Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
“Don’t want you sitting on the floor,” Steele told her. “That’s not where you belong.”
She liked sitting on the floor sometimes. But it did feel like the older she got, the harder it was to get up and down.
And you’re only thirty-five.
Yes, but sometimes she felt worn down by life. Like she was aging faster than everyone else.
“You good?” Steele asked.
She smiled wide. “I made peanut butter cups today.”
“Sounds delicious, but that’s not what I asked. You okay?”
“Of course.”
His eyes studied her, then narrowed. “You’re not.”
Yikes.
How did he know that?
“No lying, baby girl. We’ve talked about this.”
Gulp.
“I’ve talked about it with her too. She might have a problem,” Grady stated.
“I do not! I do not have a problem with lying!”
“You have a problem with following instructions?” Steele asked.
“Um. I don’t think so.”
“I think you do. What time is it?”
She glanced up at the clock. “Ten-forty-three.”
“What time do you start work?” Steel asked.
Drat.
“Twelve.”
“Good news for you, you’re not on the clock, so we’re not your bosses right now. Means you don’t have to be embarrassed at watching porn.”
“I wasn’t watching porn!” she cried.
His eyes twinkled. Oh. He was teasing her? That was just plain mean.
She felt warmth enter her cheeks.
“Bad news for you. If we’re not your bosses right now, we might need to punish you for lying.”
“And coming in early,” Grady added.
Steele gave him a look, then nodded.
“You can’t punish me.”
They couldn’t, right? Lord, what was happening to her life? She didn’t know when things had changed from them being strictly her bosses to this . . . where they teased her about spanking her.
It was just teasing, right?
“From now on, you don’t start work early and you don’t work late, understand?” Steele said. “If your workload is too big, then we lighten it.”
“That’s what I told her,” Grady said.
“Good. Then it won’t need said again. And if you need to watch porn, Spitfire, there are more private places to do it.”
Effie groaned and placed her hands over her face.
“She was watching news reports about that murder in Wyoming,” Grady explained. “She heard it on the radio in the car. I’ll talk to Raul about not having the radio on when she’s in the car.”
Good Lord.
“She was worried as she has a friend there who looks like that woman,” Grady added.
“Your friend got a guy? One who’ll protect her?” Steele asked.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I was just being silly.”
Steele cupped the side of her face. And God, his hand was so warm and steady. “I don’t want you worrying about your safety, understand?”
Lord. She should not get used to this.
This wasn’t going to be her life. Between the two of them. Having them hold her up, protect her, surround her in warmth.
It was never gonna be her life.
But God, did she want it.
Then she felt something even more surprising. Two hands on her hips, steadying her, and Grady leaning into her.
“You’re safe, baby girl. We’re going to make sure of that.”
She gulped at Steele’s words. Her neighbor hadn’t had a loud party since she’d told him. She didn’t know if he had something to do with that or if it was a coincidence.
And she was scared to ask.
A warm hand cupped the side of her neck, fingers reached around the back to squeeze. Opening her eyes, she stared up at Steele.
Her breath caught.
Yeah. Something had definitely changed.
“No more hiding from us. You got nothing to be embarrassed about. All right?”
She nodded because he seemed to be waiting for a reply.
“Let’s get her stuff back in place,” Steele said.
She watched as they shifted the desk, swaying slightly at the loss of their touch.
That could be addictive.
Steele moved like he always did, with a grace that belied his size. But Grady was more jerky. Working on instinct. Deep in his head. She knew all about that. Only, she worried that she was the one that had put him in his head.
Steele’s phone rang as he reached into his pocket and pulled something out, placing it on her keyboard.
“Fingerless gloves. Wear them.” Then he stepped out.
Grady moved to follow him.
“Grady?”
He stopped but didn’t turn to her.
“I’m sorry.”
She expected him to leave. But he turned, frowning down at her. “Why are you apologizing?”
“Um, well, I, uh . . . I think I did something to upset you, and I’m sorry about that.”
“Who taught you that you always have to be the one to apologize?” he asked.
“No one.”
Wait. Was that true?
Always say you’re sorry, Effie. Even if you’re not. People appreciate an apology, doesn’t matter who is in the wrong.
Christ.
“Hey, look at me.”
She raised her gaze to Grady’s.
“Where did you go just then?”
She didn’t want to tell him. So she just stared up at him.
He sighed and nodded. As though he understood. Then he reached out. His hand kind of stopped in mid-air, though. As though he didn’t quite know what to do next.