the night here.”
At his silence, she peeked through her fingers to see his abashed expression.
“They already know,” he admitted.
Her hands dropped. “How would they know?”
“I’m sure they heard you yelling last night. You made a hell of a ruckus.”
“Please tell me you’re joking?”
“Maybe not all of them heard, but Jacob and Isaac did. And, knowing them, they told the rest of the family.”
Sophie wanted to lie down and die.
She started looking around.
“What are you looking for?”
“My pillow.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Sophie took a bite of the roast beef on her plate as she listened to the conversation at the table. She shot a sharp glance at Jody when he placed an arm on the back of her chair, but he only scooted his chair closer to her. He was making it plain to his family they were a couple before she was ready to admit it to herself.
He was pushing every boundary she had for herself. He wouldn’t stop until she got in the hot tub this morning, nor would he take no for an answer when he wanted her to close the restaurant early so they could have dinner with his family.
What made her more wary was she had given in both instances.
“Have you heard anything from the school yet?” Silas asked as he passed the rolls.
“No,” Alanna answered, pulling her hair from her toddler’s sticky grasp. “They probably won’t contact me until they start filling vacant teaching positions.”