Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
She smiled. “Hi, Ford.”
He grabbed her elbow, leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
Even such a simple show of affection from Ford made her heart flutter. The man was criminally handsome, and had a rocking hot body as well.
With one side of his mouth pulled up, he asked, “How have you been?”
“Surviving. I’m glad to see that you are, too,”—she swept a hand around—“after working your magic.”
“I appreciate the work the Lyons brothers threw my way.”
His head tipped down as hers tipped up to search his face. She cupped his bearded cheek. “You look exhausted.”
Ford pulled in a breath. “I am. I had a hard deadline, and I busted my ass to make it.”
“Well, you pulled it off. So, now what? Do you have another job lined up?”
“Now, I sleep for the next week.” He dragged the rough pad of his thumb over her lower lip. “Do you want to join me?”
“Sleeping? No. You snore.”
Ford chuckled. “I figured if I tired you out enough that you’d sleep right through the sound of a chainsaw.”
“You are always good at tiring me out, but no one can sleep through that, except you.”
He gripped her hips and pulled her tight against him in what appeared to others as a friendly “hug.” With heat filling his dark brown eyes, he dropped his voice an octave, as well as the volume. “It’s been a while.”
“It has.”
“Why?”
“Obviously, you’ve been a bit busy.”
“True. But I should never be so busy that I ignore you.”
“We have our own lives, Ford. You don’t owe me anything.”
One dark eyebrow cocked. “A few orgasms?”
“Those are great and all but not required for us to be friends.”
He jerked his chin into his neck. “Erin Hart, have you just friend-zoned me?”
She laughed softly. “I’d like to think we’ve always been friends.”
He squeezed her hips. “Normal friends don’t do what we do.”
He was right.
“Mr. Harris, are you getting hard right here and now?” she asked under her breath, so no one nearby heard her.
“I’m exhausted but not dead. Though, you could still give a dead man an erection.” He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “Sorry.”
She placed a hand on his chest. “It’s been ten years, Ford. I think I can handle a joke, and I know you weren’t referring to Kyle.”
When he leaned in and pressed his warm lips to her forehead, his short, dark beard scratched her skin. It had been too long since she’d felt the same on her inner thighs.
Her pussy clenched with the memory of the last time they were together. Maybe she did need to do a sleepover with him again soon. She’d simply have to pack some ear plugs in her overnight bag.
Or leave before he fell asleep.
“Have you seen the rest of the property yet?” Ford asked.
“No, this is as far as I got.”
He released her and jutted out his elbow in invitation. “Well, let the guy who knows this place inside and out show you around.”
She placed her hand in the crook of his arm. “Do you happen to have access to the second floor of the event hall?”
He dug into his jeans and pulled out a set of what looked like shiny new keys. He held them up with a gleam in his eyes and a wicked smile. “I certainly do.”
“Then, I’d love a tour.”
Chapter Four
Since nothing was currently happening at The Mane Event Hall, Ford decided it was the perfect time to show it to Erin and get her reaction.
He was actually surprised she showed up at the resort at all. Especially after finding out she and Dylan Lyons dated back in high school. Not because she mentioned it, but because someone else had told him a while ago in passing.
From what Ford found out, when Dylan graduated, he was eighteen and Erin only sixteen and they had dated for two years. The second Dylan graduated, he booked it out of Fisher Falls as fast as he could, while Erin stayed to finish high school.
She had always made it clear she wanted to stay in Fisher Falls and didn’t have any plans to follow him. Not long after Dylan left, Erin began dating Kyle Hart, Dylan’s classmate. At barely twenty years old, she married him, ready to settle down and start a family.
Once Ford moved to the area, he ended up hiring Kyle for his fledgling construction company and that was when he first met Erin. He and Kyle also became fast friends. Erin’s late husband was a good man, a reliable worker and a great friend.
Then, he died while on a job.
Of course, that turned Erin’s life upside down.
While it was a freak accident and nobody’s fault, Ford still felt guilty and also responsible for the young widow. That led to him checking in with her often, helping her out when he could, and causing them to become close. Initially, they remained friends and nothing more.