Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 543(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 362(@300wpm)
That made her stop because she wasn’t taking that from anyone. She hadn’t slept with him so he would take care of her. She’d slept with him because . . . well, because she wanted him. “An opportunity to what? You should understand that there are knives downstairs, so I would watch what you accuse me of.”
He didn’t miss a beat. “I think you were crazy about me in high school, and I was a moron who couldn’t see how amazing you were. And now the tables have turned and you’ve come back for revenge. Is it going to be fun for you to break my heart?”
She barely managed to not roll her eyes. “That’s ridiculous and you know it. I did not sleep with you to get revenge for my high school self.”
“And I didn’t ask you not to work for my brother because I’m ashamed of you or because this is some fling that should be kept to the bedroom,” he said in that same tone he used when he made a point in court. “It’s the exact opposite. I need you, Jayna. I can’t stand the thought of my brother and mother running off the best thing that ever happened to me.”
He’d backed her up against the wall, taking up all the space, and she could barely breathe.
She’d thought the idea of him sending her away and not wanting to continue their friendship had scared her. This scared her even more.
What was he saying? Could she believe a word of it?
He put a hand behind her head, palm to the wall, and his eyes narrowed as he stared down at her.
“You just don’t want to lose your friends with . . .”
“Don’t you even say it. I understand that you’ve come out of a bad relationship and you don’t want to trust me. I can wait, but don’t tell me how I feel. Don’t make this less than it is. For me, this is it, Jayna. I don’t think this feeling goes away. I don’t think I’ll ever get over you, so don’t lump me in with Todd, and don’t you dare say it’s your fault because you should have known. I’m telling you straight how I feel about you. I’m in love with you, Jayna Cardet, but I’m afraid you’re going to realize how hard my family can be to deal with and you’re going to walk away.”
“Quaid,” she started, her heart threatening to seize.
He shook his head. “Don’t. Don’t say a thing because I know you’re not ready. That’s all right. I need you to understand that I am. But I’m willing to be patient and I’m willing to be braver than I was this afternoon. You want to represent my brother? All right, but I’m your co-counsel. Not because I don’t think you’re smart enough. We both know you’re twice the lawyer I am. It’s because my brother gets into dangerous situations, and I won’t have you hurt.”
He was right. She wasn’t ready to believe him. He wanted to keep his convenient lover for a little while longer. If he helped her, she did the same for him.
Did she want to leave? She’d started to enjoy the town, seeing it through a different filter than she had when she was younger. There was a lot to like about Papillon.
Quaid was here.
“Do we have a deal?” He stared down at her, the question another challenge. He seemed to be doing that a lot today—challenging her.
It was dangerous. He was dangerous. No matter what he said, she knew a man could change his mind. Right now, she was new and shiny and he didn’t mind her annoying habits. She wasn’t ever going to be the “stand by her man and make him look good” type. It was fun right now and it seemed to make sense to him, but he would figure out that she wasn’t easy. In the end, he would want some twentysomething who could spit out a couple of kids while he built his career.
Women didn’t get to have it all. She’d known that from the time she’d been able to understand how hard her mother had to work.
“Jayna.” His voice had turned soft. “Don’t get scared on me. You tell me you don’t want me, and I’ll be able to walk out of here. You tell me you can’t love me, and I’ll likely stay with you and try to change your mind. But don’t make me leave because you think I’m going to turn into Todd. I’ve been waiting all my life for you. You aren’t a piece of the puzzle that will get me the next rung up the ladder. You aren’t some tool that will help me win a prize. You are the prize.”
Tears pierced her eyes at the sweetness of his words. Quaid knew exactly what to say to get her into bed.