Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Sasha spotted me and flashed a sweet smile. “Everything okay, Alex?”
“I’m not sure,” I admitted easily, maybe too easily, as I drew closer to woman and child. “Everything is in the works, which I guess means it’s on its way to being okay.”
“Every solution starts with a plan so you’re on your way.” Her blue eyes studied me for a minute and I wondered what she saw. She didn’t know who I was, so what she thought of me was anybody’s guess. “I picked out rooms for me and Dixie. The adjoining suites at the other end of the hall so I can get to her easily at night without disturbing you, or when you’re around. I assume hockey has away games?”
I laughed at her question. “Yeah, about half the season is away, which is something else I need to think about. For now, we have baby supplies to worry about. You said something about a changing table?”
She nodded and reached into her back pocket for her phone, pressing her cheek to the top of Dixie’s head in an unconscious gesture of affection. “I made you a list.” She swiped the screen and handed me the phone. “I know it’s going to cost a lot and we can do some comparison shopping for much of it, but it is all necessary. I promise.”
I smiled again. She mistook my shocked silence as an objection to the potential price tag. “It’s not the cost. It just seems like a lot of stuff for such a little thing.”
Unlike her sweet voice, her laugh was throaty and low, and perfectly matched her curves. “Babies need a lot of stuff.”
This list was as large as the one the decorator had given me to furnish this whole damn penthouse, but what did I know about babies? “We can get a lot of this online, can’t we?”
“We can,” she agreed. “But even if it all arrives tomorrow morning, there are necessities like diapers and formula that we’ll run out of before then.”
Indecision weighed heavily on my chest and I knew I would have to be straight with Sasha about my situation.
“Look, I can pop out and grab a few things to get us through the night.” Her lips pulled into a phoney smile at my obvious relief at her offer. “But you should probably give me cash.”
I froze at her words, wondering if I could trust this woman.
Sasha let out a sigh of frustration as she rested one hand on Dixie’s back. “I Googled you while you were gone and I’m guessing that a strange woman buying baby items with your credit card might end up splashed on the headlines tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” I agreed easily, already imagining what Jack would have to say about that. But another, more pressing thought occurred to me. What if Sasha didn’t return with what I needed? What if she took the money and ran, and then sold the story to the tabloids? I couldn’t risk that.
“Alex,” she growled but managed to keep her voice low so as not to wake Dixie. “You hired me. You asked for me specifically, and I’m trustworthy. If you can’t trust me with a few thousand dollars then you shouldn’t trust me with your kid.”
She was right, of course. Then again, wouldn’t a scam artist have all the answers to get me to trust her?
Another sigh of frustration escaped from Sasha as she plucked her phone from my hands. “Fine. I’ll send you the list and you can go get the items yourself. Just give me your phone number, or is that too personal as well?” Without waiting for an answer, she started towards the door. “I’ll write the list on a piece of paper and you can get what you think she needs until tomorrow.”
I hurried behind Sasha, willing my gaze to stay off the small dip of her waist before her swaying hips came into view, and her round ass.
Stop it, Alex. Stop that shit right now.
“Sasha,” I called after her but she was on a roll and when I found her inside the penthouse she had Dixie settled into her carrier and was bent over a sheet of paper, writing faster than I’d ever seen anyone write. “Sasha, stop.”
The stubborn woman didn’t stop, though. She continued to scribble on the paper until she was done, at which point she pressed the paper against my chest. “There. Happy shopping.” She flashed a wide grin that was sassy and just a small bit devious.
“You’re going to be a handful, aren’t you?”
“Me?” She put a hand to her chest and did her best to look innocent. “I’m just trying to help, Alex.”
I shook my head and reached in my pocket for my wallet. “Okay, you win Sasha,” I told her as I fished a few hundred dollar bills from the wallet. “This should be enough to get us started. Get whatever you can and we’ll shop for the rest together online. Deal?”