Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 164838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
I managed to ignore her message until I got home.
I refused to obsess about it as I dumped the small amount of groceries I’d picked up and devoured a simple Greek salad from the deli.
I headed upstairs, convincing myself I was just going to have a shower, watch some shit TV, then fall into bed and sleep.
The same thing I’d done the past eight days.
Eight long days of no contact, no hellos or goodbyes or spying Sailor in her garden. I’d had lots of early shifts and forced myself to angle my cameras back to watch over my place so she no longer triggered them.
I had no way to indulge in my addiction to her and going cold turkey was way harder than I thought it would be. It gave me better appreciation to those patients who came in high. Those who needed help getting off the substances that’d ruined their lives.
I didn’t think I’d ever be able to wean myself off Sailor, and that was why I needed to move.
I wouldn’t sell this place, but I needed time.
Time to get my head on straight and figure out how not to be the jackass secretly in love with his neighbour.
All of those thoughts and all of those convictions splintered the second I went to my bedroom window and saw Sailor standing in hers. Hiding in the shadows, I couldn’t help myself as I watched her smooth down a little black dress. Slinky and elegant, it skimmed her knees. Thin spaghetti straps clung to her shoulders. Her sandy hair hung in soft curls and her eyes darkened with eyeshadow.
I’d never seen her look more delicious or more dangerous.
She dressed up for me.
She’d texted X, commanded his presence, and dressed up for his arrival, for my arrival—
Goddammit, why was this so hard?
I went to yank my glasses off and rub my stinging eyes but froze as she lifted something off her dressing table. Something long and silver and…
The dildo I bought her.
Her gaze shot to my bedroom window; I tripped backward.
I tripped so badly, I ended up on my ass on the floor.
I gave up.
Falling onto my back, I snarled at the ceiling.
Fuck, can this get any worse?
She’d summoned me to go around, dressed in a sexy black dress, and fondled the toy I’d bought her. If I didn’t go, she’d use it. She’d get off on something that wasn’t me, and the sudden jealousy fucking crippled me.
Lying on the floor, I reached a new low.
I was officially jealous of an inanimate object.
I moved before I could stop myself.
Tripping into the bathroom, I ripped off my tie, jerked off my shirt, and reached for the box of hair dye.
* 53 *
Sailor
Revenge is Best Served with Dessert
PENG ALERTED ME TO HIS ARRIVAL.
With a happy meow and flicking tail, he bolted to the back door just as X opened it and stepped into the kitchen without an invitation.
“You made it.” I beamed the biggest, over-the-top smile of my life.
He froze, his eyes locking on mine where I stood by the counter, icing the final corners of the hazelnut chocolate cake. On the top, I’d piped an intricate X covered in flower petals.
Peng clawed his way up X’s jeans, distracting him.
With a softly muttered curse, he plucked the kitten from where he hung on his belt and bundled him into his hands. “You’re a pest.” He held Peng away from him, all while the cat did its best to headbutt every finger and purr like a chainsaw.
I should’ve figured out who X was the first time he’d come round for cake. Peng couldn’t hide his obsession with Zander all because he’d been the one to turn his life into a happily ever after. If I didn’t love Zander just as much as Peng did, I would be obscenely jealous.
But now…we can share.
I snickered to myself, all while watching Zander/X wrangle Peng off him.
Now I knew who he was…it was obvious—even with the black hair and brown eyes. The shape of his forehead, the fall of his thick hair, the faint lines around his eyes, the breadth of his shoulders, his lean powerful height and strong elegant hands…even his energy was the same. The same protective, sweet, caring aura that made me feel instantly at home.
“So.” I grinned another megawatt smile. “How was your day, dear?”
“Dear?” He rocked backward on his heels, his eyes narrowing above his skull mask. “Who are you and what new trap have you come up with?”
“Can’t I call you something other than X?” I wrinkled my nose. “I mean…it’s not even a nice letter. Kinda harsh if you ask me.” Spinning on the spot and brandishing the spatula covered in icing, I grinned. “You know what? You could just tell me your real name, and I’ll call you that.”
He huffed and managed to escape Peng’s love attack. “I see what you’re doing, and it won’t work.”