Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31905 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31905 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Finally, the event began winding down, and as she stood to pack up, I swaggered over to the table.
“Hey there, gorgeous,” I greeted her with my most charming smile.
“Um, hello,” she replied softly. Her gaze dropped to my hands, and she raised her brow when she met my eyes again. “Did you want me to sign those?” The skepticism in her voice didn’t really surprise me.
I was a huge guy in jeans, motorcycle boots, a white T-shirt, and my cut. Plus, I had tattoos wrapping around part of my left arm and more ink peeking out from the V-neck of my shirt.
Not her typical reader.
“Absolutely,” I said with a wink, setting the books on the table.
She gave me a half smile and sat back down in her chair. “Do you want them made out to”—she glanced at the name stitched on my cut—“Wizard? Or just signed.”
“To Baylor,” I replied.
Her brow rose once more, and I chuckled, shaking my head. “Gets worse.”
“Oh?” Her green eyes sparked with amusement.
“Chadwick.”
“Pardon?”
I sighed. “Baylor Chadwick.”
Thea covered her mouth to hide her giggle.
“Can only assume that my parents were trying to give me thick skin.”
Smiling, she ducked her head and opened the first book. “To Baylor, it is.”
I watched her hand move gracefully over the page and thought about what it would feel like gliding over my skin. Or wrapped around my dick. Before I became noticeably aroused, I switched to a much more benign train of thought.
When Thea finished, she picked up a small tote bag with her logo on them and slipped the books inside before handing it to me.
“Thanks.”
She inclined her head and gave me a small smile. “You’re welcome. It was nice to meet you, Baylor.”
“Wouldn’t really call this a meeting, baby.”
Her brow puckered. “I don’t understand.”
“Meeting implies more than you signing my name.”
“Okay, I’ll bite.” It was my turn to raise my brow, but despite the pink in her cheeks, her sigh was clearly one of disappointment. “What is your idea of ‘meeting’ someone?”
“Well, to truly become acquainted, you’d have to let me take you out to dinner.”
Someone behind me sighed dreamily, and I fought the impulse to turn around and scare whoever it was away. To most people, I was very intimidating. My size and fierce scowl served me well in the right situations.
“I’m flattered,” Thea said softly, “but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
The corners of my mouth turned down. “Why not?”
“I just…um…I don’t date.”
Her expression was stoic, but the flash of sadness in her eyes disturbed me. A bad experience? I hated the idea of someone hurting her, and I quelled the instinct to demand their name or names so I could hunt them down and kill them.
I was about to push a little harder when something told me it was the wrong tactic. For now, I’d slowly wear her down, then when the time was right, I’d move in fast and hard.
“How about this?” I suggested with a lopsided smile. “I’ll go for now. But I reserve the right to try to change your mind.”
Thea giggled. “Just how do you intend to do that? You don’t even know me.”
“That’s the point, isn’t it?” I teased.
“I suppose you have a point, but I still don’t see how you can convince me when you don’t even know how to contact me.”
I winked. “I have my ways, baby. Gonna sweep you off your feet eventually.”
Thea’s smile dimmed, and she muttered something under her breath. It sounded like, “That’s what they all say,” and my eyes narrowed.
“I don’t know who ‘all’ is, baby, but I’m the only man you’ll think of from now on.”
Bending forward, I put a hand under her chin and raised her face. My thumb brushed softly over her lips, and I was pleased to see the glint of heat in her eyes.
“Later, baby.”
I stared into her eyes for another moment, then reluctantly released her and ambled away.
2
THEA
The man whose butt I was doing my best not to stare at as he walked away from my signing table looked as though he could’ve modeled for as many romance book covers as he wanted. Mafia, motorcycle club, assassin—he was the living embodiment of the morally grey heroes romance readers loved. Me included.
Thinking about his short, dark hair, brown eyes, chiseled jaw that was covered in scruff, and kissable lips, I wanted to kick my own butt for the answer I had given him.
At only five feet and two inches, I was used to pretty much everyone being taller than me. But he had to have more than a full foot on me since I’d needed to crane my neck all the way back to stare up at him.
My cheeks heated as I briefly considered the things he could do to me in bed with our height disparity. With his lean muscles, I had no doubt that he’d easily be able to hold me against the wall like I’d done in several scenes that I’d written. Even better, he could probably put me exactly where he wanted me—and test out any position I wanted to write into a story.