Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Jessica laughed. “Oh my God. You two. I can’t. I just can’t today.” She waved her hand. “I was never here. Figure out your shit, Bane. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
And she walked out.
I sat at my desk, the ice bag offering me the relief I needed. When Jessica had walked out, Myers scrambled to her feet, horrified and almost in tears.
“Did I break him?”
I got to my feet. “No. Luckily, your aim was a little off. My thigh took the brunt.” Then I ran my hand through my hair. “But seriously, Myers—my dick is starting to think he’s on your kill list. First, you try to poison him. Now, you try decapitating the little bugger.”
She frowned. “He’s not so little.”
All I could do was take the ice bag and go to my desk.
Then I put my head down and laughed.
Myers came in with a cup of coffee. “What’s so funny?”
“I never realized how dull my life was until you showed up.”
“What are you going to say to Jessica?”
“I’m going to tell her the truth. I scared you, you kneed me in the balls, then you tripped. She walked in just as the tripping happened.”
“Think she’ll buy it?”
“That is exactly what happened, Myers.”
“She might not believe it.”
“I’m not worried. Even if she thinks there is something between us, she’ll stay quiet. She dated Anderson for a year before they married. She knows about privacy.”
“She’s married to Anderson? But her last name is Aldridge.”
“She wanted to keep her maiden name at work. But they’ve been married for five years. I’ve known her for six. She’ll be fine.”
Myers looked doubtful.
“Go home,” I encouraged. “Get some things for the weekend, and I’ll pick you up. We’ll go out for dinner.”
“Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine, Myers. Probably safer than when you’re around.”
She crossed her arms, making me grin. I liked her angry. She thought she was tough, but the truth was, it reminded me of a chipmunk getting territorial when you got too near his hidden food. All noise and nothing he could do about it. Highly cute, but harmless.
Well, my dick might not agree with the harmless assessment.
“Go. I’ll see you soon.”
She hesitated, then lunged forward, kissing me. I caught her around the waist and kissed her back.
“Go, little assassin. I’ll call when we’re getting close.”
She left, and it made me laugh to realize I hated that she did.
I was truly fucked.
Chapter Sixteen
MAGNOLIA
Iwas anxious by the time Bane texted me to say he was on the way. When he knocked on the door a short time later, I let him in, my nerves kicking into high gear.
“Hi,” I said.
He stepped in. “Ready?”
“Are you sure you want me to come stay with you?”
He studied me for a moment, then came closer, cupping my cheek. “Totally.”
“Are you, ah, is everything okay?”
He pulled me against him, threading his fingers through my hair and kissing me. I gasped at the intensity of his caress, his tongue entering my mouth with no hesitation and taking control. He kissed me until I was breathless, grasping his shoulders for support. His erection was trapped between us, and he ground it against me.
“Doesn’t that feel as if everything is okay?” he murmured into my ear. “I want you, Myers. I want you in my space. My bed. If you don’t want that, tell me and I’ll go.”
“I do. I was worried…”
“I’m fine,” he assured me with a droll wink. “And I’ve learned my lesson. No condoms, no sneak attacks.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
He stroked my face. “No apologies needed. It’s done. Now, we move forward. And I want to enjoy a couple of days with you, just being Alex and Magnolia. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Great. I’ll get your bag, and we’ll start.”
BANE
We held hands in the car, Myers—Magnolia—staring out the window as we slowly drove to my condo in the heavy late-afternoon Friday traffic. She was quiet, seemingly lost in thought. I stared at her profile, noting the delicate point of her chin, how tiny her earlobes were. The little mass of freckles behind the one turned in my direction. I would have to investigate both thoroughly when we were alone.
“Amazing how long it takes to get from my place to yours, even though we’re really not that far apart,” she mused. “I could probably power walk it faster.”
“As long as your lumberjack outfit wasn’t tripping you up.”
She giggle-snorted. “Whatever, Bane.”
I tugged her from the window, wrapping my arm around her and kissing her sweet mouth. “Alex,” I admonished. “We’re Alex and Magnolia.”
“Alex,” she repeated, her voice breathless.
I bent and captured her mouth, kissing her until we were both dizzy. I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to kiss her enough. Her mouth was a temptation I couldn’t resist. She was a temptation I didn’t want to resist anymore.
Darryl pulled up to the building, clearing his throat. “Have a good weekend, sir.”