Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
I went ahead and loaded up a tray with everything she could need for her coffee, as well as a little breakfast spread of some fruits and cheeses from my fridge. I wanted to make sure she had everything she needed because I did not want her leaving my bed for as long as possible.
When I set the breakfast tray down on the bedside table, she was still in the bathroom, humming happily to herself. God, I loved the way that sounded. She was comfortable in my home, and for a moment, I wondered if she would be comfortable making this her home. I loved the idea of waking up to her in my arms and hearing that adorable, off-tune humming coming from my bathroom as she got ready for work every morning.
Quickly, I went into my home office to grab the files that we needed, as well as my laptop and a tablet for her. And spread everything out on the bed.
“What’s all this?” she asked, stepping out of the bathroom. The robe was hanging off her shoulders and cinched tight at her waist. I loved knowing with one single pull her body would be mine again.
“Ms. Carmichael, do you think that just because I said we weren’t going into the office, you would have the day off?” I arched an eyebrow at her. She smirked right back.
“I figured at least we would be working in your home office.”
“I’m sorry, is my bed suddenly not up to your standards?” I crossed my arms over my chest and had to press my lips together to keep myself from laughing.
“Oh, but Mr. Astrid, what would the other secretaries say,” she said in a breathy voice before erupting into a fit of giggles.
I walked around the bed until I stood in front of her and grabbed her still-warm hair to tilt her head up and meet my eyes.
“Don’t ever let me hear you calling yourself a secretary. You are so much more.”
“Sorry, paralegal,” she corrected.
“Come, let’s get some work done and drink our coffee. Then maybe if you are a really good girl, I’ll reward you for a job well done.” I gently pushed her toward the bed, then handed her a cup of steaming coffee and a file.
“Yes, sir.” She gave me a playful wink before taking the file from me and sipping her coffee.
CHAPTER 34
HARRISON
We worked in silence for a few hours. I was sitting against the head of the bed, my laptop balanced on my outstretched legs. Eddie was lying on her stomach, facing the foot of the bed, while she stared at files and took notes on the tablet I had given her. I typed with only one hand while the other stayed on the back of her leg. There was just no way for me to be this close to her and not touch her.
I would have thought having her this close, wearing only my robe, would be a distraction, but it had been a very productive morning. Having her so close made me feel calm and centered in a way that I hadn’t felt in a long time.
“I don’t get it.” She turned to look at me over her shoulder.
“Get what?” I closed my laptop to give her my full attention.
She got up, swiveling to face me. The knot holding the robe together loosened, giving me a tantalizing view of her cleavage.
“These guys have been pulling this racketeering shit since the eighties,” she said, settling on her knees next to me and staring at the tablet.
“Probably before that,” I said as I watched the robe separate a bit more, exposing more of her full breasts. I should have been sated. I’d had more sex in the last twenty-four hours than I did for the entirety of the last year, but something about her made me ravenous.
“Then why are you only now bringing up charges? Is it because they were working with the Manwarrings? Were you covering for your friends?”
“Luc Manwarring and I are friends,” I admitted. I could have lied but I just simply didn’t want to. “The O’Murphy clan has never really been big enough to be on my radar. Until very recently, I thought they were thugs working for the Manwarrings, doing shady shit, but not really worth the taxpayers’ money to prosecute.”
“Explain.”
“Well, as the Manwarrings’ attack dogs, they would have had the best lawyers. A court case would have dragged on for months, if not years. It’s also not unreasonable to assume the Manwarrings would try to bribe the judge, assuming they didn’t already have a few in their pocket. Since the shit they did was all corporate espionage and it could have only been against other corporations dealing dirty, they didn’t seem like a public concern.”
“Why spend millions pursuing a case against criminals when they are only harming other criminals.” She nodded, understanding my thought process. “Especially when they would probably walk anyway, and then it would make you a target.”