Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 166103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 831(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 166103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 831(@200wpm)___ 664(@250wpm)___ 554(@300wpm)
“You . . . I . . . what . . .” Dear Lord. She was in a lot of trouble here. Not only was she well out of her league with him . . . but he was right.
She was imagining all the ways he might take her. And she wanted them all.
“Now, are you going to drink like a good girl or am I going to have to punish you?”
“You shouldn’t speak to me like this.” She tried to pull herself together. To reprimand him and mean it. But she couldn’t seem to find her cold mask. It was eluding her.
It was his fault. He wasn’t giving her a moment to just think.
“Who is going to stop me?”
It should have felt threatening. But her stupid body liked that he wasn’t put off by her cool tone. That he didn’t just see the person she put out there to the world.
He ran a finger down her cheek again. “I see you, baby girl. You can’t hide from me. You can’t run. Drink.”
This time when he held the bottle up, she let him slip it between her lips. Why did this feel sexy? It wasn’t. It was a disgusting electrolyte drink in a bathroom.
She took several sips before pulling away with a grimace.
“You can do better than that.”
She shook her head, her nose scrunching up. “Yuck.”
Drat. Shit. Crap.
She closed her eyes for a long moment. Why was she letting her guard down so much around him? Only, she wasn’t doing this. It was him. He was eroding her shield.
Before he could say anything or she could attempt to repel him, there was a knock on the door. She gasped and tried to lurch off the counter. He reached out a hand, placing it on her stomach to hold her still.
“Hello? Is someone in there?”
She stared up at Owen in shock. Crap. Someone was out there! What were they going to think when they found out they were in here together?
They’re going to think you were having sex in here.
When the truth was almost worse. Because this felt far more intimate than sex. Not that she’d had sex any time recently.
She swallowed heavily, pushing away the memories that threatened to drown her. This was why she didn’t let down her shields. Because she couldn’t trust herself. Because she couldn’t have her demons bleeding out all over the place.
“Hello?” Another impatient knock.
“We’re coming,” Owen told the person on the other side of the door.
She stared at him wide-eyed. The usual darkness in his voice wasn’t there when he spoke.
It was like . . . he was normal.
He lifted her down, holding her hips as she steadied herself. Then grabbing the drink, he put it back in the bag before reaching out for the door, unlocking it.
She caught a glimpse of an older woman on the other side, glaring at them.
“What were you both doing in there?” she asked. “Men are not supposed to be in this bathroom. That’s a sackable offense.”
To her shock, Owen smiled at the other woman. “So sorry to keep you waiting. I’m the bodyguard. Unfortunately, she can’t go anywhere without me.”
“Oh. Of course. I didn’t realize.” For some reason, she was buying his act. Didn’t she see that he was just pretending to be normal? To be friendly?
At least . . . she thought this was the pretense. Which was the real Owen?
Shit. It seemed she wasn’t the only one that wore a mask.
“Here you are.” Owen held the door for her. As soon as she disappeared, he turned to Chloe. “You need to sit down.”
She peered up at him as he led her back to where she assumed Beck was still waiting on Jonathan.
“Which is the real you?” she asked.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
“I don’t speak eyebrow. But I’m guessing this is the real Owen.”
There was no response, but she knew she was right. She licked her lips, feeling slightly woozy as they walked into the room. The assistant was at her desk, thank goodness. But she shot Chloe a nasty look.
Owen stiffened beside her. Had he seen that?
“Is there a problem?” he asked in that same light voice he’d used before.
That was really kind of creepy. Was that what people thought when they dealt with her?
But no . . . because she never showed anyone the real Chloe.
Except for today . . . when each of these men had probably had at least a glimpse of the real her.
Shit.
She needed to shore up her defenses.
“A problem? Of course not.” The woman fluttered her eyelashes at him.
Wow.
He really was a good actor. Did she not see the monster lurking under the surface?
A monster that Chloe wanted to run toward, not away from.
There was definitely something wrong with her.
“Good.” Owen turned to Beck who’d stood as they entered. Owen placed his hand on the small of her back and led her over to him.