Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
“It does.”
“Mr. Grady?” she asked.
“We’ve already had this discussion, Effie,” he said firmly. “What do you call me?”
“Grady,” she whispered.
“Right. And yes?”
“Is there really a job? Or do you just feel sorry for me?”
“Why would I feel sorry for you?” he asked as Steele walked back into the room holding a bag of chips.
“Chips?” Grady asked incredulously.
“Don’t start. It was all I could find. The kitchens have just opened and I didn’t want her to wait ten minutes while they made her a salad.”
“It would probably be half an hour since they’d have to run out and get the ingredients for a salad,” Grady replied.
“Chips are fine,” she said hastily. “Chips are good. Salad is not.”
Both sets of eyes shot to her again. Shoot. She really felt that like a lightning bolt straight to her clit.
These guys were potent.
“Chips will do for right now,” Steele said. “They aren’t a substitute for dinner, though.”
They were for her. Since dinner was going to consist of a bag of celebratory jelly beans.
She ate a few chips, trying desperately not to go at them like a dog who’d raided the garbage bin and found some leftover Hamburger Helper. She was hungrier than she’d thought.
Steele gave her two pills. “Swallow.”
Effie barely managed not to roll her eyes at him. She swallowed and then poked out her tongue.
“Happy?” she asked.
Something strange filled his face. “Not exactly.”
She didn’t know what that look meant and she wasn’t sure it was a good idea to find out. But it sent another bolt of arousal through her.
She was in so much trouble.
“Effie,” Grady said after a few moments.
Crap. She just realized that she hadn’t offered them any chips. And that they’d stopped talking, so they’d all been listening to her chew.
Embarrassing.
“Um, would you like some?” She held out the packet.
They both shook their heads. Steele even wrinkled his nose. That was really cute when she didn’t think a man who looked like him could pull cute off.
“No, thank you,” Grady replied. “Now, we were discussing whether there really is a job or I just feel sorry for you.”
Great. They were just laying things out, were they?
She glanced over at Steele, who leaned back against the desk, not looking like he was going anywhere.
Well, she guessed he owned the joint.
“Um. Yeah.”
Lord. Why did she ask him that? Was she a glutton for punishment? Now, she’d given them an out would they take it?
You’re an idiot.
“There’s really a job,” Grady told her immediately. And in a voice that didn’t invite any argument.
She glanced over at Steele, wondering if he might have anything different to say. But he just stared down at her steadily.
That tight knot in her stomach dissipated.
“That’s good then,” she whispered.
“It is. And we’ll discuss all the details tomorrow. Over dinner.”
“Dinner?” she asked in a high-pitched voice.
“Dinner,” Grady said in that same tone of voice that allowed no arguments.
“Um, I could just come in at any time. We don’t have to meet for dinner.”
Mainly because she had no idea how she was going to afford dinner. The rent was due, but she could probably push back the electric and gas for a while. Spare a few dollars for a burger or something.
“We’re meeting over dinner,” Grady repeated. “I’ll pick you up.”
“No, that won’t be necessary,” she replied.
“It is.”
“I’d rather make my own way to dinner. Thanks.”
Steele grunted. “You want the job, then you’ll let our driver pick you up. If you’re worried about letting us know your address, then you probably shouldn’t agree to work for us.”
Fuck. He had a point.
And it wasn’t that she was worried about them knowing where she lived. It was more that she didn’t live in a great area of town. It was okay. It wasn’t the worst part of Billings. But still . . .
“All right.”
Grady’s phone beeped. “I have some things I have to do. Raul’s free?”
“Yep,” Steele replied, that gaze still on her.
Grady nodded. “Raul will take you home. I’ll be at your place tomorrow at seven.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Steele said suddenly. “Since Grady is busy.”
They shared a look that she couldn’t read. Then Grady nodded. “Goodbye, Effie.”
“Goodbye. Thank you so much for hiring me. I promise I won’t let you down.” She gave him her biggest smile, which wasn’t hard since she was truly happy.
He just gave her a strange look back, nodded, then left.
7
She gave Steele a worried look.
“Feel like he left you with the big bad wolf?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“More like a lion or a tiger. Maybe an ogre.”
His eyes widened. “An ogre?”
“A good ogre,” she said hastily.
That probably wasn’t the best thing to call one of your new bosses, Effie!
“An. Ogre.”
“Like Shrek.”
He sucked in a breath and she closed her eyes.
“Shrek? Like an ugly, green, grouchy ogre?” he asked.
“I didn’t think he was that ugly. I kind of thought he was cute,” she said.