Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 70097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Grant’s office door was slightly cracked like he’d shut it behind him but the latch hadn’t caught. I stood still for a moment, just listening.
“What do you mean I held out… You trusted me to handle… I know… I’m not used to that.”
I looked up and realized Grant was watching me. Of course he would realize someone was there. He was trained to. And I wasn’t, but I knew how to talk to people. I wasn’t always as scattered as I’d been when serving his table. I usually did a damn good job and earned great tips. Or I used to. I wasn’t going back to waiting tables, was I? What if Grant changed his mind when this was over?
You’ll convince him you should stay with him.
I couldn’t count on that, though, could I? I held my breath as Grant motioned for me to come in. I wasn’t sure if he was angry I’d been listening, but at least he wasn’t sending me away.
I started to sit, but he held out his arm, and I let him pull me to his side. I knew everything was okay then. At most, he was slightly annoyed, but he still wanted me close.
I tried to listen to the rest of his conversation, but it was hard to concentrate when he had his arms around me, and his warm shoulder was there for me to lay my head on.
“I hired you because you are the right person for the job,” I heard X say. “Not because I thought you’d never need help.”
When they were in the bar, I’d been able to tell how much he liked Grant, not in a sexual way but like a younger brother, a role I was sure Grant barely understood. He was the oldest in every stereotypical way. X’s words reassured me I hadn’t been wrong about him. He cared about Grant.
“Is everything okay?” I asked when Grant ended the call.
He blew out a long breath, and I felt tension leave his shoulders. “Yeah. I forgot how well he understands me, and that I… Well, I can be…”
“Stubborn? Overly conscientious? A perfectionist?”
He tilted his head and studied me for a second. “Am I that readable?”
“To me you are.”
“Maybe you should be the one doing this.”
I shook my head. “I felt sorry for Evan and thought TJ was going to kill me.”
“TJ isn’t safe no matter what he told you.”
“He’s not going to hurt me.”
“No, but that’s because he knows you’re mine.”
I studied him for a moment. “Are you afraid he might hurt Rhys?”
“I’d wondered if you saw that too.”
“Everyone within a mile radius sees that. TJ’s not exactly subtle. Neither of them is.”
Grant rolled his eyes. “True.”
“I maybe not be as perceptive as you, and I may not have your training, but I watch people, and I—”
“You’re smart and perceptive, and I’m sorry if you think I don’t see that.”
Before I could respond, he kissed me roughly. All I could do was surrender to it. He slid his hands down my back and gripped my ass, lifting me until I wrapped my legs around him, then he turned and set me on his desk.
When he finally broke the kiss, I was gasping for air. “God, I want you so much. What have you done to me?”
“Cast a spell on you obviously. Didn’t I tell you I was a witch?”
He laughed and kissed me again. When he pulled away a second time, he looked as dazed as I felt.
I had to bite my lip to hold in the words that wanted to spill free. I loved him, but he didn’t need that burden. He had so much weighing on him, and I was sure he cared for me, but love… That was… heavy. I needed to keep it to myself.
“I never got to take you on a trail ride.”
“No, but do you really want to do that now? I was kind of thinking we would…” I leaned back onto my elbows, brushing aside papers and other debris on his desk.
He caught a beer can just as it turned over. “I would love to fuck you on this desk, but I’m going to take you out on the trails first.”
“Okay?”
“Sweetheart, I would love to be inside you right now, but I don’t need my brothers walking in on us, and… I like seeing you on a horse. It’s…”
“What?”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. “Hot. It’s also something we share. Our love of horses.”
“I want to stay here at the ranch after this is all over.” Shit. Why had I blurted that out?
“I want you to stay.”
“You do?
“Yes. I thought that was obvious.”
Before I could say anything else, he tugged me toward the door. “Come on. Let’s go for a ride.”
“What did X say?” I asked as we walked toward the barn.