Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
I tilt my head. “Well, probably.”
“Definitely,” she says. “So, you shouldn't feel guilty about accepting your dad’s help. And who knows, maybe this guy will be able to sort this out quickly and then you can go back to being your normal, introverted self,” she teases, bringing the conversation back to a lighter mood. “Well, introverted unless you're wearing a mask and partying at a nightclub.”
I smile and shake my head. “That was a one-time thing.”
“Says the woman who texts her mystery man every single day but refuses to meet him in person.”
“Not refusing,” I say. “I'm simply simmering in the anticipation. Because who knows, the second we officially meet, all of this amazing chemistry could go right out the window. And then I wouldn't have these fun, flirty texts to look forward to every day.”
“Or you could end up falling for the masked man who blew your mind on the roof of a club two months ago and live happily ever after.”
I laugh. “You're all about happily ever after now that you've secured your own,” I tease. “How is Brad?”
“Brad is fantastic,” she answers in a sing-song voice. “And can you blame me for wanting the same level of happiness for you?”
“I love you,” I say. “I have to prep for my next patient.”
“I love you too,” she returns the gesture. “Let me know when you meet the security guy, I want all the deets. And if Silver texts you tonight, I want to hear about that too!”
“Will do.”
We hang up, and I chuckle softly to myself at her enthusiasm for my mystery man. I have to admit it’s getting harder and harder to come up with logical excuses not to meet him every time he brings it up. Especially when a simple text from him brings me such daily joy.
But with everything going on—an ex-patient stalker and a new security detail coming tomorrow—striking up a relationship, even a casual one, with someone I haven't been able to stop thinking about for two months seems like the definition of biting off more than I can chew.
And that night, Silver definitely proved he was one big bite.
CHAPTER 3
Owen
I've already been at my club since an hour before dawn when my best friend and number one employee, Caleb Banks, walks through the front doors.
“The hell man, did you sleep here again last night?” he asks as he comes to stand at the bar, looking at me where I sit on a stool going over some paperwork.
“I slept at my apartment,” I say, finishing checking over the list in front of me before I slide it over to him. “I just wanted to get the jump on things before I have to head out on assignment.” I tap the paper as he sits on a bar stool to look it over. “I know you've done this before, but it gives me peace of mind to go over it with you, so here's the checklist.”
“The same checklist we've gone over the last three times you've had to rush off on an assignment,” Caleb says. “Do you remember when I pulled you out of that enemy fire match in Afghanistan?”
“Yes,” I grumble.
“You think I can do that but not manage your club while you’re gone?” He has a shit-eating grin on his face. If he wasn’t a brother to me, I might consider punching him just to wipe it off.
“I know you can,” I say. “This shit isn’t for your benefit. You know I’m a control freak.”
“Oh, I fucking know,” he says, laughing. “You never let me drive when we were overseas.”
“We’re alive because I never let you drive.”
“Whatever, Salty,” he says, using the nickname he’d given me when we were first assigned to a unit together in our Air Force days.
I’ve never been a huge people person, and Caleb is as friendly as they come. He’d tried to make friends with me that first day on assignment, and I’d barely given him a two-word response. He’s called me Salty ever since. He shakes his head, motioning to the list.
“Let’s go over this so you can breathe,” he says a little more seriously.
“Thank you,” I say begrudgingly. He’s the one person I’ve remained in contact with since separating from the military, and since my parents passed years ago, and I have no siblings to speak of, he’s as close to family as I’ll ever get. I give him shit, but I appreciate his understanding when it comes to my control needs. Chalk it up to too much chaos when I was enlisted, but ever since I’ve been out, I’ve needed to execute my life with a severe level of control or I can’t breathe.
“This is what you trained me for,” Caleb says after we’ve gone over the list. “It’s why you partnered with me in the first place, besides the fact that you wanted to see your bestie every day,” he laughs. “I’m here for when you get called off on assignment for six months to a year at a time. I’ll take care of your baby.” He motions to the nightclub around us that’s empty. “This baby being your club.”