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)
“Sweetheart, come here.” His tone was velvet but with a core of steel. And she instinctively went to him even as she wondered whether she ought to be doing something about the way Steele had shut down.
Not your business.
You barely know these guys and you’re about to work for them.
Be professional.
“Yes, Mr. Grady?”
Oh, the look he shot her had her clenching her butt cheeks together.
“I mean, Grady?” she said in a high-pitched voice.
He leaned into her, speaking quietly so the older woman couldn’t hear them. “I’m not going to give you any more warnings about that, sweetheart.”
Yikes.
“Now, please sit. Alice is going to get you some shoes to try on.” He nodded at the older woman.
“What size are you, dear?” she asked.
“Uh, I’m a nine and a half,” she said softly. She waited uncomfortably for the woman to tell her that they didn’t stock much in that size.
But Alice just nodded. “Style?”
“Something that covers her feet to keep them warm. No heels,” Steele said, coming forward.
Obviously, he had gotten over whatever had been going on with him since he was back to being the bossiest of the boss men.
“A small heel will work better with this outfit,” she said.
“No heel,” Steele said.
“Right.” Alice smiled and disappeared.
“Mr. Steele—”
“Nope.”
“Nope?” What did that mean?
“Not listening to any arguments.”
Dear Lord.
All right, she needed to see the bright side. She was getting a new pair of shoes–as a signing bonus. Sure, maybe they were giving her a signing bonus because they pitied her, but she was going to take it.
Because that money could be used to help her kid.
And when it came to Brooks, she had no pride.
So she smiled brightly at Alice as she returned with several pairs of shoes. “Thank you.”
To her surprise, both Grady and Steele stuck around as she tried on the first pair. In her experience, men weren’t usually interested in shopping. Joe had never gone shopping with her.
However, they both watched as she got up and walked around in a sensible pair of black shoes with very low heels, which didn’t exactly go with her outfit, but were comfortable.
But then her gaze caught the shoes of her dreams. They had a solid, thick heel and were a pure white, which was incredibly impractical. Then, there were colorful dots all over them. Like they’d been dipped in confetti.
And the laces were just as awesome. They were a pair of thick rainbow-colored ribbons.
She bit at her lip as she stared at them.
Grady came up beside her. “You like them?”
“The shoes I have on? Yes, they’re great. Sensible and practical.”
“So boring?” he asked, sounding amused.
“Not at all,” she said hastily, not wanting him to take offense. “Is it all right if I get these ones?”
Grady glanced at her, then down to her sensible shoes before nodding.
She turned away from the confetti shoes, wincing slightly as her new sensible shoes rubbed against her blisters. They were stiff, but she knew they’d loosen up with wear. Although right now they were aggravating all the sore spots on her feet.
Suddenly, she was swept up again against a broad chest.
She gaped up at Steele.
“Take them off,” he said gruffly to Grady.
“Something wrong?” Alice asked.
“They’re hurting her.” This was said in a voice filled with accusation.
“It’s not the shoes’ fault,” she said quickly as Alice’s face dropped. “They fit fine. It’s just that I’ve got a couple of blisters.”
Grady slid the shoes off and inspected her feet before looking at her with a frown. “You should have said something.”
“You got something she can wear now that won’t hurt her feet any further?” Steele demanded as he set her down.
“Um, well. Not really. Unless she wants to wear sandals.”
“In this weather?” Steele said, sounding like she’d asked him if he wanted to go to war.
“Or slippers.”
“Slippers,” Steele said thoughtfully.
“I cannot wear slippers to a restaurant,” she said.
“Why not? We’ll take a pair of your warmest slippers as well as these,” he said.
“Steele! You can’t!” she said insistently, but he wandered off to the front of the store as his phone rang. She turned to the only person in the store who might be able to stop this lunacy. “Grady.”
“Yes?”
“I’m not wearing slippers.”
“You’re wearing the slippers or we go back to your place to discuss all this.”
Shit.
“I’ll find a pair that looks nice,” Alice assured her. “I’ve got a pair that kind of look like boots with fluff inside. No one will know they’re slippers.”
“They’ll know they’re slippers.”
“We have a private room,” Grady told her. “Not many people will see you.”
Okay, that was something at least.
Alice found her some very boot-like slippers. They wouldn’t go with her outfit, but it seemed she didn’t have much of a choice.
“They’re very concerned about your comfort. It’s so sweet,” Alice whispered as the two men stood across the room, talking. “Which one are you dating?”