Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
She swallows hard. “I’ll just, um, yep, I’ll just put it right here. I was taking it outside to dust it off. It’s got all this … dirt on it, you see. It needs a cleaning.”
“Just there.” I point to the spot where the sensor is.
“Okay. Yep. Good. I’m glad we sorted that out.” She puts the pot down, then hitches a thumb over her shoulder. “I should be going, then. There’s a greenhouse out here somewhere that needs a good cleaning.”
“At night?”
She purses her lips, then nods. “Yes. The plants are … sleeping at night. That way they won’t be, you know, scared when I show up and start cleaning. Quietly, of course. Very quietly.” She’s edging away from me.
I follow her into the larger greenhouse. “Plants sleep?”
“Sure.” She backs away. “They need their beauty rest. Don’t worry. I don’t think I disturbed your plants.” She drops her voice to a whisper. “They’re fine. So, like I said, I should go.”
I arch a brow. She’s genuinely adorable with all her lies. “Without my golden orchid? Isn’t that why you’re here, little thief?”
“Thief?” She waves a hand. “Pfft. I’m not a thief.”
“You’ve managed to injure yourself during the job, left your DNA all over the place, didn’t check the security system, and didn’t ensure you had more than one option for an exit. A thief? Yes. But a good one? No.”
Her eyes narrow. “You don’t have to be like that about it. I’ll have you know I’m plenty good at being a thief.” She slaps a hand over her mouth.
“Is that so?” I advance on her, some animal part of me stalking her and toying with her.
“No! Of course not.” She clears her throat. “I wouldn’t take anything. I just clean things. Rich people things. That’s all.”
“I’m afraid I don’t believe you, little thief.”
“Well, you should.” She makes it to the greenhouse door, but it’s shut and latched.
I tower over her and move quickly, grabbing the handle behind her so she can’t open it. I catch her scent, something floral and maybe citrus. Sweet. Almost intoxicating.
“Who sent you?”
“The cleaning service,” she retorts.
“What’s the name of the service?”
She shrugs. “Um, The Cleaning People.”
A half smile curves my lips. “That’s the best you can come up with?”
Heirloom hops onto the table beside us, his eyes on the beautiful little thief I’ve caught in my snare.
“I’d best be going.” She reaches behind her for the door handle. When she touches my hand, I move even closer, pinning her against the door. Her breath hitches. My body wakes up, my cock getting hard as I breathe her in.
“You aren’t going anywhere.” I take her wrist in my grip and open the door.
She stumbles backward, but I keep her upright, then turn her around and march her in front of me. With an admirable effort, she tries to wrench her arm free, but I pull it up behind her.
“Hey!” she yells.
“Keep walking, little thief.”
“No!” She digs in her heels and pulls at my grip on her wrist.
I let go and spin her to face me, then bend over and fling her over my shoulder.
“Let me down!” She beats on my back as I stride past the pool and into the house through the back door.
Mrs. Lou peeks out the kitchen door as I pass. “Mr. Harbin?”
“Nothing to see here.” I keep my arms locked around the little thief’s legs. “Oh, Mrs. Lou, is there a first aid kit in my bathroom somewhere?”
“Let me go! Hey, lady, call the cops! He’s kidnapping me right now! Help!”
I reach up and smack her ass, loving the feel of her beneath my hand. “Settle down or I’ll give you more of those.”
“You jerk! You can’t–”
Smack.
She gasps. I grin. This is the most fun I’ve had in a long, long time.
Mrs. Lou blinks a few times, then nods. “Under your sink. Should still be there.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Lou. I think we’ll be having dinner in my room tonight, if you’d be so kind as to bring enough for two.”
She glances at the thief, then back at me. “Is there anything I should know, Mr. Harbin?”
“Oh, this?” I grab the little thief’s thigh and squeeze. “Just something I found out in the greenhouse. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her. She seems to have injured herself. I couldn’t let her leave without giving her some hospitality. I’m sure you understand.”
“I see.” Mrs. Lou gets a twinkle in her eye. “I see. Yes. Well, I can bring dinner up. Certainly, Mr. Harbin.”
“Great.” I continue down the hall and to the stairs while my little thief grumbles under her breath. “Are you sure you don’t want to yell some more? I’m rather enjoying spanking your sweet ass.”
“Jerk,” she retorts. “You need to let me go.”
“So you can clean someone else’s greenhouse in a tiny maid outfit? Not a chance in hell.” I carry her up the stairs, Heirloom on my heels.