Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
“I did not,” Salem said firmly. “She stays. And you will not berate her like that again. If you have any problems with her work performance, speak to me.”
“All right, I have a problem with her work performance.”
“I don’t want to hear it.” Salem stormed away.
Yeah, just as he’d suspected. She had Salem wrapped around her little finger.
And he didn’t like that at all.
7
Roman was startled to find her in his room.
He didn’t know why. She was just here to clean. He’d actually gone downstairs, hoping to see her.
Urgh.
What was wrong with him?
Only problem was, she wasn’t cleaning. Instead, she was looking at his bookshelves. Which were filled with Daddy Dom books.
He could feel himself growing red. What was she going to think of him? He cleared his throat and she stood suddenly.
“I’m so sorry!” she cried. “I was cleaning, I promise I was.”
She’d been here for over a week.
And in that time, he wasn’t sure that she’d done all that much cleaning. Not that he cared. He had managed to do some of the cleaning himself.
“It’s all right.” He held his hands up, concerned about why she was so jumpy.
“I was just looking at the books. I wasn’t going to touch them or anything.”
“It’s okay if you touch them,” he told her.
“Really?” Her face lit up.
“Sure. You can borrow some if you want to read them.”
She sighed sadly. “I’m not the best reader.”
Concern filled him. And he hated the flash of shame on her face. He knew what it was like to be ashamed of who he was, and he didn’t want her to feel the same.
“I could read one to you.” He winced as he said that. What a dorky offer. Like she was going to take him up on it.
“That would be amazing! Can we start with this one?” She drew out a CJ Bennett book which was one of his favorites. It was a western reverse harem with three daddies and one Little. Then she sat on the edge of his unmade bed.
“Um, now?” he asked as he walked over and took the book.
“Oh, sorry! Of course not now. You’re working and so am I.” She let out a small, embarrassed laugh. “I’ve got to go and do something downstairs, but maybe later.”
She raced off and chagrin filled him. Great. He’d embarrassed her.
Idiot.
Why didn’t you just read her the book? What would it have hurt?
“Wait! Tamsyn!” He ran through his bedroom and office, then out into the hallway. He saw her at the top of the stairs.
Was she going to slow down?
Bloody hell! She was going to hurt herself!
“Tamsyn!” He raced after her, getting to the top of the stairs just in time to see her slip over and slide down the last few steps. “Bloody hell! Are you all right?”
Of course she’s not all right, you knob!
He rushed down the stairs and crouched in front of her on the floor.
“Where does it hurt? Do you need an ambulance? I’m going to call one! Where is my phone?”
Lord. He sounded like a blathering idiot!
“I’m fine,” she groaned, pushing herself up so she stood. He held out his hands, not touching her but doing his best to be there in case she fell.
“Just a bit embarrassed, TBH.”
“To be honest? There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he told her. “Although you really shouldn’t have been running down the stairs.”
Blathering badgers.
What was he doing, scolding her, when he was the one who had made her run?
“You need to sit down. I’ll get you some painkillers. Are you sure you’re not hurt? Does anything feel like it’s broken?”
“Definitely not broken. I know what broken bones feel like.”
“You do? Did you break a lot as a child?”
“Um, yes.” She gave him a strange look. “Also, I don’t need any painkillers.”
He followed her into the kitchen, watching her carefully. But she didn’t appear to be moving too stiffly. She sat on a stool at the kitchen island while he grabbed some painkillers and gave them to her along with a bottle of water.
Then he turned on the kettle and got out some cups.
“You don’t have to do that,” she said as she slid off the stool. “I have to get back to work.”
“Do not move,” he barked.
They both froze and she stood there, half on, half off the stool.
“I mean, sit.”
He really should be more careful with this new superpower.
“I don’t want you to work for the rest of the day,” he told her.
“But it’s only three.”
“You took quite a spill. You should rest. I’ll call you a cab to take you home after your cup of tea.”
A cup of tea could fix most things, he’d found.
“No need! I skated today.”
“You . . . skated today,” he asked as he made the tea.
“Yes.”
“To here? From home?”
“Well, yes. I mean I did have to take the underground for part of it. I did really well. Only fell over twice.”